Hillbilly voodoo

What he said ^^ I have two stencils I bought that I rarely use but I have a ton I made I use all the time because they fit my projects much better

Freshwater fishing rods really vary and I wouldn’t use the same one for sturgeon as I would for perch Maybe start with what species of fish you intend to target as that would help a lot when it comes to rod recommendations

If you get excessive with micro balloons it does weaken the lure but the blanks are still very strong I have never had a resin blank regardless of the mixture fail on a fish. But yes if I get really frustrated and decide I have had enough my 220lb carcass can snap some of my designs if I loose my temper I have never had a lure fail even with fish that are 30lbs+. I have pulled lots of 10lb fish into a boat or kayak by grabbing the lure too

I know instructions tell you to mix micro balloon’s with one part first but I never have. I just slap it all together and mix no issues

I would have to read my recipe book at home to say how far I have pushed the limits but you can go really thick. Half asleep on nightshift so don’t have my book handy I don’t clamp the top of my molds this way I can spread the mold a little with a butter knife well I pour with the other hand If you really want it light you can also make a foam core and suspend it in your mold before pouring resin. Solid resin baits are not known for being light Good to see the spam has cleared up might have to sign in more often again

For resin I use Alumilite white and micro balloons I don’t use any mathematical formulas but instead I develop recipes for each individual design. I use layers that very from pure resin for a ballast to highly buoyant mix of resin/micro balloons. A lot of my baits have zero lead just layers with different resin mixes. At limes I use bird shot to add extra weight and most of the time the lure or mold is designed so I can just pour it into the mold so it settles into position I figured out my method of doing things through trying different things, failing and adjusting. I create a master and mold test a few recipes till I am happy with the action. From experience I now just know what needs to be done and it doesn’t take much to get my recipes correct I keep a note book with the recipes for every design I have made and it makes a huge difference to be able to look back when creating something new You can achieve different things with resin/micro balloons when you stop trying to duplicate wood and just create different resin mixes to find the ideal buoyancy or sink rate I have never and will never pour hot lead into a bait because there is better options. I don’t even own a lead pot because I don’t need it. With lead bird shot and coils of lead that are available it’s just easier/faster to use these vs hot lead. You also have no concerns of burning yourself or the blank. You can also be more precise with your weight Been using bird shot or coiled lead for over 20years with both wood and resin baits when needed. There is no need to pour hot lead into a bait There is my two cents and information on my methods. Think outside the box, fail, adjust and try things it pays off Now if only the spam disappeared from this forum I might hang around more again

Thank you I have 2 on order

Still alive and waiting for things to thaw out so I can put a few projects to the test thanks for the option I will check it out

Well I don’t sign in here often anymore do to the level of spam that hits the forum but figured I would ask a question here before wasting more money I am redoing my uv box to include a rotisserie to level the resin more evenly rather than hanging. Lures are between 5-8inch. Box is 24x22inch Been using a couple crappy black lights in my original box that work but too slowly and want something more efficient. I ordered two options from Amazon that said they were correct nm and watts but they don’t work worth a crap resin says 365-405nm min 24 watts anyone ever try 463nm light even though outside the specs? if you are running a larger uv box for resin what lights are you using?

KBS is a thinner and hard clear coat. You can just hang your bait and no turning needed KBS can definitely have applications issues like bubbles if applied too thick. I also found that it needs to be well cured before applying another coat and the direction on the can regarding multiple coats did not work well. Storage for long periods take extra care. It is tough but I find with pike it will chip easier than epoxy. It stinks and is a harsher chemical that needs extra care Just like all clear coats it has its learning curve and down falls I have use Etex, KBS, and alumilite UV they all have their quirks.

