Whitedog

I dealt with this very problem a couple of weeks ago. I got tired of having to wait for a decent day to be able to paint outside. I ended up with a bilge pump blower motor of the type used to vent the bilge on inboard boats. These are meant to vent gasoline fumes so they should be safe for all types of paint fumes and they are pretty strong and move a good bit of air. I spent about thirty-five bucks for the motor and enough four inch flex tubing to get the air outside the barn where I paint. It works great the only problem is that the motor is 12v so I hook up a battery charger to power it. I use automobile lacquer paint so I don't care to breathe the fumes more than I can help.

Spookfreak, I use lacquer paints and am careful not to mix them with other paints. I'm not at all sure but I seem to remember that lacquer and enamel paints do not get along together. If I read your post correctly you are mixing the two so that may be your problem. I'm sure someone will come along with the knowledge to verify if this is true or not.

I won't speak for Mark but it sounds like your glue is either applied unevenly or, more likely, is setting up before it spreads evenly. As I said in an earlier post, I just pour mine over the bait pretty freely while turning the bait and though I may lose some I get a nice even coat. Also, some superglue or CA is thinner than others. I bought some recently at wallyworld when I ran out of the 2z bottles and it was too thick to work as a sealer and lumped. You can sand the lumps down but it is easy to get down into the balsa doing that. I will occasionally put on a coat of epoxy before painting but not usually. As Mark stated, I usually don't do anything before painting than apply a couple of coats of glus, sanding each time til the bait is smooth then painting. Be advised that I am no expert on any of this but I have been using the superglue since I started and find it to be the best for me.

The fume problem is one of the reasons I like to go outside to use CA. It is especially bad the first coat on raw balsa, after that is a little less offensive. I haven't read up on it but the fumes can't be good for you.

LOL!! Wifey says I have run through two fortunes fishing and I'm now working on a third. I guess one look at my barn/boat shed and I can' deny it.

I buy CA (superglue) in 2oz bottles and just take the lure outside and pour it over the bait letting the excess slide off the lure. It's a wasteful but I don't make a lot of lures and it thoroughly coats the bait. I do this twice sanding between coats, sand once more then apply a coat of thinned D2T before painting. I think CA does a good job of making the grain stand up so it can be sanded smooth but then it's all I have ever used so what do I know.

Alright now Rofish!! You're right, that is a great selection but you've given me too many options and confused me. I can't decide which color which means I will probably have to order several and spend too much money.

I went on a search for micarta material to make my own lips and found that Mcmaster has it at what seems to be a decent price. My problem is that I don't know which grade or type to buy. They list various types and the prices vary considerably. I don't mind paying for what I need but there is no need for overkill. Does anyone have any knowledge they might share about which grade/type is suitable? Thanks.

Thanks guys. I'll try both and see. I got some brass wire this morning from a friend and will try with that. I'll agree that the hard tempered wire is hard to work with. I have the holes in my fingers as evidence. I have a couple of lures waiting for lips so maybe I'll get to try in the next day or so.

I'm a long time lurker and occasional bait maker but with the cold weather I'm trying to make a few again. I have always used the wire form from Stamina with a preformed loop on one end to create the form for my lures, some I through wire and others just use hangers. I spend more time trying to get the wire through the lips so it is flat to the bottom side of the lip and the eye is aligned correctly than any other single step. I know there has to be a better wire and way so I am looking for any help someone might give. I have used the search function and also looked on the gallery and have seen a couple of different ways. One is the way I do it which is to have both ends of the wire loop going through the same hole in the lip then back into the bait. The other which looks easier but less secure is to drill two holes in the lip and put the ends through the holes then bend the front wire back underneath the lip while only one wire goes back into the bait. I have trouble getting the eye straight and keeping the wires snugged to the bottom side of the lip with my current method so I need suggestions. I believe part of my problem is the stiffness and difficulty I have working with the wire I am using now and I plan to change to different wire. Sorry for the long post but I would like to hear how some of you handle getting the wire into the lip, aligned and glued.

Have you considered that maybe they aren't there anymore? I always figure that ninety percent or more of the fish are in ten percent or less of the water. I think once you find a concentration of fish you will get a bite or two on most anything and then is the time to experiment with lures/techniques.

OK, I'll try. I'm definitely a senior citizen, soon to be sixty-six but still pretty actively fishing and chasing bird dogs. I'm very new to crankbait building. A good friend who has been doing it for several years got me started and is still my mentor. I discovered this site and read regularly but at this point I don't feel I have much knowlege to add but I certainly learn a lot. One reason, I suppose, is that I rarely make the same bait more than three or four times before I monkey around and modify it some way just to see what it will do. I certainly am willing to share anything I know.

I guess this qualifies. While fishing a tournament, I caught chunky bass of about three pounds. When I went to remove the hook a snaky looking tail jumped out of his mouth. Naturally, I dropped the fish and had a mild heart attack. I finally got the nerve to ease his mouth open again and realized it didn't look like a snake so I pulled a little. A full grown rat started coming out of his stomach. Being a tournament fisherman, I showed it to my partner and gently pushed it back in. Get weight any way that's legal!!

I've only been reading this site a few months but this is the most informative post I've read yet. It answers a lot of questions and explains some of the things that have surprised me in the lures I have built. Thanks to everyone and especially Vodkaman. I have a lot to think about and try.

I can't help on rat-l-traps but Stamina sells Jitterbug lips/plates. I tried one rat-l-trap with balsa and had enough problems I dropped it but I'll be interested in what others have to say.