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Showing content with the highest reputation on 12/13/2017 in all areas
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I got out of making crankbaits for the past 2 yrs. I just plain got burnt out. I am going to get back at it again soon. What I have decided to do is make baits and just enjoy making them again. What I make is for sale if someone wants them. Anyone that really makes baits for sale can tell you is that you have to be there for your customers. Even if you aren't making baits at the time, you have to make yourself available in case someone needs something. This is especially true for pros or the truly dedicated. My phone blew up so much with calls that the fun went out of making the baits. When I got to the point that I was having trouble keeping up with demand I sat down and re-thought how to do business. For me, when I got to the point where most of my free time was ate up with making baits, the fun went out of it. So my new plan is to just make them when I feel like it. The fun needs to be put back into my hobby. That is one of the reasons that I started making baits in the first place. Skeeter2 points
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It is always a balance. I don't make lures to sell; well not really. Each lure, even though I do mostly resin lures, still takes so much time that I would need to charge to much to make it pay. I give lures to friends and family, but somehow that seems different. Still, I can't keep up with that demand. Were I to sell lures, I would either need to charge more, or make cheaper. Now, that is a tough problem. Not one of greed, but one of flat out logistics. I realize that I am an old timer and I still remember paying the extreme price of $1.95 for some of the early crank baits in my youth. They were not called that in those days. LOL When lures went over $5.00 each I was sure the fishing industry was over! Now a $20 bait is pretty common and I see some custom baits at over $200. Still, I think the price point is such that we all are looking for the balance point. I know that the average fishermen has little knowledge. They will walk the aisles of the store and pick a lure based on price, color, shape, in that order. The average fisherman, the 90% that catches 10% of the fish, would/will never spend the money for a "quality bait". So, what do we do to locate the 10% that do look for quality and craftsmanship? And, when you think of it, WE may be the 10% on this site so we may be buying each others baits.2 points
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"If you use hand tools to shape lures you have to develop a sharp eye to keep them symmetrical and consistent. That just comes with experience." Words of wisdom there. There are many Crankbaits that are made by companies that have put out the money and paid the engineers to make them by automation are not as good as one that is made by a skilled craftsman. Their 'sharp eye" and "experience" is what makes them that exceptional. Look at the old Poes, Zoom, and Bagley crankbaits. Really look at the symmetry and the way that the screw eyes, ballast, and lips are installed. 95% is garbage, I don't care who makes them. I have always remembered one lesson that I learned many years ago. I was at David Fritts boat dealership. His tournament boat was there and I looked inside of it. There were probably 25 crankbaits laying in the floor of the boat. Many of them were vintage Bagley squarebills. Many of them would have fetched a pretty penny on Ebay. I looked at one of my friends that worked there and said how surprised I was that he left such expensive lures laying around out in the open like that. His reply was simple, "Believe me, if those baits were any good they wouldn't be laying there in the bottom of the boat." Money can kill you as a bait maker. The desire to make as many baits as you can to maximize your profits, will most of the time, result in taking shortcuts or downgrading they quality that you make by hand. Once that starts, you are on the way of loosing your reputation and you will soon go by the wayside like many before you. In my opinion, Greed is the number one killer of excellent work. You won't get rich making crankbaits, but you will have your name and reputation. Choose wisely. Skeeter2 points
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Noted. I probably will only use these with jerk baits, so not a big deal. Thanks!1 point
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Don't want you to feel ignored. Welcome to TU. Now, to answer your question, the answer is "it depends". Assuming that you use only dyes and pigments added to the plastisol, you do not need any clear coat. If you paint the soft plastic lure, then only a very very few paints will adhere to the soft plastic. You must use a clear to keep the paints on the plastic. In this case, the most common clear is clear plastisol used as a dip. It protects the paint job and gives it a glass like look. I even use Alumidust and brush it on the lure, then dip in clear to protect and give it that great glass look. If you paint the soft plastic with one of the solvent based paints designed to stick to soft plastic baits, then you might not need a clear coat, but they make a clear in that paint to go over it. Also, that clear will work to cover the water based paints the same company sells for soft plastic baits. I don't use it so I don't have a maker for you, but I know others here do. I hope this helps some.1 point
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"Alumisol Soft Plastic Quick and easy to use phthalate-free system enables you to pour extremely soft rubber parts. Perfect for lure makers, special effects artists, rapid prototyping, and medical reproductions such as skin, fat, and muscle tissue. 1-part, heat & pour material." I think most Plastisols are going phthalate free. I am not sure why fishing lures need to be phthalate free, they don't digest it, but .............1 point
