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Ishitaro

Question About Joint Placement

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Hi all,

 

I've been a long time lurker of TU and building swimbaits for about a year now. This site has really been informative but I can't find any information on joint placement in the search. I'm working on a 3 joint gizzard shad and using the hinge and pin method. Does it matter what joint recieves the eye? I want the first and third to recieve the pin, the last section will also recieve a pin. Will this effect the the way it swims? Reason I'm doing this is because I want to use the hook eyes for the pins. If anyone has tried this can you please shed some light for a noob? Thanks in advance Mel!

 

Here's a pic of what I'm working on. Took about 4 hours to get to this point.

Gizzard shad.jpg

Gizzard shad.jpg

Gizzard shad.jpg

Gizzard shad.jpg

Gizzard shad.jpg

Gizzard shad.jpg

Gizzard shad.jpg

Gizzard shad.jpg

post-24821-0-23865600-1362002142_thumb.jpg

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Ishi, 

First of all, welcome to TU!

I make three and four piece swimbaits.

I use the screw eye and pin method.

I always put the screw eye in the rear of the section, and the pin in the front of the following section.  I did a series of swimbaits a few years ago with the joints reversed, and found they didn't swim at low speeds.

I always make my head section longer than the other body sections if I can.  That keeps the head more still, while the rest of the sections swim behind it.

For a 6" 4 piece swimbait, I make the head 2 1/4", and the other three sections 1 1/4".  1 1/4' is the smallest I make a section that will hold a hook, because the screw eyes I use need that much room.  I use 1 1/2" .092 screw eyes and bicycle spokes for the hinges in those swimbaits.

If I'm making a small jointed bait, I only put a hook in the head section, so the joints don't have to be as strong, and I can use sst cotter keys and spinnerbait wire pins for the hinges.

I've never tried to use the hook hanger screw eyes for hinge pins.  I am afraid the sharp threads will cut and wear out the screw eyes.  

But I may be worried about nothing.  I've never actually tried it.

Let us know how it works for you.

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I have only done 4 segment baits and for those I used a 2:1:1:1 ratio.

 

The front section should be larger than the rest if for no other reason than it looks better, but I suspect that it is important for function too, but I haven't proven that yet.

 

I would start off with a 3:2:2 ratio and see how it goes.

 

That is a very fine carving, but you are at the first prototype stage. I think the smart thing to do would be to put this masterpiece in the draw and cut a few simple lures of the same profile for testing purposes. Once you have the bait swimming how you want, then you can finish your masterpiece.

 

Using the pins as eyes is a very space efficient method. Nothing wrong with it and it does work, I have made a few like that. My decision to go for larger diameter pins is the only reason that I don't do this any longer. In fact, a new idea has just come to me, I could use stainless tube and insert the eye wire into the tube.

 

The prototyping stage is very important, especially as you are new to the art. Even now, five years in, I still make a dozen prototypes. If you don't try a few variations, you will not get the most out of your design. Believe me, if your masterpiece does not swim first time, you will be well gutted and it will destroy your enthusiasm.

 

Good luck with the project.

 

Dave

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Those are some good tips and suggestions. I make all of my screw eyes. I was going to use thicker diameter wire, go through the eyes then bend forward into the top of the body and bondo. Vodkaman, I like the sst tube idea, and thank you for clarifying what video it was. I'll let you guys know how it turns out.

 

 

Mel

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