MR KNOW IT ALL KIND OF Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 Im not lure maker.. heck not really much of a painter...All I know is waterbased means you can wash up with water.. after that!!! I have to get my dictonary out just to read some of the post on TU..So I thought I would do a look at how long it takes post..Im just a painter and I know it takes me about 5 hours just to paint a lure from start to finish.. I can only image how long it takes if you include the whole process... So everyone on TU!! How long does it take to make a great fishing lure from start to finish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bamabass Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 ive spent up to 7 hours many times maybe more than tha.As long as it looks good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longball Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 Not counting drying times this is pretty close if I was to just do a single lure. I usually do 8 at a time because that fills up my drying wheel. 1) draw pattern, cut with scroll saw, mark and drill holes for line ties and hook hangers, cut lip slot, rough shape on sander. 15 min tops 2) finish detail sanding. 10 min 3) epoxy ballast and hook hangers. Top off ballast hole with wood putty. 10 min Let dry over night usually. 4) prime wood putty 2 min. let dry 5) base coat paint. 10 min at most dry with hair dryer. 6) airbrush whatever pattern, glitter if needed and hair dry set the paint. 20 min 7) set dive bill. 10 min total time mostly prep to get right. 8 ) epoxy or dicknites lure coat. and attach to wheel. 15-20 tops. total time for one fishing lure = 97 minutes not including drying times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lure--Prof Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 Wow, Longball, that is fast! But I'll bet you're not counting the time it takes you to drink 12 cups of coffee before you start! Dean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinman Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 Yes sir, get a standardized design & do multiples really speeds things up. I can't even imagine how much time some of the guys on here have into some of the swim baits posted. Unbelievable. Alot of the details take extra time, of course. Jointed lures like I mentioned already. Foiling & scaling, prism tape etc., adds another dimension & a few more steps. Weighting time can vary, too. If you're shooting for a neutral, slow riser or sinker, gotta tank test those (or lake if ones nearby). Thru-wire if you're into that. And some of the deep diver lips with wire line ties are tricky. Hand carves, ad infinitun..... Then throw in the proto-type work........ Fun, fun, fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longball Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 Wow, Longball, that is fast! But I'll bet you're not counting the time it takes you to drink 12 cups of coffee before you start! Dean That is the time for one like I have in my Avitar. I have a standard template and notes for everything. I'm not too smart so I write down every detail if it is good or bad. I have a die cut template for two patterns that I make the most. They are for 5-6 feet and a 10-12 foot diver. I have a template for exact weight placements and all hanger/line tie placements. If I forget, I have a laminated sheet that has all dimensions and measurements on it for a cheat sheet. A coffin bill takes me a little longer because putting the line tie in the dive bill is aggervating to me to get correct. The crankbait that I use for less than 18" is the same shape as the one in my avitar but I have jigs and templates for the correct dive bill and cutting angles. Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 The cutting and shaping times vary depending upon what type of lure I'm building, but it usually take about 25 to 30 minutes. Light sanding, about 10 minutes Sealing the bait takes about 10. (I don't count drying time for sealing or painting) Weighting, which I don't do very often, takes about 10 minutes. Priming and painting easily take an hour if I'm applying a normal amount of detail, such as gills, stripes, belly details, scale effects. I really slow down for the painting process because I cannot paint that fast without spilling paint and solvents everywhere. I often paint the bait in the base colors and then apply a coat of automotive sealer or Devcon2 before applying gill and scale details. Applying the eyescrews and lip about 20 minutes. Clearing (3 coats of Devcon2ton epoxy) takes about 35 to 40 minutes total. This is another step where I try to go slow and get it right. Total time probably averages around 3 to 4 hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR KNOW IT ALL KIND OF Posted August 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 Man, You guys build baits faster than I paint one... I need to speed up!! LONGBALL COFFEE PLEASE!