Hillbilly voodoo

You need to toughen up just a couple weeks ago I was working on new designs in my shop with no heat during a extreme cold snap. Day time highs were in the -20 c or colder

It all worked in the end just not as pretty. Most of my mistakes are from multi tasking. I just get good at adapting from making mistakes lol I don’t tape at all when making molds with LEGO the clay seals it.

Well I did say I would keep screwing up. This morning was salvaging a 2 piece mold that I forgot to use release agent on . Being 3lbs of silicon salvaging this mold with slow scalpel work being sure to make some bumps to line the mold up with sucks So for the dumb redneck tip of the day don’t answer your phone well pouring molds you may forget a step. It sucks fixing mistakes

I do the same process with my resin baits. Dipping in acetone is to clean the bait of dust, oil’s and any other residue. That way your paint sticks well

I bet it would work I just don’t have any. Truth is when it comes to top water situations I have always reached for the fly rod. I have a ton of gear and I might own 3 top water lures This build will be expanding both fishing and lure building style

Smooth on mold max 30 is what I use to make silicon molds

I am in western Canada Similar idea in ways this is a large canal between two dams. The pike are using the bays all season though because of the cool water from the reservoir and current in some areas. They cruze in hunting whitefish, other baitfish and whatever else they can find. Best 1/2 day fishing last September was 47 pike weedless soft plastic paddle tail was my answer. Down side was the lack of weight shortening my cast. I am not expecting a top water to catch more fish but it should be fun to fish

“Must have” colours for fishing is a funny thing. I have found from fishing many different areas there is always local “must have” colours and sometimes you just need to drive 2hrs to see the opinions change lol. For example red is never a go to for me because it is the first colour in the spectrum to washout to shades of grey. I do find paying attention to the colour spectrum is effected by light being filtered out by the water is worth paying attention to. Contrast and how it creates a flicker is another. But in all honesty outside of clear shallow water fishing a lot of colour and pattern choices are fishermen shiny syndrome. If it’s a fast moving presentation this is another thing that makes patterns no more than a blur I will be %100 honest that most of my painting is to catch fishermen more than fish. Under 90% of conditions with crankbaits I could pick two contrasting colours hit the bait with a sloppy spray bomb paint job and she will fish well. I have caught lots of fish on plain sealed wood and freshly poured white resin crankbaits I actually dominated a lake trout derby fishing a prototype crankbait that was just a white resin poured blank Whatever works or brings the fishing mojo keep at it but 90% of patterns are about catching fishermen and looking cool

Toadman this project came about because of a large canal with big shallow weedy bays. There is lots of pike and some big ones. Outside of weedless baits you cannot go deeper then 1-2 feet or you get salad. It just kept calling me to make a top water

Thanks and definitely useful information for the size of bait this will likely lead to

My buddy swears by the go big or go home theory for big pike. He has the set up to do it and so do I. If I build the muskrat he will chuck it and I will probably make one for myself if I do look at the musky guys who throw 1pound baits and we start looking sane.

I have never fished musky but pike are definitely fun. If you get a chance to fish somewhere with big pike do it When they are on they are definitely aggressive. I watch my buddy hook and loose the same pike over a dozen casts in a row. I have seen them jump out of the water and grab a bait dangling a foot above the water. Lots of other crazy things too. But I have also watched big pike sit there and refuse everything you could throw at them My buddy is trying to convince me to make a muskrat size wake bait but I told him not till I finish my present projects

Dave completely understand the whole over complication issues we just have different ways of going about it

I can screw things up like a champ but I also learn from mistakes and pretty good about not repeating them

So was I for 6 years it’s not from a lack of skill

Good to know how long would you recommend waiting to de mold a large swimbait with RTV?

Ok I have never pour soft plastics but I have an interest because I enjoy fishing swimbaits. I have no interest in buying molds because I want to create my own swimbaits What I am thinking is I want to try making my own open pour mold and test it out by melting down some old soft plastics to pour. Yes I am thinking of try a cheap redneck test to see what I think of the process I have seen molds made out of plaster. I also have smooth on mold max 30 on hand has anyone made an open pour using this before? Any advice before I blindly redneck my way through this

I have that belt/drum sander combo it does come in handy and does not take up too much space

Thanks Dave I will look into that option As of last night I have a template/guide being 3D printed to test with a laminate trimmer.

We probably are doing things similar I just don’t own a disk sander. In most case it works fine.

Speed is not the issue here Your method is fine for my coffin shape and square bill’s but starting getting into the top water project I am working on and it won’t work. I am cutting almost a butterfly shape out of lexan and you cannot shape it on a beltsander or a drum properly Presently laminate trimmer with a jig is the most likely option. This is much faster, more precise and versatile then both our present methods. The laser cutter I am choosing to see how it works for another first

Been using a bandsaw and a belt sander already. This method also has its limitations as well when you go to some non conventional shapes. Yes it works in most cases but I would benifit from a better system in multiple ways

And I would say you are pretty good about passing on the knowledge you have gained as well

Learning does not make you a hack at all. We all started somewhere and have all made ugly lures and failures with action. I still do at times lol. I can tell you myself and many on this forum are willing to help you learn as well. I can paint but not to the level of some here. I am more interested in the action. If you ever need help bringing one of your pencils to life ask I bet you will be met with help and no judgment Too many are heated over competition in their painting market and are forgetting that if you are in business finding out how to stand out from your competition is part of the game I am of the mindset I don’t worry about another’s hobby or business because it’s not mine to worry about I actually find these threads funny in a sick way

Thank you good sir