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mouldybits

how do i reproduce jerkbaits...

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I don't think you can do it without a duplicator of some kind. Even then, wood varies in density, and hand sanding will leave subtle differences. And how deep you drill your hardware and ballast holes will vary, so the amount of epoxy will vary, and, with it, the weight and action of the lures. It may not be much, if you're really careful, but wood's a natural material, and you just have to live with it.

I've been using PVC decking lately, and even that has variations, with small voids, unmixed plastic, and soft spots, so it's not fool proof. I know, I know, :lol::lol::lol:.

Good luck.

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@ mouldybits

You could make 2 , 3 , 5 or even 10 "identical" lures of wood after the same template , even out of only one woodboard , and there would always be one amongst them , that you will consider to have a better action than the rest of them !

It is simply handwork with a natural material , but the differences would be subtle !

The more accurately you work them down one by one , the greater their alikeness would be , but never 100% the same !

Mark has already said it all !

good luck :yay:, diemai

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There are various ways to accomplish this task.

You will get many answers on how people do this, but it would mostly depend on the size of your bait and the wood it is made with.

What is the length and width of your jerkbaits?

What type of wood are they made from?

What type of fish will your use them for?

Freshwater or Saltwater?

Do they have a lip?

Are they a glider style bait?

Answer these questions and you will get a better and more direct answer from someone that specializes in these types of baits.

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Related question, so I hope this isn't a high-jack.

Palmetto, I know that you keep record of the density of the wood you are making your lures out of. Have you ever (or do you think it is possible) to develop a "rule of thumb" for a particular lure that you make for determining how much ballast to use based on the density of the wood you are using, all things being equal? For instance, if you were making a Sammy style balsa lure, and you had some that walked the way you like, etc. that were made from 8lbs/cu ft balsa and, I don't know appx. 1/4 oz of ballast, could you then calculate how much ballast you would need if you had a batch of balsa that was 10lbs/cu ft? Or do you just do trial and error on the 10lbs/cu ft balsa and keep that recorded for future lures?

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I am positive that VMan could calculate a formula to get it almost exact. I don't even try to take the variables that far in the my lure building. If I normally make a topwater walker out of 8lb balsa and decided to switch up to 10lb balsa I would just use a bit less ballast. I would keep notes and weigh it out and mark the locations that I placed the weight but I would not make a formula to tell me how much to use.

The only difference that I might do is use a little less lead and I might move it a hair farther back in the bait. That would hopefully counter the extra weight at the nose of the bait due to density of the wood.

a move from 8lb to 10lb is a 25% increase in weight of the wood but the overall difference in the final lure is minimal. I am not saying that the difference in action would minimal but the difference in that ballast amount and location would be minimal.

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Yes, it is possible to calculate everything regarding buoyancy and ballast. But this is very involved and a lot of work. As long as you are not aiming for neutral buoyancy, it is not necessary.

I am anticipating the same problems as the wood that I use can vary in density from 0.2 to 0.4gm/cm3. So my plan is to weigh the blanks and group them into like weighted containers. Once the ballast requirements are established once for each weight, no further testing should be necessary, other than quality testing the final lure before shipping.

Also, if you know the ballast for a 5gm body and a 7gm body, it is easy to estimate the ballast for a 6gm body, as the differences vary in a linear fashion. You could even draw a simple graph.

Essential kit is an accurate gram scale and a note book.

Dave

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hazmail put together a good tutorial "Micro Through Wire Construction" that covers making jigs to duplicate making through wire lure construction. The main thing is developing repeatable steps so you can make your lures the same. With it being Summer down-under, I'm hoping Pete is enjoying some time out on the water; otherwise he may have a few perils of knowledge to add. Good luck and tight lines.

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