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gordon

Pvc Swimbait

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I am new to hardbait making. I have now carved 2 wooden swimbaits with some moderate success. I keep seeing refernces in the Gallery section to "PVC Swimbaits" but I can't find any info when I search the Forums. Are these baits that are cast in PVC, or have they been carved from PVC? Where do you obtain these materials?

Thanks in advance.

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carved from pvc... if only they had a pour-able pvc! I got mine from Menards. However, most of the big box hardware stores will have it. It's actually a pvc decking or siding material. Most of what I find has a fake wood grain; however, if you look hard enough you will find some that has a smooth surface. I think the piece I found was 1"x 4"x ~6'. Not cheap stuff... to do a house in! But the cost isn't bad for swimbaits!

I loved the action of my wood swimbaits, but after working with pvc there's no going back. I always use pvc for my master's for molds too just because it is homogeneous and carves like a dream.

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I just want to thank you all for putting me onto the PVC stuff, it is a joy to work with. I managed to produce my first good working prototype (well it worked in the bath :-)). For now I decided to stick with a Lexan lipped swimbait as this seems the best option for some lure action whilst I am busy working out my process, carving, balancing and everything else. There is a lot to this swimbait making, I now understand why they charge the money they do for store bought ones.

Once I have completed it, I will post it up in the gallery.

Cheers

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On this Azex PVC can you plane it or will it melt from planing, and how does it turn on a lathe, good, fair or bad. Also What glue would you use to put two halves together.

I've never tried it on a lathe, but I would imagine you could turn it. Sanding with a dremel does act a little funny but I try to stay away from it but use it for roughing out a shape after whittling. As far as glue, (not trying to be a wise guy) but would guess PVC glue, the one used for the pipe should do the trick.

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I didn't have any problems with the PVC material, cutting, drilling, routing, turning, or hand sanding, just when I came to machine sanding, flat was good but rounding was hard to do because it took it off fast, and I do most of my sanding on a flexible drum sander and the slightest touch was needed which is easily done with basswood. So I will stick with basswood which works for me. Also it is more expensive to use.

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You might find you have more control sanding if you use a flat sanding block with coarse paper to rough sand, and one with finer paper for final shaping.

A round surface, like a drum sander, puts a small surface in contact with the bait, so it cuts fast on corners and small surfaces.

I use an ocillating belt sander to do most of my PVC shaping. I change the belt from coarse (50 grit) to fine (80-100 grit) so I can limit the amount of material that's removed.

Too much pressure will melt the plastic and make it sticky, so don't use too much pressure when you're sanding.

And wear a dust mask. The sanding dust, and saw dust, is really hard on the sinuses.

I do my fine sanding with a palm sander and fine paper.

And I wet sand when I want a really smooth finish.

The PVC I use, AZEK, has a coarse grain, so the finer I sand, the smoother the initial finish.

I don't sand past 100 grit, except with the 400 grit wet sanding.

I find that for my baits the Createx paint fills in most imperfections, and the top coat takes care of the rest.

Bear in mind, I don't build to sell, and so I am not as picky as those who do need to be.

But I won't go back to wood except for small balsa and pine cranks.

PVC is totally waterproof, so water intrusion and paint/top coat failures are a thing of the past for me.

Edited by mark poulson
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Thanks Mark I will still keep trying to get this right I like to make 15 to 20 baits at a time. I use 150 grit on my drum I think I will router the edges less and maybe that will help. Maybe I am just trying to go to fast. It is AZEK that I am using. I like the idea of the waterproof aspect of the PVC. Again thanks.

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Is there a substitute for AZEK? My Lowe's store does not carry that brand. I am not sure about Home Depot.

ask them if they have pvc exterior trim . my local Lowes sells it but not under the name of Azek. make sure you are not getting vinyl trim as it is hard as a rock. you should be able to mark the cut end with your thumbnail without much problem.

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