Leaderboard

For complex shapes of a few hundred at a time, I would be looking into copy routers. Probably design and build my own. Dave

Sure hundreds of molds. Only down side of RTV for large baits takes a lot longer to cool down compared to the plaster of paris (prefer durhams) from my experiences. So you have to make a lot of them which adds up for RTV silicone.

I’ve been using Loon’s UV clear fly finish THIN to coat and secure my swimjig and bladed jig 3D eyes after sticking them on. I’m finding the coating insufficient at times as the eyes are breaking loose every now and then. Thin is awesome on the threads as finishing cement, but I’m wondering if UV THICK would be a better choice to finish the heads/eyes. Any experience with both to confirm I’m thinking correctly? thx!!

Good to know how long would you recommend waiting to de mold a large swimbait with RTV?

Greetings! Smalljaw is right. I have used thousands of Worth swivels with a standard wire #2 split ring with out problems. Although the last time i purchased them 200 out of 1000 did not turn. Quite a problem as lures were packaged when i discovered it. I may be able to help you with lighter wires.Nitinol wires need a crimp sleeve to hold the swivel. Also some injected 8 inch grubs.

Hi Mark, Back in the day before I knew nothing about powder painting, I used to use vinyl paint by CSI (Pro-tec). Anyway, once I moved up to powder paint, didn't know much about it then either. So I would spray all my lead jigs with etching primer. To my surprise with the etching powder the paint was very durable and at that time I would just gloss over the jigs with a heat gun and not use a toaster oven to bake the jigs. As time progressed, I stopped using etching primer, and would just powder paint the jigs and then bake them. So here we are in 2020, and that is the way I do my jigs. No need for etching primer, unless you decide not to bake them and or if you decide to use aerosol cans ,Createx or lacquer paint. The etching primer is a very good base coat for these paints, as it really grips the lead and the paint has a good base coat to adhere to. I still use etching primer occasionally for exotic color I cannot do with powder paint. Anyway, those spinnerbaits look really good. I really like those bluegill colored ones on the top rack. I would like to see a pic of them with the skirt on. Job well done Mark.

I have that belt/drum sander combo it does come in handy and does not take up too much space

I find that a benchtop oscillating belt sander is really good for rough and fine sanding and shaping. https://www.fefall.com/oscillating-edge-eb4424-belt-sander--ridgid

Thanks Dave I will look into that option As of last night I have a template/guide being 3D printed to test with a laminate trimmer.

We probably are doing things similar I just don’t own a disk sander. In most case it works fine.

Speed is not the issue here Your method is fine for my coffin shape and square bill’s but starting getting into the top water project I am working on and it won’t work. I am cutting almost a butterfly shape out of lexan and you cannot shape it on a beltsander or a drum properly Presently laminate trimmer with a jig is the most likely option. This is much faster, more precise and versatile then both our present methods. The laser cutter I am choosing to see how it works for another first

I would rather use a bandsaw over a table saw to me much safer, and I would use a disk sander over a belt sander. Just my . I use a 1/8" bandsaw blade keeps it just off the line, 120 grit on the disk and keep it clean with one of those disk cleaners. Wayne

Before Ultramold sold direct they sold through Bear's Baits and released the bench top injection machine you see here (first with pressure pots, later later with the mixers you see here when they had problems with salt) It will only work with their molds (hinged with the injector port at one end) from what I remember. if you get him to send the rest good luck with it

I just started airbrushing and am using uv epoxy to top coat. I built an enclosed turner with uv lights inside that I removed from a nail drying lamp. I then lined the inside with aluminum tape for reflection. Still need to fine tune some things but works pretty good if I do say so. Thinking about adding another 4 lights. I’m getting tack free baits in about 30 minutes but I’ve been going for about an hour just in case. I try to put on lite/medium initial coat and then a second coat if needed. Just have to make sure to pop the air bubbles prior to curing. I believe the closer to the light source the faster the uv will cure. This epoxy has been great for making eyes too.

Thanks for the replies guys!!

Thanks for all the tips fellas, any tips on finding a 8-10" grub mold like this 8" grub from Bass Pro by Offshore Angler? https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/offshore-angler-swirl-tail-grubs I found this one, it's an 8 inch mold, but the grub is just under 6 inches, too small. https://anglingai.com/8-single-tail-grub-mold/ This one looks kind of cool, but tail looks pretty small and not long enough. https://baitmold.com/plastic-bait-mold/twister-tails/mold-t126-10-inch-250-mm/ This one looks to be more like it, but I don't know about holes in the tail, musky will shred that pretty quickly https://baitmold.com/plastic-bait-mold/twister-tails/mold-t603-9-06-inch-230-mm/ I see other threads of musky anglers on here just making their own silicone molds and it seems when you go over 8", most just pour versus injected?

Thankfully, I am am a painter by trade so I wear a respirator and run a spray booth fan when pouring plastics. I just need to be dutiful and not forget about it when I am just running one few baits. The plastic I use is phthalate free, so that should make a difference too for the better.

And I would say you are pretty good about passing on the knowledge you have gained as well

Pretty sure the wider one is from Del-Mart.

That is a BTS mold, Bobs tackle shack, great mold btsmolds.com

Lakeland manufacturing makes a line of pike and musky blades but the sizes will resemble regular blades. I have some size #4 willows and that are close to a size #6 regular willow blade. As for the Terminators, most guys lose the blade and the swivel because they are titanium and some of the baits don't have a completely formed top loop. So after casting a few times the split ring holding the blade and swivel eventually finds its way off the loop. I've never heard of any bass size spinnerbait having the blade come off the split ring, the swivel and blade falling off yes, just the blade, no. Now on a musky bait with a really large blade, well I have no experience with that but the Terminators losing the blade and swivel has been happening for years.