Bending loops in 0.062" wire

[Yake Bait]

This is a method that can be used to bend loops in bare wire for making in-line spinners. Credits to gldnbear93 for sending me some photos of how he does wire loops in hard baits. I adapted his technique for making the loop in bare wire. Enjoy!

You will need needle nose, round nose, needle vice grips, standard vice grips, and side cutters. Ice cold Linenkugles is optional but highly recommended.. The round nose pliers are hard to find in your local hardware store but are key to making good loops. Knipex make a good set of heavy duty round nose pliers and you can find them by doing a search for "Knipex round nose pliers" on the web.

Bend a 45 degree angle in the wire leaving about 2.5" to work with on the end. The more you leave on the tag end, gives you the leverage you need to wrap the wire so don't cut yourself short.

Using the round nose pliers, wrap working end of wire around the pliers. The initial grip should be tight to the 45 degree bend you just made.

When you get about 1/2 way around the pliers, you will need to release your grip, rotate, and regrip with the pliers to allow the wire to fully wrap the jaws of the pliers.

Clamp the loop with needle nose vice grips perpindicular to the wire shaft then clamp the tag end with regular vice grips.

Make about 3 wraps around the wire shaft with the tag end. Again, leaving more to work with on the tag end gives you leverage and allows you more control to keep nice tight wraps stacked together.

Cut off extra with side cutters.

[BruceKY]

Pete

Greate tutorial! Have you tried breaking off the tag end of the wire? I make my leaders and in-lines up to 0.052” the same as you, but I leave about an inch and a half extra on the tag end so that I can bend it back and forth until it breaks. This prevents the sharp edge that cutters leave. Not sure how easy it would be to do the same with .061” wire?

Bruce

[Yake Bait]

Haven't tried it but I am sure that it should work the same as on 0.052"

Thanks!

[sagacious]

Great writeup and pics! I've been doing it the same way with 0.063" and 0.076" hard stainless wire. Only thing to add is......... always wear safety glasses when working with wire!

[Spike-A-Pike]

Pete,

That looks like pretty hard work:tipsy:... Are you sure just one Linenkugles is enough?

Bruce

[HookUp]

Thanx for sharing Pete.

And a tip for you.

Spray those needle nose with wd-40, then hit them with a brass wire brush to clean off the rust.

Old motorcycle trick.

Tight lines

[Spike-A-Pike]

Pete,

I submitted a tutarial called "Making a Musky Spinner Bait" using a Boggs tacklemaker. It makes production work a little easier. Here's a small sample.

Bruce

[Yake Bait]

Good tip on the safety glasses. Those wire chunks really can fly if you are not careful!

[sagacious]

Good tip on the safety glasses. Those wire chunks really can fly if you are not careful!

Pete, and others that work with wire,

Do yourself a huge favor and get a pair of cable cutters like these: http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/11923-325_PARC12-43-Brands-271-Park-Tools/Park-CN-10-Cable-Cutters.htm

Cable cutters will cut wire much easier than any other standard wire cutters or dykes. Cuts hard wire, soft wire no problem. A lot easier on your hands, and the tag end that gets snipped off doesn't go shooting off like a bullet-- it just drops into your hand. Cuts thick wire very easily. 1/8" stainless welding rod? Clip, done! I've been using a small pair of Shimano cable cutters for the past few years, and they make easy work of hard chores. Plus, the wire ends get cut square, with no sharp ends.

Go down to your local hardware store and get a pair, and you'll thank me.

Good luck, and good fishing!

[EC Musky Dude]

Good stuff! I agree it would take more than one beer and since I grew up in the shadow of the brewery its Leinenkugel's!