Chris Catignani Posted December 6, 2021 Report Share Posted December 6, 2021 I am looking for some advice on tuning... I'm making some baits and cutting my own Lexan lips. Wondering what is a good procedure to get the bait in tune. For the sake of simplicity, just running straight. I've been using closed eye screw (at this point) and they are epoxied in the bait. So...I'm not really looking to be bending those to tune. Looking more for tips and procedures for shaving the lips. I may just be over thinking this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted December 6, 2021 Report Share Posted December 6, 2021 Best method is from the start... The crank when sliced down the middle should be symmetrical. Now we are hand building so this is rarely the case just strive to do the best you can. If you think about the vertical slice above we want the lip slot cut perpendicular to this, we want to avoid a skewed lip. If you think about the back edge of the lip forming a horizontal line crossing the vertical symmetrical line we should have a "plus" mark formed. I cut all my lip slots in the square blank prior to shaping. All weight, line ties, hook hangers, etc.. should be installed along that vertical symmetry line. If you followed above just need to create lips. Use a drawing program and create 1/2 the lip then copy paste, invert to get the other side. Can use cardstock or cereal box and fold a piece in half then cut your lip and then open and you get a symmetrical lip pattern to trace onto the lip but if once you get a lip pattern in program easy to print templates. I cut out a stack of rectangle stock and tape together with blue painters tape along the edges (leave the protective covering on). And then glue my template or trace and then cut on my bandsaw and then sand to the line. Can cut with tin snips then sand also if you want to do them individually or cut outside the pattern stack and sand, etc... Tuning is typically just a minor tweak if you build correctly, from my experiences. Only time I really need to do major bending, shaving, etc.. is on a new design with an improper lip design. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Catignani Posted December 6, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2021 @Travis Thanks for the building procedures, good sage advice...but what I was looking for was: Say you have your bait ready for fish...and it runs just a shade to the right. (and up to this point all my baits have been solid carved body (not split). How would you go about shaving some of the lip down to bring it back center? I know its a little trivial...but I feel like I'm standing on the shoulders of giants here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD_mudbug Posted December 6, 2021 Report Share Posted December 6, 2021 (edited) If the bait is ready to fish, has action but tracks slightly to one side, this is when I bend the line tie. Shaving the lip could cause too much of a change to a lure that is only slightly off. Usually, only a minor adjustment is needed to the line tie. I have a crankbait tuning tool to slightly adjust the line tie. I don’t like using needle nose for this as you can’t be as precise and are more likely to crack the clear coat by applying unnecessary force. Shaving the lip is a last resort as you can’t un-shave it. You can end up chasing adjustments to each side of the lip. If the bait is running to the right, shave a tiny amount off left side. Make sure you do this in real small amounts and check it how it’s running each time you shave it some. https://www.tackleunderground.com/community/topic/6344-shave-a-lip/ As Travis says, if you are building lures, starting from a square or rectangular block is best to get everything marked out to eliminate issues from the start. After sealing and installing the hardware, I like to test my lures before spending time on a paint job. I seal the lip slop, but don’t install the lip. I can try different lips by using hot glue or using tape on the back of the lip. This way you can be sure you have the right size and shape of the lip for the body. If the bait stays on its side on the retrieve, I look to see how it sits in water. If it is not straight up and down and is titled at an angle, I tape/hot glue some lead to get it to sit right and try a careful cast and retrieve. This usually means the ballast and /or hardware wasn’t centered. If the taped lead causes improvement, I will drill a 1/8” hole on the side where I had tape the lead, add lead from a 1/8” lead coil, and seal the hole. If you somehow botch this, you can always drill out the leads and fill hole with 1/8” craft dowel and superglue. Edited December 6, 2021 by JD_mudbug typo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted December 6, 2021 Report Share Posted December 6, 2021 50 minutes ago, Chris Catignani said: @Travis Thanks for the building procedures, good sage advice...but what I was looking for was: Say you have your bait ready for fish...and it runs just a shade to the right. (and up to this point all my baits have been solid carved body (not split). How would you go about shaving