Cutting/shaping Pvc

[JR77]

i have been making large deep diving crank baits (up to 140mm) for murray cod here in australia using red cedar and i'm interested to find out more about PVC as i would like to give it a go if it is possible for me to get it here in aus. maybe some of the fellow aussie members could inform me of this?

i should mention that i make my baits in two halves with through wire construction each half is up to 12mm thick.

firstly i use scroll or band saw to cut out my cedar blanks and am interested to know weather PVC would be harder or softer to cut than the cedar?

does it sand easily and is the dust from a result of sanding toxic?

what glues work best on PVC?

and how would it compare in buoyancy to cedar - more or less? this is a big factor in weather PVC would be effective for me or not as my lures a quite large and need to dive up to 40ft on the troll.

i did do a search but failed to find info i was after. any info would be greatly appreciated.

cheers JR...

[mark poulson]

i have been making large deep diving crank baits (up to 140mm) for murray cod here in australia using red cedar and i'm interested to find out more about PVC as i would like to give it a go if it is possible for me to get it here in aus. maybe some of the fellow aussie members could inform me of this?

i should mention that i make my baits in two halves with through wire construction each half is up to 12mm thick.

firstly i use scroll or band saw to cut out my cedar blanks and am interested to know weather PVC would be harder or softer to cut than the cedar?

does it sand easily and is the dust from a result of sanding toxic?

what glues work best on PVC?

and how would it compare in buoyancy to cedar - more or less? this is a big factor in weather PVC would be effective for me or not as my lures a quite large and need to dive up to 40ft on the troll.

i did do a search but failed to find info i was after. any info would be greatly appreciated.

cheers JR...

I use AZEK PVC decking for most of my lures.

It is about as buoyant as poplar. Probably not as buoyant as cedar.

It can be cut and machined with the same tools as wood, but it melts when cut with a dull blade, leaving whispy hair-like trailers on the blade, and will stick to a sanding belt if you try to force feed it too fast.

I don't laminate it, because it is strong enough to hold screweyes, so I can't recommend a glue. Both crazy glue and epoxy bond to it really well.

Just to play safe, and to kind of lock them in position, I run my screweyes in, and then back out, and coat the threads with brush-on crazy glue, and then run them back in again.

I've never had a screweye pull out, in the 2+ years I've been using AZEK.

It is a very hard material, so it stands up to rocks, and fish, really well. I have a friend who uses it for his saltwater jointed lures, and has had no problems, period.

And it is totally waterproof, so you don't have to seal it before you prime and paint.

I field test my lures unpainted, so I can change shapes or make adjustments without messing with paint, and then prime and paint them.

Edited June 23, 2010 by mark poulson

[jrhopkins]

epoxy has worked the best for me to glue halves together.

wear a dusk mask to be on the safe side.

the dust clings to everything. i wear a pair of coveralls when doing the cutting.

cuts well with a bandsaw. scroll saw has a tendency to melt the material.

carves easily if the blade is sharp.

[JR77]

thanks for the info guys much appreciated.

the only dilemma i have now is finding where i can purchase the stuff in austraila?

i have searched the net for PVC board with no conclusive results here in aussy land, maybe it comes under a different name here as is often the case.

any more info would be greatly appreciated and maybe some other members here in australia could point me in the right direction to get hold of some PVC board?

cheers JR...

[Mcleod]

thanks for the info guys much appreciated.

the only dilemma i have now is finding where i can purchase the stuff in austraila?

i have searched the net for PVC board with no conclusive results here in aussy land, maybe it comes under a different name here as is often the case.

any more info would be greatly appreciated and maybe some other members here in australia could point me in the right direction to get hold of some PVC board?

cheers JR...

JR,

I looked at a few of the likely places near me in Aus and could not find anything. In the end I gave up looking locally and reconsiled myself that I would probably have to get from US. Lost motivation to try it after that. Only thing I could suggest is the message Hazmail or wait till he comes across this thread. I think Pete has used it before, but dont know whether he got it in Aus or whether bought it from US.

Angus

[hazmail]

Angus- yes, takes me a while to hook on, BUT I found it eventually!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

J - I have used some of this PVC board (known in Australia as ‘Expanded PVC Board’ or ‘PVC Celuka Foam Board’) .

Pros are: I have found as the other guys have said, “it works just like wood” but without the grain and is perfect for Bream lures or other toothy fish as it does not suck up water when punctured- takes pint o.K., likes epoxy for ‘hangers’ and ‘screw eyes’ - it’s tougher than Cedar - I have satisfactorily laminated halves with ‘Plumbers Pipe Glue’.

Cons are: It is VERY buoyant and will need a lot more ‘ballast’ than usual, unless you are using it for ‘poppers’ (for which it is near perfect). If you use electric sanders it tends to ball up the surface which makes it hard to finish. Clear finishing (IMO) for toothy fish, needs to be a bit softer than hard epoxies as it tends to chip off.

An old friend of mine on here (‘Coley’) sent me some thin sheets to play with which is excellent as it has very small air cells (denser) and on small lures finishes near perfectly, the PVC I have found here is a bit coarser and harder to finish on small lures, but the size you are talking about would be no problem. It seems the thinner the sheet the denser the PVC is!!!!!!!

Where do you get it??? I am not sure where you live (it helps if you add your location in your 'profile') - BUT- go to your local plastic supplier (Perspex, lexan etc) and ask for Celuka board, or Sign Writers/ display type people, they use it to mount large photos for billboards - comes in 2.4 X 1.2 sheets @ 6 - 25mm thick.

I have a small amount of 18mm here, if you laminate 2 pieces and you get 36mm which should be wide enough for your purposes.

Send me min sizes and I will send you some pieces to try.

See it here: http://allstarplastics.com.au/pvc.htm

Pete

[JR77]

thanks for the info angus.

pete i will send you a pm with all the details, cheers mate..

[hazmail]

thanks for the info angus.

pete i will send you a pm with all the details, cheers mate..

I just noticed I don't have a 'location' either, looks like Gerry has pinched my identity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.Pete

[mark poulson]

I just noticed I don't have a 'location' either, looks like Gerry has pinched my identity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.Pete

Mabye you've earned the coveted "00" status. Licensed to kill.

[Predator Bass Baits]

Mabye you've earned the coveted "00" status. Licensed to kill.

I use celtec brand PVC, it is the expnaded pvc in 10mm.( 3/8")

I use it to make reptile cages that I sell as my other business.( www.pvccages.com )

I have scraps that I throw away every week and would send some to anyone , just pay shipping.

This type of pvc some glues will bond them,

The best glue is called ( Weld-on 1007 ) but most people will not be able to purchase it.

It is a chemical bond, it melts the two pieces together.

[JR77]

I use celtec brand PVC, it is the expnaded pvc in 10mm.( 3/8")

I use it to make reptile cages that I sell as my other business.( www.pvccages.com )

I have scraps that I throw away every week and would send some to anyone , just pay shipping.

This type of pvc some glues will bond them,

The best glue is called ( Weld-on 1007 ) but most people will not be able to purchase it.

It is a chemical bond, it melts the two pieces together.

thanks for the offer Jim, Pete(hazmail) has kindly sent me some to try and if i'm happy with it i will try and source some here in australia.

i would have taken you up on your offer but i think it might be a bit costly shipping to australia and also 10mm isn't thick enough for the baits i'm currently making.

cheers JR...