EdL

At a rod building event a couple of years ago one of the builders used canned air to burst bubbles on the epoxy finish on the wraps. He just passed over the epoxy quickly, lightly and bubbles broke. Seems like it depended on just right of air flow (not too direct or too light). Some other rod building guys used butane micro heat guns. This is what I use on rod epoxy. Again not too much heat -just a light touch. More than one way to do this. I thought about using a hair dryer but don't since dust in the air can be kicked up.

http://jonestones.com/product_info.php?cPath=4&products_id=35 Ben - I went to the jones tone web site and found a a page where they have bulk or single sheets available. The first page only showed set but under bulks there was this page. Have a great Christmas and New Year. Ed

photo finishing a lure is where you get an image (pic) of a fish such as a shad or perch-both sides, manipulate it for size to fit on a lure body and then affix each side to the body. Then you clear coat finish the lure. Basically you are using a picture of a fish instead of having to paint it. Suppose to be more realistic. Do an internet search as there are several how-to out there.

Hey at least you weren't driving like a lot of fools do where I live. No harm done and it goes to show that we are all human. I almost cut off a finger on a table saw cause I got distracted. That was a few years ago and now I NEVER take that chance of letting my fingers get that close again. Glad this top coating business doesn't involve anything that will go boom if not mixed right.

Go look in the hard bait tutorial section here on TU. There's a how-to- for working with round stock. It may not be exactly what you're needing but if you're building baits you must have creative attributes that work to come up with a jig or fixture to do what you want. Beside using a jig or fixture is much safer to use than trying to hold a piece of wood with your fingers and pushing the stock into a moving blade.

Tell her you love her and that's all that matters. If she says something nice about it anyway then she's probably a keeper. If she doesn't ... well that up to you.

Good site. Thanks Ben for sharing link.

Ben's note about Iwata using teflon packing rings is a reason to spend the bucks for a good quality airbrush. Cheaper ones likely will use O-rings which may be degraded by acetone or other hydrocarbon solvents or reducers. One thing about teflon is while it will hold up to acetone it can be scratched with mechanical tools. So poking around inside the brush with metal pick to clean out dried paint should be avoided. Let the brush soak in reducer for a while then drain and blow out with dry air. I used to deal with orifice flow meters that used teflon seal rings and when extracted from the plate changer the teflon would sometimes have scratch lines on the surface created during the extraction. We would have to toss them away because the scratch would create a leak path around the orifice plate and not seal properly. Probably not a big deal for the air brush but why ruin a packing and have to order a replacement. You won't find a teflon packing for your airbrush at HL/Mich/HD/Lo/Ace/CVS/Walg - you get the idea.

Been away a few days - belated thanks to a garrett for sharing what he uses and his experiences.

Agarrett - nice write up. Just what brand and type of silicone are you using to make the mold?

Maybe this might help: Melting Plastics In Acetone - Not Propionate Pellets Isn't the search function on this forum the greatest?

Looks like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Great lures you've done. Welcome aboard TU. Ed

I don't prime but do put down the first coat of white or pearl white createx as a base coat.

Before I retired as an engineer I sometimes had to train or explain work processes to younger engineers. So I had some experience in trying to put out a set of instructions. Today its easier with computers, small cameras, and pdf creation software to document a process. To put one of these how-to's together just remember to document clearly the steps you do. Be sure to include all steps and don't assume the reader will understand everything. Some people may not have the experience and are trying to learn. Thanks for everyones appreciation. Some of you like Pete have contributed to TU that helps me so I wanted to do my part to pay it back.

ME - I'm still starting out. At least it seems that way cause I learn something everyday. TU is great for this. I had a job that lasted 40 years and one day I thought I'd quit and start up a hobby to occupy my time and do something with the remaining brain cells I have and keep them working. Since I like to fish I decided why not try making some baits.

Now that's how a true craftsman work. Nice work. And thanks for sharing the video.

H-m-m-m. I think I will have to try out priming for less sanding cause it is a pita to deal with all the dust all over the place and always wearing a dust mask during the process. Never too late for this ole dog to learn something. Thanks for sharing the idea.

I do what mark does. Createx first coat but I spend more time sanding to get a smooth surface on the PVC I use. Final sanding is with 400 grit. Also may depend on what PVC you get. Some of the stuff can be more porous. I used some of brick mold I got from L or HD (don't remember now). Turns out it is not so porous. About out now so I get to start over on the next PVC stock material. Seems like every 6 month these stores change suppliers so I won't know till I check it out. Just look at the end of the piece to see what the inside might look like.

Some things to check out when looking at a any sealer or topcoat: manufacturer's product description, application information, and the MSDS sheet. Could literally save you headaches. Thompson's MSDS sheet list ingredients one of which is parafin oil. That's a wax like material and won't play nice with paints and topcoats. Application info recommends drying time of 48 hours. Maybe if you let it seal and dry for a week then maybe it won't be a problem. But me I won't wait that long if there is another product like super glue around.

Better to have a tool or make a tool than being one. One of these days I might make one to twist wires. I don't find I do this but it might be fun to see what can be created. If anyone figures out how to make their own version of a wire bending tool post it with a pic. There more than one way to bend wire.

Hybrid balsa body with soft plastic legs.

Mark I was thinking the same thing about line affecting the rise of bait or even how deep a crankbait will go. Some line materials tend to sink while others float One trick to adjust the bait's sink or fall rate in the field (or rather while fishing) is to have some thin lead wire in the box. That way you can add bit of wire to adjust the rise or sink rate. Just wrap a few turns around the hook shank. Also they sell some stick on weights. Don't have a good idea how to make it float. The science and theory behind how a lure works is interesting to this ole retired engineer but I don't really worry about it too much about exact fall or sink rate. I am not that good at finding where the fish are so catching them is more about some knowledge but more about luck for me. I'm not out to catch every fish in the world. I'm about just getting out on the lake, enjoying nature and let the world's issue clear from my mind. If I happen to catch some fish with a lure I've made then the day is an extra special one. That's just me.

Ah - the good ole' days. Nuff said.

What types of baits are your going paint? Freshwater, salt water? Type of fish - perch, bass, snook, trout? Why all the questions- well if you don't want to spend a fortune to buy all the possibilities but want to narrow down the choices let us know what your trying to catch will help us help you with those choices. I don't mind helping out but to start out narrowing down reasonable choices need to get a bit more info. First coat of paint could be a primer so get some white and pearl white. Also take a look at the commercial baits to see what colors you might want get for top and side colors. Also consider getting some primary colors if you want to mix colors. A color wheel is a good reference on what colors to mix. You can do some search on internet and this site for 'hard bait color cook books'. There are several out there that will have paint colors listed.

The older I get every thing I reread on TU is new to me. No wonder I have so many different kinds of clear coats and paint brands.