Jointed resin bait weighting

[kmooresd85]

I’m in the process of making a jointed lure out of resin. I wanted to know if there was a good way to add weight to the lure without it sinking. I need it to float, and after hardware, my current plan slow sinks if I add even a bb weight. Right now I’m using micro balloons at .5 oz resin A, .5 resin B and 1 oz micro balloons and that keeps it floating as long as I don’t add any weight. The thing is, it’s super tough to cast without any weight behind it. I use a lot of jerkbaits and those I think have an ideal weighting system, but not sure if I could replicate with resin bait

[Anglinarcher]

I use a lot of resin in lures, but what you ask is pretty much impossible.  I wanted to post my graph but we are limited to about 10K less then the graph is, so that is out.

In summary, if you use the same VOLUME of resin to the same VOLUME  or microballons, you will get results about the same density as maple.  (for example, 10 cc microballons, 5 cc part a, 5 cc part b - .69 grams/cc compared to water which is 1 gram/cc)

Now, this works, but it is not easy to pour, in fact, it is pretty thick.  What I do is probably not called mass production (LOL) but for me it works.  I rotomold the shell using resin with only some microballons.  The microballons make it thick enough to get good rotomold results.  I then add the weight (you need to figure that out for yourself), then I add structural foam (2 part expanding).

Using that method you can adjust weight, balance, etc., etc. but it takes a lot of experimentation, or a great set of math skills.

Hope this helps some, it is not easy.

[ravenlures]

Anglinarcher

I am making a large musky lure 14" long I like the idea of your system of pouring. I am just trying to figure out how to pour that long of a lure through the tail and turn it to fill the sides other than spinning it as I pour in the resin than later use a foam to fill the rest of it. Any thoughts on this anyone.

Wayne 

[TootsMalone]

You would have an incredibly difficult time replicating the hollow chambers if your factory made jerkbaits without going the ABS route with a substantial investment into special machinery. 

You could make a "shell" inside your mold with some slow setting resin place your weight with bb's or whatever ballast you choose, then back-fill with something buoyant like a 2 part foam. But as mentioned above, it isn't easy. 

The easiest route is to make your buoyant resin baits and add ballast after curing to get the right placement and amount. My process involves having lead plugs made from various size drill bits i use for my ballast holes. 1/4" half depth, 1/4" full depth, 1/4" 1.5 depth and so on all the way up to my largest size which is 3/8" 1.5 depth. I use forstner bits for these holes so 1.5 depth means 1 and a half times the depth of the head on the bit in case that wasn't clear. You could do this same thing with tape and standard bits. Then hot glue your plugs in different positions on the bottom of the bait until you achieve your desired sink rate and balance. 

Just my $0.02. Good luck with your builds! 

[mark poulson]

I use Lurepartsonline weighted hook holders for my belly weight.  You can figure out how much by just using a screw eye to test, adding weight to the hook tines until you get what you want.  Then weigh the screw eye, subtract that from the added ballast weight, and use a weighted hook hanger that matches that weight.  Once you figure it out for the first bait, the rest will be easy.  Just be sure to take notes, so you can duplicate it next time.

https://www.lurepartsonline.com/Plug-Belly-Weight-Inserts

[ravenlures]

Looks like I will make a resin bait after I make out of cedar for testing then figure out where and how much weight to use. Then figure how to place in the resin bait TEST...TEST...TEST.

Thanks Guys

Wayne

[Anglinarcher]

Ya, best way.  I don't usually pour through the tail.  I make my mold to use a rubber stopper to hold the material and then rotomold it.

Lots of good ideas above, just some " TEST...TEST...TEST."

 

[Hillbilly voodoo]

I had an idea a while back but never put it to the test. Bad habit of being a bit of a scatter brain too many untested theories 

What I wanted to test was suspending a foam core in the mold and then pouring resin around it. I actually wanted to try this with the idea of messing around with adding floatation to different sections of the bait as well to see how I could impact the action. But then my brain went elsewhere and I did not test the idea 

It might work for increasing buoyancy if you put a foam core on a through wire and poured it into your bait the same way you would with a normal wire harness. The other idea I was going to try was suspending the foam with light mono or thread.then pour the bait 

One day I will try this and a million other ideas