homemade rockerheads?

[Fish-N-Fool Lures]

Hi all;  I used to post here many years ago under this same basic name, but didn't remember my password so had to resign up. I retired from making my Famous Sink-N-Fool baits that I sold in the stores, and now I just make baits for my own use.  I can't find a source to buy just the Headbanger type Rockerheads without a hook, so I was wondering if anybody has tried to make their own. I was thinking of using 1/8" lexan cut to size, heat it up and then form it in a 2 part mold to shape. I want somewhat large ones for big swimbaits for pike fishing so I figured the best way to get some is make them myself. Has anybody ever tried to form plastic sheets like this?

[JD_mudbug]

I have formed or bent 1/8” and .093” Lexan to make curved crank bait lips, jitterbug type lips, and prop blades for globe type lures. I have not tried a headbanger type scoop which is more complex. I don’t see why it couldn’t be done to at least make the face of the scoop. 

I make simple curved objects by pressing Lexan heated with a heat gun around a pipe or other curved or round object. I sometimes use a second curved object to use as my pressing object. I wear heat resistant gloves and use sheet metal bending vice grips to hold the Lexan while heating and to position it before I bend it or press it between my curved objects.

I don’t do a lot of Lexan bending. The tough part for me is heating the Lexan enough to bend it without causing bubbles to form from too much heat. Tiny bubbles don’t seem to weaken the Lexan. But, I do try to get pieces with no bubbles where the hardware will be. When using a heat gun, it can tough to get the Lexan to a bendable temperature without overheating it.

It would be tough to get the complex curves on the back side of a rocker-head by using heated Lexan without making a weak spot in it somewhere. Maybe you could just make the scoop part, drill a hole through for a wire with loop on one end, once to wire is slid through you could bend another loop. You would have a Lexan scoop with a loop on each side. You could attach a split ring and hook on the back side. You could use a keel weighted swim bait hook for more weight. It would be a bigger version of a Paycheck Nose Job scoop.

[Outlaw4]

you can vacuum form polycarbonate. lots of video's out there on the subject. i think that'd be the best way to make a slightly more complex shape vs a roll or bend.