Tonkabass

I use Smooth-On's 2-part SmoothCast 300 (10 minute cure) with the microballoons to increase buoyancy as well as decrease density in the 2-part plastic. Total ratio to mix plastic and microballoons is 1:1:1. Simple.

One more photo

Here are the vacuum former pics, I apologize if they are not in proper format or size. The hose is attached to a pvc pipe coupler and then to the jig-sawed hole from underneath as shown in the pic. Any q's are welcome. TG Peterson Maxota

Just to give you an idea of the microballoon ratio to sink rate: we make a shad swimbait with 2 part smooth-on plastic at about 1:1:1 parts of plastic and microballoons, and a 7 gram weight with one treble and light weight metal tail blade. The swimbait sinks at a rate of about 1 foot per second. But this is with our tail blade at the end of the lure which acts as a water resistor so it may be a little different ratio of parts when applied to another lure type. Without the blade our lure would sink faster. you just have to test to find the right sink rate. TG Peterson Maxota.com

I have one that works like a charm-- I'll post some pics in a day or 3. Basically it is a homemade plywood/particle board box with an open bottom with a short hose connected and fitted to a hole in the top: on top of the hole and topside is a cookie sheet screwed on and sealed with hotmelt glue. The sheet has a uniformed pattern of holes drilled into it. You simply stick your shop vac to the hose on the box, set your form on top of cookie sheet with your plastic on top of the form, set a turkey oven bag on top of that to help pull down the plastic when you turn on the shop vac and use your heat gun to blast the plastic with hot air. We use 1/16-1/8" polyester sheet plastic to make painting stencils and plastic prototype lure tail blades that we are now testing in conjunction with out metal tail blades on our shad swimbait lures. You could also use it to form crankbait lips no sweat. Polyester forms in a matter of seconds, polycarbonate is tricky to thermoform like this as it will bubble up and deform if you're not careful, I think it is sensitive to the right or wrong temperatures and heating times. TG Peterson ***************

Yup- what BobP said, I would add that if you have an original,new lure/tackle design with some protection if applicable, that would be a no-brainer reason to start a business. If you do not have a new idea, then you better have some really good marketing skills, or some original and outstanding color patterns and finishes to set yourself apart from the pack who offer the same lures and patterns for a dime per dozen. With just a fair amount of differentiation from others you could make a decent but modest 2nd income. Check out the IRS for Federal Excise Taxes for manufacturers if starting a standard lure- manufacturing business. It is possible to come up with an original idea..... TG Peterson Maxota.com

You can go 1 step further after you T your trebles-- bend the 2 hook tines (the 2 on top of the T)AWAY from the lure so they have a very hard time making contact with the topcoat. TG Peterson Maxota.com

I forgot to add the fact that you have more control as to how the lure swims when taking into consideration the position of the line tie or tow eye as some call it. If there is concern whether a lure will properly flip over to its desired orientation you could place the line tie higher up towards the top side of the lure, top of the head, (in relation to the surface of the water as the case may be). There should be no problem with the proper lure position if the weight is down and line tie is up. TG Peterson Maxota.com

diemai--the more buoyant material (wood, plastic with microballoons, etc.) there is above the weight, the easier it is to make the lure sit and/or swim with the weight positioned at the bottom, i.e., whether you want the concave or convex portion positioned downward. This applies to both the normal upright swimming lures as well as to lures which are oriented on their side such as a crippled, injured minnow like what Dean McClain alluded to earlier. At Maxota we have a struggling shad type of lure that swims on its side with the weight placed on the bottom side between the hook eye and the mouth. In the case of a curved body, it might help (if you want the concave side down) to distribute your weight towards the head (to help flip the lure over) but also keep some of the weight back so as not to be totally head down on a pause. Love the curved lures by the way, there's alot more designs out there not thought of yet - to those who think all has been thought of and tried in lure design. Hope this helps, feel free to request more help. T.G. Peterson Maxota.com