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazmail Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Yep, I agree with all the above, the days just drift away. BUT- Don't forget the time to make the saw table for lip slots, router table and jigs, lip jigs, eye jigs, centre marking jig, lip aligning jig, sanding wheels, sanding jigs, drying wheel, clamps for drying wheel, stencils, Poly carbonate press/bender, lip punch- etc etc. I have not even started the spray cabinet or dust free drying cupboard yet. But S--T I'm having fun. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 It takes......as long as it takes. Ommmmmmm. Just don't be in a hurry. As time goes by and the addiction grows, you'll naturally become faster and surer at the required operations. Like Longball says, KEEP NOTES. Once you make that perfect crankbait, you just might want to do it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longball Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Yep, I agree with all the above, the days just drift away.BUT- Don't forget the time to make the saw table for lip slots, router table and jigs, lip jigs, eye jigs, centre marking jig, lip aligning jig, sanding wheels, sanding jigs, drying wheel, clamps for drying wheel, stencils, Poly carbonate press/bender, lip punch- etc etc. I have not even started the spray cabinet or dust free drying cupboard yet. But S--T I'm having fun. Pete Preach on! I spent the winter making my jigs and templates so I can make a perfect bait more efficiently. I didn't tell that out of the 90 minutes of actual working time I let everything dry over night so that is why I make 8 at a time also. In 4 days I will have 8-10 pieces of fishing equipment. Hazmail, please PM me a method for a lip aligning jig and a lip punch. Those two elements are all I need to be consistent. That is why I hate to put in dive bills. It is the biggest source of frustration for me. I stole my center marking jig idea from sheet metal installers. I can find center of a 1/2" piece of material as simple as setting it on it and scribing a line. I wish I could draw it for you guys but it kinda looks like the rectangle shaped letter openers. BTW, I do drink alot of coffee and can't sit still very long. I like my coffee like I like my women. Ground up and in the freezer. Just kidding. Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdhaeh Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 I have made several 3 and 4 piece swimbaits, and each of them took around 15-20 hours each if you count tank testing and weight tweaking. Not to mention the freaking joints:eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Lumpy and bitter!!!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazmail Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Longball That's exactly what I have been doing, as it's winter here now, nothing will set, it's so cold and we are finally getting rain, can't complain though, as it has not rained for 5 years- who says global warming is a myth !! global drying I say. You can find the lip punch here in 'home brew tools' http://www.tackleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9255 I have only made round bibs with it (20mm) but it's up to your imagination. As for the lip alignment jig, it's still pretty rough, but my best so far. As you will see it will accommodate only up to a certain size lip and lure. I only use 30mm x 20mm pre cut lips (about 3/4 " x 1 1/4"), so if you use anything bigger then 25mm wide (1") you would have to scale it up with larger Al angle to accommodate what ever you need to use. Some of those huge lures I see on here would need a RSJ to make a jig. Hope this is of some help, if you need any more info just ask. See 'Photo Bucket' Link below for pics, you may have to 'zoom' them-sorry about the quality they were taken at night.Have fun pete...... http://s206.photobucket.com/albums/bb290/hazmail/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lure--Prof Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Lumpy and bitter!!!? Sweet and creamy! Hazmail, thanks for sharing your lipping jig detail! Doug, Freeze your beans whole; then grind! Rookie (anything-but, when it comes to painting!), You're not a slow painter, the other guys are just fast! I spend a lot of time on the painting also; It's theraputic, I enjoy doing stuff like irridescent scale work that's nearly invisible until light hits it from a certain angle and then it pops for an instant; stuff like that is not necessary in order to make a beautiful and effective lure, but I enjoy doing it, even though it takes a lot of time to add steps like that. I've fished all my life with lures built to a price point; my niche is making lures the opposite of that. It is neither the right way or the wrong way, but it simply takes more time to make a rounded lure that is 3/8ths or 1/2 inch or 3/4ths of an inch wide than a flatter bait, or to sand and polish lips and lip edges, or to inset domed eyes, or to use longer curing glue: the list goes on. By the same token, Doug is 100% correct on using every jig & template you can make for the sake of speed amd accuracy and keeping