cheapskate

This might be a better post for the wire baits form

I was just thinking if you had the wood working ability you could make a sort of c-clamp with a handle shape out wood. Then wrap the wire and clamp the clips on the two ends, draw a line with a marker down the spine for reference and cut away.

A big blob of clay would work to hold the lure in place and you could cut right through it on the way down. I would use Polymer clay like sculpty. It would better with heat than the modeling clay from what I have seen with my thermo forming experiments.

I like the table top model you could set the lure up in a jig to hold it in place and then cut straight down the spine of the lure like a guillotine. That may keep the cut one continuous line with few waves. One thing I noticed is that it helps to remove any hook hangers that you can they get in the way of the straight cut. I wonder how often ballast and weights would get in the way. I want to try this but I don't have any old lures on hand right now.

I don't know Kind of a Cheezy Solution.

has anyone tried using a lexan or poly core and then putting that in a mold and casting epoxy or polyester over it to make a smoother more complex shape.

I forgot those permanent markers from the stationary store I am thinking are good because they also have finer points than the sharpies and come in more artistic colors including lots of earth tones

sorry computer glich. Try putting 5 minute foam factory into the youtube search bar. There should be a video by Make magazine.

This was a real quick slapped together idea. Just a test of concept first run. The distance was about 3 inches. I may make it smaller so the wire is stiffer. It was very thin only about what you would pull out of a multi strand speaker wire. It turns out it may not have been copper. It would not conduct electricity at first so I thought it may have a protective coating on it. I put it through a flame and it burned all the copper color off. The wire was made for fly tying and is only decorative. I got part of the idea from a guy on youtube who was making "Foam Factory. He had a good directions on a build. Try putting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiitiKyu_Iwg into the search for youtube.

I was trying to try to split an 1/9 oz rebel crawfish. ( creek fishing lure) so I could make a two part hollow body mold. it was pretty small and hard to handle. I took bassnbrad's advice and heated it up in boiling water.I felt like I was at the worlds saddest cajun cookout. One guy standing over a pot with one 2 inch long mudpuppy cooking and no friends to share it with. I kind of cut and split my way through it. The cut is a little rough but I may be able to clean it up with sand paper. While trying to split my first lure cold with a razor blade. I came up with the idea of a hot wire. I got my trickle charger and strung a copper wire between the clamps and set it for low. The wire got red hot in about 5-10 seconds and cut through the lure scraps (it was already cut in half) like a hot knife through butter. (literally) Including the bill. I would like to try it on lexan for bills but I can't find any in my area thin enough. The kerf line was a little wavy but that may have just been my hands. I am going to try it again when I can get a hold of a scrap lure and if it works may make my first tutorial. Unless this is old hat for you guys and once again I have only re-invented something.

If you are considering creek fishing the Rebel tiny wee craw it great. Get the deep diver though.

Sharpie states that they are permanent but I have not found that to be true when it goes in the water. The flyfishing guys use the more expensive marker pins found in stationary stores that are called Pigment or Dye markers. The are pricey but the are much more colorfast in the water.Permatex or Permatone or something like that . Just ask they will tell you what I mean.

can you flash heat the edges with a low flame to clear away the scratch marks

Hey what do you guys use for ballast and to make rattles on a hollow crankbait. I have cracked a few open and most use stainless steel balls. Those are hard to find. I cracked open some shotgun shells that said steel and found some black balls that I guess would work. Size BB (a little to big for me, and some six 6 Little to small) neither were stainless. I am making small lures 1/4 to 1/10 so I am looking for smaller. I did find some stainless BB'S Brian

I may try the cut off wheels. I have a drill not a dremel and wheels but no diamonds.