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That might be a good question for Nathan. Personally, I have not changed mine on TU in years.1 point
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Ok, so I lied! Looks like the nail gel coats are UV cured. I figure I can just dip a fresh buck tail in SolarEZ gloss to get the smooth base coat, then proceed with the rest and finish with a last coat of SolarEZ. Just ordered what I need, so I'll keep you all posted!1 point
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Lurecraft says they offer both, never had it tested myself of course. The original formula would be the one you are looking for if buying from them. You can call and ask them too, they answer the phone and are easy to talk to.1 point
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I took a piece of scrap wood that was 1” thick by 3” wide. Make the board around 3-4 inches longer than the lures you will be painting. I screwed an L bracket at each end of the board, down the center of the end. I got 4 L brackets with screws for $2.60 at Walmart. The backside of the board will lay flat on a table. The L brackets will stick up on the top side at the ends. I wired a swivel snap to the top hole in one L bracket that was sticking up. I put a small eye bolt held with a nut through the top screw hole in the opposite L bracket with the eye towards the middle. I threaded the nut on tight but making sure the bolt would still spin. I got the eye bolt for 50 cents at a local hardware store. To paint a lure, I clip the lure’s nose to the swivel snap. I put a regular snap or paper clip bent into an S on a rubber band. I run the rubber band through the eye bolt and then back through the rubber band. I attach that snap to the tail hook hanger. The rubber band will hold the lure tight, even if it is jointed. You can rotate the lure by spinning the threaded end of the bolt and the swivel snap on the other end will allow the lure to rotate. I am sure there are better things to use. But, this was cheap enough to make a few of them. You could use almost anything like flexible wire and an alligator clip to re-MacGyver the rubber band and snap. Sorry, I am having phone issues and can't get a pic posted.1 point
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Before you buy any phalate free plastic. Have it tested before you tell your customer. Some people think reduced phalate is phalate free.1 point
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https://store.do-itmolds.com/Crystal-Clear-Plastisol-Phthalate-Free_p_295.html1 point
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Get some heat stabilizer. It does not take much for 4-8 oz of plastic. A teaspoon or less is what I use. It will allow you to reheat more. The pots are handy to keep plastic workable. I bought one from Amazon for $20 and get my plastic to the turnover point in the microwave then I pour it into the pre-warmed pot around 325 and shoot. I stir before each pull into the injector to make sure my glitter is mixed good.1 point
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you got to go to the maker, then the colorant maker and anything else that may have went into it. Only way to answer the question. Yes there is companys that sell and or make the claim that its phthalate free,1 point
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Cut back on your plastizizer or add more resin. You are likely to soft and the resin is not absorbing all the plasticizer, hence sticky.1 point
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I dont make it, and my post are suggested. Not stone... I am curious what shore hardness you git tho with this batch?1 point
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Oh..BTW Skeeter...your one of the “Old guys” around here too...lol..Nathan1 point
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Soybean oil replaces dinp as a plasticizer, you probably have way to much plasticizer.1 point
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Hi Anglinarcher...and Mark... No doesn't have to be Kelvar...just what Egret lures claims to use... Thought of nylon or other,, but in talking to an Alumililte rep...he thought their soft plastic would clash with nylon materials...reason for the resulting search for kelvar....wedding veil material might just be all i need as using Plastic Sol medium plastic....thanks guys for coming up with possibly a more feasible material! Boyd1 point
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Some of you guys want to dip them, I forgot to mention( in the first page posts) instead of going to a machine shop and getting an insert made for the tail shape, or wasting lots of time molding one you can very easily do it yourself in a few minutes. if you look at the tail you will see its nothing more than the shape and size of a colorado spinner bait blade, fabricate this into your knife , braze it, solder it or what ever and you have it done. spinner bait blades are pretty darn cheap. You can goto the stanima website and look under colorado blades and see what I am talking about, there are a lot of different sizes as well, so if you want a 6" size tail on a 4" size bait just get the right blade. Most of the blades I have on my spinner baits are cupped, I don't know if stanima's blades are cupped. you also can use a bigger blade so the plastic doesnt form around the blade when dipping. the 4" bass trix bait has a tail of about 1 1/16" the 5" bass trix bait has a tail of about 1 1/8" the 6" bass trix bait has a tail of about 1 3/16" these are close but not dead on as every tail varies on the org. bait about 1/16" of an inch and more due to the bait is dipped.1 point