This is how I deal with KBS and it works well I have a large rubber made with a lid that I put a wire grid to hang baits on. I throw some bunched up wet paper towels in the bottom. Hang the baits, put on the lid and tape it shut. Tapeing the lid is mostly because of the smell but it does keep the moisture in. I don’t thin KBS and I brush it on with a foam brush

Thanks for the tip

So working on a design that I would like to incorporate an adjustable weight system. Right now my thoughts are applying an insert/screw in belly weight like is used in suicks now I can find the suick kits but the cost is a little high especially since I don’t need all the different weights it comes with I can easily find cost effective brass inserts and even screws. But what I need is either disks weights with a hole in the center or even a cost effective place to get the suick style weights where I can buy only the size I want for reasonable price Can anyone recommend a cost effective source for the screw in weights? Or disk style weights say 1/2-3/4 oz that I could mount with a screw/insert? you musky guys making dive and rise baits got to know something

I stopped using wire and only use heavy fluorocarbon leader material. I have only had one failure and that was a 40# after catching pike well into the triple digits. I have since upgraded to 60# without issue. It has to be leader material not just fluorocarbon line to withstand teeth I actually find I get better action with a heavy fluorocarbon leader material vs wire. I also find it makes a huge difference when fishing pike in high pressure C&R waters. Old pike that have felt too many hooks do seem more wary to each their own but personally see no advantage to wire my gliders/jerks are 5inch or larger so not small Action wise the correct rod and braid is the biggest factor when it comes to jerks/gliders in my opinion

Action has been my priority from day one My number one piece of advice is experiment and try things don’t just do what everyone else does I have learned lots from making crude lures and test swimming them. Another is building test baits I could swap out weigh amount/placement. I have learned things from others but 95% or more of what I know action wise was trial and error

With the body shape of your design the weight placement makes complete sense to me. The shape of the bait makes a huge difference regarding how weight needs to be distributed

I have made lots(majority of the ones I make have soft tails)of jerk bait/gliders with a soft tail. The tail has a large impact on the action. The wider the tail the more it works like a keel robbing the action. I use almost exclusively long thin tails because of this. Even the thin tail robs a fair bit of the action Mine are all resin pours and I use a combination of pure resin/bird shot for balancing the lure. I find a highly buoyant top section combined with a pure resin belly with bird shot center or front third works well It takes a few pours to get things just right on new designs. I find when test swimming without a tail with a glide style I want the bait to be able to almost turn on the twitch. This way when I add tail it tames the action just enough I imagine the lexan or wooden tails would have a similar effect to a wide grub tail so you will have to overcome the drag from it I don’t know if this will help you or not but this is what I have figured out that and works for me

I could definitely get a fish to bite that might be best suited for certain situations but I bet it works if used correctly

This place has become brutal for spam and that is part of the reason I don’t sign in as much

I went through many different phases fishing from just beginning happy to catch a fish, catching every species possibly, different styles of fishing, to chasing trophy class fish for any species possible These days I enjoy casing handmade lures for aggressive predators and searching for the big ones

Look I have seen you complain about lack of interests in your posts in the past. I get you enjoy cutting up plastics and splicing them together. You may find it innovating/exciting and that is all that should really matter to your venture Personally I don’t see the wow in it. I don’t see any new skills to be developed. I don’t see it as creating something new or developing a new action/style of lure. I see it is no more then basic modifications of existing lures not developing or building a lure This is why I don’t give a lot of interest and likely why others are not jumping all over your posts. Show me something you created and developed on your own vs hacking up baits and Frankensteining together then you will get my attention I am only being honest and if you enjoy what you are doing keep at it. It’s your hobby that should be about your personal satisfaction As for lack of posts on this forum I would say it is more to do with the rules regarding showing off one’s end product outside of the gallery more than anything. This rule has caused possible members to post elsewhere that is less restrictive Great forum for gaining knowledge but lacks the ability to create a long lasting community largely do to the rules regarding posting pics displaying finished lures

Has anyone tried KBS as the first coat and UV resin coats to add a thicker more flexible coat on top of The KBS? just something I have been thinking about and may have to test soon

Ok for your present lure issue does your lure float level side to side? If so it likely is not a balance issue Is the lip perfectly straight? If the lip slot is crooked it will swim to one side if you line tie is crooked/off center it will also swim to one side as for commercial lure weight vs had made lure. Material used is often the case and depending on the design differences less weight maybe needed too. Lure size is just one factor hope this helps

It would be simple enough to pour in layers no need for glue

I have not used it but I am confident I seen a YouTube video or 2 of a clear resin stick bait being made I say build it and worst case it takes a few tries to get the kinks out