basscatcher89 Posted January 2, 2014 Report Share Posted January 2, 2014 I've been searching through the forum using the search engine looking at information on dipping tubes. Found alot of good information but one thing i couldnt find is how guys are prepping their rods for dipping tubes. Do guys take em to the grinder and round an end off or leave them square? I'm going to try both ways just figured I'd ask the guys on here if they dont mind sharing their experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gone2long Posted January 2, 2014 Report Share Posted January 2, 2014 The more prep the better off you are but if you round them off you tend to get a nicer nose to the bait, if you're going the dipping route it's expensive but make yourself a rotary cutter with fabric blades it makes your life much more pleasant cutting tails! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basscatcher89 Posted January 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2014 Just grabbed some long shoulder bolts gonna hut the hex end off and head to the grinder I'll post what I come up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gone2long Posted January 4, 2014 Report Share Posted January 4, 2014 Good deal keep an open mind too I've seen tubes dipped with copper tube for monster tubes and smaller diameter metal shanks for tiny tubes your ideas are only limited by your willingness to try! I like walking down all the isles of Home Depot or Lowe's and try to find new things to work with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basscatcher89 Posted January 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 well i found some long 3/8 and 1/4 bolts and cut the hex end off flat. Grinder was not available so iI left em flat. Snowed in now so tomorrow ill Be working plastic up and trying em out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted January 5, 2014 Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 You may need to put a ferry thin coat of oil on the bolts to get the plastic to slip off easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Linnell Posted January 5, 2014 Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 Here's one of my tube molds, pour the plastic in, wait a few seconds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted January 5, 2014 Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 OK can you take the lid off and show us the insides of that gizmo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Linnell Posted January 5, 2014 Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 Its one piece, this mold has glass inserts, like mini test tubes. You just pour the hot plastic in wait a little bit, then dump the plastic out. My other tube molds don't have the glass, the molds are made from Tuff-Stone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Linnell Posted January 5, 2014 Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 These are from my three molds, the middle tube came from a mold made with Sharpies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gone2long Posted January 5, 2014 Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 Hey Roger just curious are you filling your mold giving say a 5 count and them dumping them to make them hollow? Your tubes look nice, I chickened out and got a couple injection molds after a few rounds of tail cutting to much of a pain for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basscatcher89 Posted January 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 Thats a cool mold roger and I like the finished product. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Linnell Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 Yeah, somewhere around a 5 count Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basscatcher89 Posted January 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 (edited) Well here is the first try. This is the only one I cut the tail on before I thought I need to find a better way. Went a little to tough on the hardener so I'll back it down next time. And I just need a bigger cup for dipping longer tubes lol.not pretty but the first never is. Edited January 6, 2014 by basscatcher89 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 That tube looks fine to me. Why do you use hardner in your tubes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basscatcher89 Posted January 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 I did just from reading what others have been posting about plastic needing to be more stout for tube making. I've defintiely learned some lessons after doing that one there. I dipped way to many times and I've got some blades coming for making the tails a little better. I'm going to change up the next batch and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 The reason I asked is I dipped in the past and now inject. I never use hardner as I want my tubes to be as soft as possible hoping the bass will really hang on to them. I don't mind if they tear because I can always remelt them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gone2long Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Not a bad start at all black and blue is my old standby nice work, look forward to the next batch! And as Jig Man stated I to only inject for myself and like them softer but the tails do get bit off on the supersoft plastic that I use so I do add a little hardener and I always shake them in a box with kosher salt it helps keep the tails free from one another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basscatcher89 Posted January 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Well here was tonights try. These are the survivers so far cause I marred all the others up trying to cut the tail. I tried tonight using razor blades. I took 10 and clamped them together which the bodies alone gave enough separation for hte size strands I would want. I clamped them together and tried to cut em but still had no luck. Back to the drawing board and hopefully I can salvage these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basscatcher89 Posted January 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Had another idea for a tail cutter after I posted this. I'm waiting for some epoxy to dry to give it a shot. Figured anything is worth it at this point LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 We used carpet knife blades fastened together. We put them in a vise and placed the tube tail on top. Then we used a dowel rod and rolled it over the tube to cut the tail. It was a pain so I bought some injectors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gone2long Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 If you make a pizza cutter you will solve most of your problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basscatcher89 Posted January 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 If you make a pizza cutter you will solve most of your problems. I've been trying to figure out how guys were making those. I'm still playing around. Jig Man I may look at that option as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basscatcher89 Posted January 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 What I did was I took a clamp and epoxied a bunch of razor blades together and epoxied it to the clamp so that I could lay the tube on the blades and push it down with the other side of the clamp. Problem was i think i set the blades to cut to finely cause the plastic gets hung up in the blades and breaks. I hit both with the worm oil so I think I just need to space them out more for this. But I am still looking at the pizza cutter style to make things easier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gone2long Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Buy one of those narrow paint rollers the one that is like 3 inches wide but it needs to be the full size type not the little foam ones. Remove everything from the handle add the amount of blades you need prolly about 10 you will need to space them, up to you but washers work well make sure they fit without being too sloppy on the shaft, mark were your last blade/washer is on the shaft drill a small hole for a cotter pin and cut off the excess now you have a relatively safe way to cut your tails, but again as I mentioned the up front cost is a little pricey but worth it if I find mine I'll take a pic for you. Oh a the blades are round fabric blades look on the net to find a good deal on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
