CrawChuck Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Here is a simple after work project anybody can do for a basic tube. An aluminum rod would be best due to weight considerations while molding but I used a bolt with the threads cut off for this example. Size is irrelevant so I won't go there as your preference will decide. All you need is a metal rod and some clear plastic tubing that fits snug. Find a type that has the thickness you desire your tube to be. Slide the tubing down on the rod about 1/4 to 1/2 inch past the end. You want a little of the rod sticking out. Drip some wax over the end and form it round with a blade of some sort. Be sure to make a smooth transition between the wax and tubing so there won't be a seam on the poured bait. If you use a bolt drip some wax around the head to ease removal from mold. Ready to mold. Mix your plaster and pour it in your container and shake it just enough to level. Place the object in and poke it down halfway into the plaster. The butt end of the rod should be at the edge of the mold box. Put a piece of crayon at the head and poke it in halfway. Let this cure a little going through the heat stage. As soon as the plaster is firm enough to touch without leaving a mark, take a round tipped object like a butterknife and twirl it around to form three craters. These will be alignment holes. Use a soft brush to sweep out the dust and brush on a mold release over the whole plaster surface but be careful to not get any on your object. Johnson's Paste Wax is recommended but silicone rubber will work. If silicone is used, give it about thirty minutes to cure before pouring the next batch of plaster. Mix another batch of plaster and pour it in. Shake it around to level it and let cure past the heating stage. Remove from mold box. Tap a knife blade into one of the corner seams till the mold releases and gently pull it apart with your fingers. Remove the objects carefully. Notice the digging I had to do in order to remove the bolt. Should have use an aluminum rod Funnel out the pourspace with your knife and remove the tubing from your rod/bolt, it is now your mold insert. Whatever you use make sure it is a smooth polished surface. Salt lovers will no doubt want to use stainless or aluminum. Had to dig a pretty big hole to get the bolt out!!! Dry your mold and apply your choice of sealer to the lure cavity, not the insert way! To pour, place the lightly oiled/scented insert at the desired location depending how much plastic you want in the head. When you figure this out it's a good idea to cut the insert flush with the mold bottom to avoid pushing it too far into the cavity while pouring if you set the mold on a flat surface. Don't use a dang bolt The tube will slip right off the insert after it's cool. I recommend you don't pull the insert out the bottom to get it out of the lure since this will eventually ruin the polished surface of the insert. Cut your tails and you've got a tube bait. Another option is after making the mold, use a slightly smaller diameter insert and wrapping it with a section of silicone skirt material and placing it in the insert way with about 1/2 inch of skirt material in the lure cavity. It will not fuse but will stick good enough for personal use when you want something special Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GB GONE Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Nice tutorial for a great simple tube mold. This needs to go in the tutorial area for sure!!!! Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmik26 Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 looks great crawchuck, nice job.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midgeman Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Great job CrawChuck! Looks super. Do you think it produces a more consistant tube than dipping? I would think so but I could be wrong. The only drawback is making only one at a time but if its only for personal use (like I would be doing) its really not a big deal. Thanks again, really super! :grin: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dungeonhawk5 Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 no reason you couldnt do a mold with 10 or more of those though.. get a nice big 9x13 pan and go to work... i am considering trying it, but i rarely rarely fish tubes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midgeman Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Very true, good idea.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmik26 Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 keep in mind that majority of tubes have tons of salt in them and alot of hardener. You might find this a little difficult to pour, I made a aluminum mold simular to this and couldn't get one to work. I would be interested in if it works for you guys, maybe I did something wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrawChuck Posted February 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Thanks guys. A multi cavity is simple. Just drill how ever many holes to match the desired number of lures in a piece of wood and insert your rods into it with tubes on that you poured without cutting the tails or pourspace and use that for your mold object. Another option I have been wanting to try is the lego trick somebody told about here. You could make a multi cavity by just building it up and using what would be the outside second half for another cavity and just keep going up!!! As for pouring, the rod and cavity need to heat up a bit to flow. I made a tube lizard like this some years ago for carolina rigging. Had to fuse the tails on seperate but they were good floaters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmik26 Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 thanks for the heating tip crawchuck I will try tonight.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charkins Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Hey CrawChunk, That is a great tutorial. How about pouring a few and showing us the tubes. I fish tubes a lot and would be interested in seeing the results. Thanks Cal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrawChuck Posted March 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Okay, I found some Envirotex today, gave it a coat and will do a pour tomorrow. Gonna try and make a cutter out of some single edge razors...anybody make their own cutter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charkins Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 I bought the new cutter that Lurecraft has. It is utility blades in a metal frame with spacers. It is really good. It would be better if it was mounted in some kind of a press. Hammering on this thing is wearing me out. Cal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioMike Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Easy solution to cut the tails on the new Lure Craft cutter. Instead of moving the cutter go to your local hardware & buy a Drywall tape roller, 1st one I used was a $2.00 cheaper. They have a plastic roller that won't dull the blades. Turn the cutter blades up, put your tube on the blades however long you want it, then take the roller & roll it back & forth. I have found that twice is enough. Only draw-back is the roller wears out after a couple of thousand tubes and you have to replace it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrawChuck Posted March 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Here's a pic of the first tube. I didn't get to make a cutter yet so the tail is pretty thrashed with just a razor blade. I don't know why a fish would even bite one of these crazy things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
