Hunter11 Posted June 4 Report Share Posted June 4 New to this process and I am trying to figure out about using the screw eyes or making them out of wire? I will be making hard baits only and tried my first crank bait recently. I bought .041 wire from lure parts and it seems pretty rough to try to bend and twist in a small crank bait. I did try to use one piece of wire through the body of the bait for all 3 anchor points instead of twisting the wire into 3 different eyes. My concern is relying solely on adhesives if I twist the wire for individual eyes. Just worried about the bait failing. I have since ordered .062 screw eyes from Janns. Any advise would be appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDK FISHING LURES Posted June 4 Report Share Posted June 4 i use .035 welding wire about 2" long then twist a few times drill small hole and glue in super glue 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishwhittler Posted June 6 Report Share Posted June 6 I use 19 gauge stainless steel twisted wire hangers. Either epoxy or superglue to hold them in place. Epoxy is tougher and more impact-resistant, superglue is faster for prototyping. I once tested how strong these hangers are by clamping one in a vise and pulling on it as hard as I could. If you're using balsa or another soft wood, the wood will fairly before the hook hanger breaks free. I've no idea what the failure point of a hook hanger in PVC is because I wasn't able to break it. Conclusion? If you're fishing for something small enough that through-wiring isn't mandatory, either one will work just fine. My preference will always be for twisted stainless hook hangers, since they're by far the less costly of the two and they can't be unscrewed as easily as a threaded hanger, making them a slightly more watertight option for the long term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Catignani Posted June 8 Report Share Posted June 8 I'm liking the twisted wire...sometimes a solid through the body wire. The wire is easier to get o-rings on. Like @Fishwhittlersaid, once it epoxied in place...the bond-to-wood is stronger than the wood itself. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Epp Posted June 18 Report Share Posted June 18 It all depends on what you're making and fishing for. I have a 2.5" popper with twisted .032" stainless hardware. Hardware was superglued in place, and I've caught a ton of bass (including 5 pounder) with no problems. That's generally my go-to approach. For some bigger baits geared toward muskie, I've used .062" wire in a 1/8" slot cut on a table saw. Then, once it was in place, epoxied in a 1/8" strip of wood. Seems to work. Play around and find what you like best. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted June 22 Report Share Posted June 22 .041 wire is just right for all but the smallest or largest cranks. But the secret is that it needs to be SOFT TEMPER stainless wire, not the hard stuff. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aulrich Posted June 25 Report Share Posted June 25 this sort of stuff is great for twisted eyes it work hardens as it is twisted there are various diameters. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01FVQVNCQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazelflores Posted June 27 Report Share Posted June 27 On 6/5/2024 at 3:36 AM, Hunter11 said: New to this process and I am trying to figure out about using the screw eyes or making them out of wire? I will be making hard baits only and tried my first crank bait recently. I bought .041 wire from lure parts and it seems pretty rough to try to bend and twist in a small crank bait. I did try to use one piece of wire through the body of the bait for all 3 anchor points instead of twisting the wire into 3 different eyes. My concern is relying solely on adhesives if I twist the wire for individual eyes. Just worried about the bait failing. I have since ordered .062 screw eyes from Janns. Any advise would be appreciated! Hello, I thing using screw eyes versus making wire eyes can depend on the design and durability you're aiming for. Using .062 screw eyes from Janns should provide more. May you might consider reinforcing the screw eyes with epoxy or another adhesive to secure them in place. This can help ensure your bait holds up well during use. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted July 7 Report Share Posted July 7 Commercial screw eyes are vulnerable if you put them in balsa baits without also epoxying the hole they’re in. A hard knock can loosen the eye and cause it to rip out. If it loosens but doesn’t rip out, water will infiltrate and ruin the bait anyway. I prefer hand twisted screw eyes epoxied into pre-drilled holes. I’ve never had a failure with them. Making a durable balsa bait, or any wood bait for that matter, is mostly about stopping water infiltration. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodieb8 Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 we use 0.51 aircraft tie wire. can be purchased in 1lb spools. excellent for bending. .its actually easier to use then screws and being wire thru,awesome for larger lures for toothy fish, 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
