Mass produced lures

[UKandy]

Hi all,

Can anyone give me information as to what material mass produced lures are made from please?

I understand it's a kind of plastic, but I'm wondering if there is a specific type used for lures, regarding strength, buoyancy etc?

I may be looking to have some parts made in China, but will not have all components made under the same roof, for obvious reasons.

Many thanks

Andy.

 

 

[JD_mudbug]

Mass production lure companies use a variety of plastics. The common types are acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate, and polypropylene. The different types can also be blended. Each company has their own formulas. The precise formulas are trade secrets. A Berkley square bill may use a different formula from a Bomber square bill even if they are same general type of plastic. A company may use a different formula or different type of plastic for each product line. A Bomber square bill may use a different type of plastic from a Saltwater Magnum Long A. Companies choose a plastic for a certain density, weight, durability and cost based on what they want the lure to do.  The density of each type of plastic changes some based on the particular formula. ABS is somewhere around 1.06 g/cm^3. Polycarbonate is around 1.20 g/cm^3. Polypropylene is around 0.92 g/cm^3.

If I had to guess, the most common type of plastic used in a typical bass size lure is some type of ABS. ABS is in the mid-range in terms of density of the 3.  It can provide a wide variety of buoyancy based on the thickness, the size of the hollow chamber and internal weighting. ABS is typically cheaper than polycarbonate. It is strong and durable enough for a typical bass size lure. 

Some of the larger saltwater lures are made of polycarbonate because it is more durable and impact resistant. Big saltwater lipped lures are usually made of some type of polycarbonate or they wouldn’t survive.  Polypropylene is used in some saltwater lures like big top waters and big lipless trolling lures. These rely on a wire harness with heavy hardware for strength and need more buoyancy.
 

[UKandy]

12 hours ago, JD_mudbug said:

Mass production lure companies use a variety of plastics. The common types are acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate, and polypropylene. The different types can also be blended. Each company has their own formulas. The precise formulas are trade secrets. A Berkley square bill may use a different formula from a Bomber square bill even if they are same general type of plastic. A company may use a different formula or different type of plastic for each product line. A Bomber square bill may use a different type of plastic from a Saltwater Magnum Long A. Companies choose a plastic for a certain density, weight, durability and cost based on what they want the lure to do.  The density of each type of plastic changes some based on the particular formula. ABS is somewhere around 1.06 g/cm^3. Polycarbonate is around 1.20 g/cm^3. Polypropylene is around 0.92 g/cm^3.

If I had to guess, the most common type of plastic used in a typical bass size lure is some type of ABS. ABS is in the mid-range in terms of density of the 3.  It can provide a wide variety of buoyancy based on the thickness, the size of the hollow chamber and internal weighting. ABS is typically cheaper than polycarbonate. It is strong and durable enough for a typical bass size lure. 

Some of the larger saltwater lures are made of polycarbonate because it is more durable and impact resistant. Big saltwater lipped lures are usually made of some type of polycarbonate or they wouldn’t survive.  Polypropylene is used in some saltwater lures like big top waters and big lipless trolling lures. These rely on a wire harness with heavy hardware for strength and need more buoyancy.
 

JD thank you so much for the detailed information you provided  that will be very helpful for me moving forward

Andy.

[JD_mudbug]

 

You're welcome.

There are also resins and (compressed) foams. You can achieve almost any type of buoyancy with those. Some of the large bass swimbaits are made of those. They seem to be used in smaller production runs. Plastic is easier to use in mass production.

You can also go with one type of plastic for the diving lip like polycarbonate and ABS for the body. The lip is stamped or cut and the body is molded separately. The lip is glued into the body like a Grandma type musky bait.

[Vodkaman]

3 hours ago, JD_mudbug said:

There are also resins and (compressed) foams. You can achieve almost any type of buoyancy with those. Some of the large bass swimbaits are made of those. They seem to be used in smaller production runs. Plastic is easier to use in mass production.

Correct, the reason being; Injecting polycarbonate or any other material as used in the technique for smaller baits does not work for larger baits. The material thickness required to get the buoyancy right, will result in sink holes and an extended material cooling time. So, for large baits, dense foams are the way to go.

Dave

Edited September 8, 2021 by Vodkaman

[mark poulson]

On 9/7/2021 at 10:12 PM, JD_mudbug said:

 

You're welcome.

There are also resins and (compressed) foams. You can achieve almost any type of buoyancy with those. Some of the large bass swimbaits are made of those. They seem to be used in smaller production runs. Plastic is easier to use in mass production.

You can also go with one type of plastic for the diving lip like polycarbonate and ABS for the body. The lip is stamped or cut and the body is molded separately. The lip is glued into the body like a Grandma type musky bait.

JD,

Do you know what plastic was used in the original Speed Traps?  We used to call them egg shells, because they were so delicate, but they caught fish.

[JD_mudbug]

I have been told the Speed Trap is made out Butyrate  a.k.a. Cellulose Acetate Butyrate. I don't know if that has been changed. Butyrate is weaker than ABS of the same thickness. Butyrate is easier to mold into very thin-walled items like the Speed Trap. A lot of Speed Traps end up with small dents/dimples from the molding process.  Take a look at the belly of your Speed Traps. I know some lure companies will use Butyrate for some models to get a different rattle sound than other lures. It produces more of a deep thud type sound.

I am a fan of the Speed Trap too. It is a great lure. The Metallic Perch color is one on my favorites.  Of course, they discontinued that color. I have one that I painted black that works great too. 

Mark, I know you have made your own version of the Speed Trap which looks great. I thought you might like to read the 'Tech Sheet'.

Jim

SpeedTrap tech sheet.pdf

Edited September 10, 2021 by JD_mudbug
missing info

[BobP]

That’s an interesting tech sheet, Jim.  Thanks for posting it.

[mark poulson]

JD Mudbug,

Thank you.  That is interesting info.  It kind of confirms what I found when I tried to copy the lure.

Looking at the lure, it looks like a capsized boat, with the "inverted hull" shedding water all the way down to the almost flat belly.  I think this is what makes it so stable at any speed.

Thanks again.

[JD_mudbug]

Definitely looks like a boat hull. I have always had this image in my mind that Luhr Jensen had an aerodynamic wind tunnel and used it to come up with the body design. I have wondered if the small notch line on the back actually did something or if it is was just to catch fisherman by making the lure look less plain.

After Rapala bought Luhr Jensen in 2006, Rapala moved the production to China and then to Indonesia.  My Speed Traps are from before 2006. They have Made in the USA in the package and the old Oregon address. I am going to pick up some of the new ones to compare.

[mark poulson]

1 hour ago, JD_mudbug said:

Definitely looks like a boat hull. I have always had this image in my mind that Luhr Jensen had an aerodynamic wind tunnel and used it to come up with the body design. I have wondered if the small notch line on the back actually did something or if it is was just to catch fisherman by making the lure look less plain.

After Rapala bought Luhr Jensen in 2006, Rapala moved the production to China and then to Indonesia.  My Speed Traps are from before 2006. They have Made in the USA in the package and the old Oregon address. I am going to pick up some of the new ones to compare.

Let us know what you figure out.