notes on everything you do, because you'll never remember, when you're doing a bunch of baits. I physically can't remain in one position very long so I can't use the efficiency of production style lure-making, like sitting and base coating 30 lures at a time, so while I 'll start a "batch" of lures, I don't even try to do one step at a time with the bunch, because it doesn't work for me. I can do a lot of sanding and polishing from a comfortable position however, so I'm good at making the kind of lures I like to make. I've tried turning up the speed dial, and I can't do it, all of which is to say, Make the kind of lures you want to make, and take the time it takes to make them! Your goals are your goals; but whatever you do, don't ever put so much pressure on yourself that you don't enjoy the process, because it's the thing about the journey being more important than the destination. Speed will come with repetition. Time for me to paint on those 2 lures I began yesterday morning... Dean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longball Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 I do remember your dive bill punch now. I have been working on a design to use with the 3-4 different bills I use. Looks like another deerstand project. I have written down some pretty good stuff while sitting in the top of a tree waiting. the bill alignment jig is something I'm glad I saw. I might be able to expand on that for my needs. We need to get Vodkaman on that, he is the engineer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longball Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Make the kind of lures you want to make, and take the time it takes to make them! Your goals are your goals; but whatever you do, don't ever put so much pressure on yourself that you don't enjoy the process, because it's the thing about the journey being more important than the destination. That is probably the most important quote on this thread. I'm not trying to produce baits for bulk sale. I'm just quick when I do stuff, (just ask my wife). I take my time when I work because when I go fast I screw up. I also have a 3 year old that likes to be wherever I am so I do tend to be efficient so she can have some daddy time since I do work alot out of the house. I just have fun and make baits. Last night I took two baits that I had already base coated and just experimented with colors. I took a bait that I make that had a very good paint finish on it and added some color to a different area that made the lure brighter and hopefully more visible. ( A tip from a previous thread). I had a blast doing it, had to call my club and brother to tell them they should surrender all tournament money to me now and they should accept 2nd place. The total paint process was 20 minutes and included me finding out someone took my rags out of my shop and having to go find the. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR KNOW IT ALL KIND OF Posted August 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2007 Did I tell you guys I have a ghost in my house.. This is why my lures take so long to do.. .. SO Im sitting at my paint desk.. Its clean and nothing on it .... Im ready to paint.. But I need to tape some lures I just cleaned up.... I look right on the desk.. NO TAPE!!! I start throwing boxes around.. and walmart plastic bags.. no tape.. I got crap all over the floor.. LOOKING all over my office... NO BLUE TAPE!!! 45 mins past by and now Its 3am how am I going to get these done without tape.. So I drive to walmart.. at 3am.. and buy... YEP 15 ROLLS OF BLUE TAPE!!! IM not losing it anymore.. So when I get back home... I sit back down at my nice clean desk.. and look right down at the nice clean desk!!.. What do I see sitting right in front of my face!!! YEP my old roll of blue tape!!! The_ROOKIE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted August 17, 2007 Report Share Posted August 17, 2007 I don't count my time working on baits. I cherish it. I only wish I had more of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR KNOW IT ALL KIND OF Posted August 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2007 I cherish 4 hours of sleep right now... COME OVER FAT HELP ME PAINT ALL THESE LURES I have to have shipped out before tommorrow at 5pm.. 37 and counting... Started today at 10am.. I have 12 done.... 23 painted that need to be cleared.. and 2 that I dont think will get done in time.. I need a excuse when they ask me where their bait is.. You got a good one.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted August 17, 2007 Report Share Posted August 17, 2007 Well, I was doing final testing on your baits to make sure they were running perfectly before delivery, when a giant musky grabbed the lure and scuffed the finish. I need a couple of days to re-do the top coat for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lure--Prof Posted August 17, 2007 Report Share Posted August 17, 2007 That's pretty dang good there V-Man! Dean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
