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fisheye56

swim bait hinges

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Have just started my research for the right hinges for my swim baits I'm currently working on. Found a great little hinge but the problem either side was not long enough to be sure that is secure in the wood.Just have it in my mind eye type screws should be my last way to go.Did a word search on line at the many co. that do swim baits and it looks like they found something besides eye hook type screws? I live in Atlanta Ga area and sure could use some direction. Where to restart my quest. Water temp here is starting to fall I need to get a prototype under construction for some field testing!! HEEELP!

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Iv used carter pins from auto zone and home depot drill a hole in one side and glue or epoxy them in with the eye end pointing out and cut a pocket on the other peace of the bait drill a small hole from the back of the bait to the bottom in line with the pins and slide a stainless steal wire for the hinge pins

hope this helps:)

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Many of the newer japanese and domestic baits have a piano style hinge built in as part of the plastic body, with a pin running from top to bottom. JMHO, they look neat and very "custom" but don't provide the best action. I prefer handwound stainless eye screws built one inside the other. You can make them as long and as secure as you like. You can position them where you need them and use as many as you like. You can size the hinge eyes to control the distance between segments and their action. Once they're installed you don't have a problem with sticking, rusting or breaking. Last but not least, you have hinges whenever you need them as long as your stainless wire doesn't run out!

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I have never built hinged baits, but have seen and used many- great action. I have wondered why they use hinges, metal etc as they would corrode and probably make all sorts of non fish noises. Usually a through wire bait is made in two halves, so why not glue a thin sheet of ‘Lexan’ (I’m a polycarbonate freak) between the two halves to make a hinge, takes a heap of bending to break it and tear strength is way beyond a fish. Or maybe even better try a sheet of Kevlar cloth, should never break, from flex or tearing- AND –

no noise. Pete

In this country we HAVE to think outside the box

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Wow guys this site blows me away! How would you attach the kevlar, thought my joints would be like other designs with Vee and inverted Vee to get the side to side motion: Iam a bass fishing freak and would rather be fishing these baits ASAP some of the swim baits the guys have on this site are out of this world I'd be afraid to fish them {might loose first cast} I think I want to develop a working mans swim bait: Have made every mistake I know to make in the last 2 years on my crank baits, no air brush spray can paint jobs.If I can acheive good action slow sinking bait stay with natural forage bait colors and it works that will be big for me.

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I think a heavy braid would be the same as Kevlar fabric, at least functionally. I recall that somebody here on TU has made jointed baits that way. I use stainless wire because it's easy to make and easy to adjust the gap between the segments. Using a braid or Kevlar thread seems like it would be akin to pushing a piece of cooked spagetti and keep it straight :) Maybe there's a trick to it I don't know.

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No, I know hillbilly, I just didn't want any of our Northern members to go to the hardware store and get strange looks asking for carter pins. Back in Virginia where I used to live I am sure they would have known what I was talking about, but here in Indiana, I think they might be a little confused. :)

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Sorry I did not mean kevlar thread but cloth, like fibre glass glass mat, I think they use it in carbon fibre car/bike fairings etc. Whatever they use, it is very light and can be a very fine weave. Maybe it's called carbon fibre cloth ! !. You could devcon it between the two halves of a split blank and leave the hinge part , where the joint is, bare (no resin). You could maybe even use a piece of old Nylon/Poly shirt, stand on that and try and tear it, or 'Ripstop' tent cloth, I'm really getting carried away now. pete

We have to think outside the box here.

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I make many jointed baits, trolling baits and swim baits. They catch fish! My theory is "keep it simple"...I use screw eyes period....Here is a three piece swim bait I built for walleye and kept it simple. It has awesome action and catches fish.

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Just a thought I will need to use eye 2 screws in the first joint, has anyone used ring clips did it effect the action? Does it work. Just thought when I try to line the two up don't you have to open one sides eyes up to put them together or am I missing something, will it effect the integrity of the eye screw?

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Hazmail

Where could a guy find some kevlar thread or cloth? Is that the same stuff that they sell in fly-tying shops for spinning deer hair? And do you have any idea what pound test that would be equivalent to?

i use Kevlar string for my hinge system. lots of flex, no stretch, no rusting, UV resistant and strong. see attached pics.

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Jr, your baits are really fantastic looking, and way to think out of the box on the hinges:yay: , but.... I have had braided line fail numerous times with hard short hooksets, and this makes me skeptical about using it as a joint material. I know that kevlar will hold a brick, so will mono, as long as that brick is not swaying back and forth. I am not trying to be negative in any way, but have you tested these joints for any extended period of time?

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i use Kevlar string for my hinge system. lots of flex, no stretch, no rusting, UV resistant and strong. see attached pics.

I'm really interested in trying out your method of making these swimbaits but I'm curious as to how you clear coat them? I currently hinge my baits with two screw eyes and a stainless steel pin through them. I have to epoxy the sections independently and then assemble the pin through the screw eyes to join them. Problem for me is that sometimes it's hard to drill the hole for the pin straight and it will pop out in the wrong spot.

For that matter is that how you other folks assemble this type of bait? I wish I could clear coat them when they are already assembled but the epoxy will foul up the joints.

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I find success in using multi strand wire. The "spring" from the wire gives the lure a nice smooth bend. Vary the poundage of the wire to get the action and durability you want. Commercial design example be the Lucky Craft Sasara.

Old old lure i made, multiple 2 piece laminated togather, wire joints bent tested to breakage at 60lb using 20lb wire

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Green lines are wire placement crimped in a loop.

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Link to video hosted courtesy of ArtBrush

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