3d Eyes Making Your Own

[ravenlures]

I know this topic came up but unable to find in the search. Which epoxy leaves the least amount of air bubbles in the eye or the clearest.

[littleriver]

Here is photo I took some time ago comparing tabletop to D2t. Tabletop is on the left and d2t is on right. Even with that said, there is a difference in clarity of old d2t and new d2t and old table top and new. Moral of the story is use the freshest product you can find. Though I have not made 3d eyes from either product, I believe tabletops are clearer.

[RayburnGuy]

Don't quote me on this, but seems I remember reading here at TU that using too much hardener will result in D2T having a tendency to have a yellow cast to it.

Ben

[littleriver]

Ben

I do not know but i can assure you the d2t sample photoed was mixed using the 1:1 syringe it was sold to me in. I also used a D2t 1:1 syringe to mix the tabletop. in conclusion, the samples shown were mixed in exactly the same ratios. Age of the two samples is something I can not be sure of. Nor can I be sure of the amount of time they were exposed to light before use. This is one thing that seems to yellow the hardener before use and definitely will effect the comparison.

[ravenlures]

Thanks for the response, now for those that make their own 3D eyes, what do you use. also what do they use to make 3D eyes. I am trying to get rid of making a socket for 3D eyes. I use flat stickers now but want to go to 3D eyes. On a round surface the 3D eyes have a tendency to rise on the edges. It seems that I can put epoxy on a flat sticker eye while on the round lure and have no problem with lifting, but just those little bubbles. I am not crazy about using super glue.

Thanks for any help!

[toadfrog]

3D eyes will pop off a round surface no matter what you put on them if they get bumped just right . Some will just plain snap in half leaving bits on the lure . You can get the 3D effect by putting the flat eye on , epoxy over the head like a finished lure then go back and put a drop of epoxy on top of the eye to make the 3D effect . I use an assortment of different size hat pins for this . Seems to diminish a lot of bubbles . How ever I only do that in cases of emergency like being out of eyes .

[RayburnGuy]

Not doubting you Vic, but not everyone buys their epoxy in the double sided syringes. Some folks, myself included, buy their epoxy in the bottles of 4.5oz. each of epoxy and hardener. It's much cheaper buying like this, but you have to be a little more careful about measuring it.

Ben

[ravenlures]

Again Thanks.

Back to the drawing board. I am going to work all day today to come up with a jig to hold the lure for recessing the eye, then I will go out and have a few drinks and a steak, only if I do it right,

If you have any thoughts about a jig for a round lure, it is a musky lure I am just trying to make it so I can do one after the other in the same place.

[RayburnGuy]

You can fold a piece of thin paper in half and mark where you want the holes to be on the paper. The fold in the paper will be aligned on the center marks that were drawn on the lure for placement of line ties and hook hangers. This is of course assuming you used a compass to draw these lines on the lure blank. Then it's just a matter of moving the folded paper forward or backward until you get the eyes located where you want them. You can also do this with a thin sheet of clear plastic. The clear plastic allows you to see where the eyes are being located where the thin paper will not.

Ben

[mark poulson]

If you use a true Forstner bit to drill your eye seats, you'll wind up with a flat surface that self-adhesive eyes sit on with no trapped air bubbles, or, at least, not enough to cause bubbles.

Look for them here:

http://woodworking.rockler.com/search?asug=&w=forstner%20drill%20bit&pcrid=181290855&utm_campaign=Tools&ne_key_id=bXNRkTbGt&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=bing&mkwid=bucH8TsZk&ne_ppc_id=bing&utm_term=forstner%20drill%20bit

You still have to check that no bubbles appear after you've coated the lure, but you'd need to check it anyway once it's on the turner.

With a flat seat, there's nowhere for air to get trapped.

You can also put a drop of super glue onto the eye seat first, before you place the eye, to seal the wood, and close any tiny recesses that might trap air.

[bassguy]

I've use the same technique as Ben. I just use a brad point bit for the size of eyes I use. Drill a small depression in the bait on either side, paint as necessary and right before finish, I add a little dollop (that is a real word?) of super glue (gel type) and install the eye. Press just hard enough to seat the eye and wait a minute or two and then finish as usual.

Jerry

[Vodkaman]

I drill a small hole through the square blank, even before I cut the profile. This hole is then used to centre the forstner bit or what ever you use after shaping.

DAve

[joetheplumber]

Anyone ever use the UV cure epoxy? I've seen a guy at a local tackle shop use it to make 3-d eyes and even small spoons for a fly rod. I think it's the same stuff the dentist uses on teeth for fillings. Look it up it's pretty cool stuff.