some of the lip down to bring it back center? I know its a little trivial...but I feel like I'm standing on the shoulders of giants here. Sorry misunderstood your question. I don't build baits split just good to visualize it in that manner. Once on the water I tweak the line tie if needed and apply a small drip of super glue near the tie wait a few seconds and wipe. Typically if an cracks formed the superglue will wick into and solidify on the next cast. I use the same method described above about tuning it straight and usually just drag my knife perpendicular along the lip a few passes, cast and repeat. Just scraping off a little plastic at a time. A small file (Leatherman or similar) also will do just fine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azsouth Posted December 7, 2021 Report Share Posted December 7, 2021 Cutting your own lips is a double edge sword, Though most people can cut lips that will work, Most of them are not precise or edged properly. Lexan/Polycarbonate is a soft material but should be cut with a high speed carbide blade. Table saw or Router then the edges should be seemed ( light sanding of edges) then if you really want a high polish look use a propane torch to heat the edges... this technique will take some practice!! As far as best way to trim/shave lips while out and about... glue 120-180 grit sandpaper on a hard flat surface ( hand size ) and slowly take the material off...I personally don't like using any heavier grit than 120. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Catignani Posted December 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2021 1 hour ago, azsouth said: ...Lexan/Polycarbonate is a soft material but should be cut with a high speed carbide blade. Table saw or Router then the edges should be seemed ( light sanding of edges) then if you really want a high polish look use a propane torch to heat the edges... this technique will take some practice!!... Good to know! I've only cut one lip so far and I used a scroll saw. My current eye tie was just a screw epoxied in place...I just feel like I might be doing some damage by bending it to tune the bait. What I may do in the future is to just use wire when I have a lip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravenlures Posted December 7, 2021 Report Share Posted December 7, 2021 Let's get back to the lure for a minute, even though you cut your lure lip slot before you turn it down if your centers are not perfect then your cut will be off. Looking at the lure after turning, from the nose with lip in your hand may see that the lip is leaning to one side, just a little, that might cause the lure running to one side. One thing that I do after turning down the lure I place the lip in the lure and place it on a flat surface and see how true it is make sure the lip is all the way in, at this point you might see that the lure it not in a straight line, the whole lure might be just a little off, at that point you must shave a little off the lip bottom of the lure on the that side needs it to straighten the lure. One more point if you cut your own lip then the lip must be square on the bottom, if not shave or cut a new lip to make it right. I hope this makes sense sometimes easer to show than write about it. Wayne 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 7, 2021 Report Share Posted December 7, 2021 5 hours ago, Chris Catignani said: Good to know! I've only cut one lip so far and I used a scroll saw. My current eye tie was just a screw epoxied in place...I just feel like I might be doing some damage by bending it to tune the bait. What I may do in the future is to just use wire when I have a lip. If you're worried that the bait's epoxy might leak or get weak when you tweak the line tie, after you've tuned it to run right, add a drop of runny super glue to the area where the line tie goes into the lure. It will wick into any gaps in the epoxy, and reseal and strengthen the point of connection. I do that all the time when I'm tuning a new bait on the water. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted December 14, 2021 Report Share Posted December 14, 2021 Chris, you’re right that a line tie in the nose of a wood bait can be a weak point, especially in soft balsa. If you break the finish in the bait while tuning it will be a goner quickly. Rather than use a steel screw eye, many builders use hand twisted screw eyes made from soft temper stainless steel or brass, either of which is easy to bend to tune a bait. I use .041” soft temper stainless from McMaster-Carr online in standard sized bass baits. It’s easy to twist accurately and plenty tough enough to last well, and won’t break finish while tuning the bait. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Catignani Posted December 14, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2021 6 minutes ago, BobP said: ... many builders use hand twisted screw eyes made from soft temper stainless steel or brass, either of which is easy to bend to tune a bait. I have seen this being done...and now it makes more sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
