Different Wood types

[dragline]

Beside Red Cedar , any feedback on using Poplar or Redwood with reference to Musky lure making.

Thanks much appreciated

Mark

[apb]

Really depends on what you want the plug to do. I've used poplar for a few striper plugs. Mostly topwater stuff. A little denser than the red cedar. You'll have to seal it well or it will split.

Andrew

[dragline]

The only reason I mentioned Redwood is that I have access to some old redwood patio furniture.

[RiverMan]

Dragline,

Many of the top musky builders use eastern red cedar for building baits...not western red cedar, big difference. I have use western however and it does work altho it is quite soft, much like basswood. Poplar is what I have used almost exclusively in the past but it has a nasty tendency to create bubbles in your finish. If you use Poplar it will be necessary to seal the wood very well before painting and finish. Redwood is one wood I have not tried but ironically enough I bought some yesterday and cut out several baits from it last evening. I know of at least one builder using it and he very much likes it. I drilled some holes in the stuff and I would say the density of the wood is comparable to poplar.

jed

[Husky]

Here's some info on wood. P 9-10.

http://www.proscale.com/downloads/Woodworking_Products/Pro-60_Manual.pdf

[Steel Pulse]

Alaskan Yellow Cedar is what all the saltwater guys use. Really a cypress but turns great and sands well. Takes paint great too. Nice and light so you can weight it where you want, perfect for top water and swimmers. Worth a try. Steely

[woodieb8]

we use western red. the key soak in dealer. we also use a hard lacquer prime2 coats. then base color dipped then artwork. 2-3 coats of clear. toothy critters have big teeth.

[RiverMan]

Woodie,

Did you write that you use two coats of lacquer as a sealer? Or are you using a sealer then two coats of lacquer? Thank you!

Jed

[woodieb8]

sorry we use a lacquer sanding sealer. we immerse the bait and dry 2 times. then we immerse in lacquer white primer , then dip in lacquer base coat ex. yellow. artwork next. final 2 coats of circa polymer clear. on the smaller baits we use a clear acrylic 2-3 dips for final coats

[Oncorhynchus_tshawytscha]

My mother went to high school with a local cabinent maker, and he let's me raid his scrap barrels, before he starts to use them to heat his workshop. I picked up quite a few pieces, not really knowing what they were. Well, I got to working with this really rich, brown colored wood. Turns out that it is black walnut; it was a pain in the butt to sand and shape, but boy, does it ever look nice when it's sealed!

I have almost finished 3 of them, and I don't think they are going to work properly. I weighted them like I would eastern red ceder, and now they sink like rocks But I still have 2 that I haven't weighted or sealed yet, so there may still be hope!

Brock

[RiverMan]

Brock,

You have to test the weight of each wood, they are all different. The amount of lead to be used for walnut will maybe be 25% of what you use for western red cedar. Drill what you think will be the correct amount, add lead and test. If it's not enough you can drill the lead out, drill further, try again. Once you get it figured out for one take good notes, measure depths, and then do all of them similar.

jed

[finlander]

This eastern red cedar, is it a wood that is readily available lumber yards, or is it a specialty item, thru the 'net?

[RiverMan]

It is not a wood that is "readily available" for me here in Oregon but virtually any wood can be obtained through local lumber shops if you are willing to wait for them to order it in.

Jed