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Can Someone Direct Me To A Good Stencil Making Diy

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I have tried the DakotaLakes heat gun way and vacuum and have had not to good of results. I found a tutorial using a hot plate but can't seem to locate it using the search function. Any help would be great or maybe something you use that can help me out. I've used frog tape but generally don't like sticking anything on the lure. Have used various combs for stripes but want more control of the shape ect. Thanks

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I've tried dakotas method as well with mediocre results, i think the key is to order a specific material off ebay in order to get a perfect stencil. I'll do some research and get back to you. I tried using the stencil material from walmart, and cut the flat sides off gallon milk jugs. I had the best luck with the milk jug plastic. But, finding the balance between getting plasic hot enough to form right and not melting the lure is a fine line. One tip i can offer that helped me was to tie four bell sinkers (3/16 oz is what i used) to 4 gator clips with about 4" of braided fishing line. Then i cut the plastic to fit the top of the gallon can. Next I clipped the gator clips to four corners of the plastic and let them hang off the side of the paint can. This seemed to help keep steady pressure on the lure, and help keep the corners from peeling upward and creating a deformed stencil. Hope that helps. Ill post the name of that material. Ive been wanting to try it myself.

Sean

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If you guys are talking about making stencils with a vacuum former then the way the plastic is held while heating can make a huge difference in the difficulty level. The best way I've found is to make a square frame that will hold the plastic on all four sides. This way the frame holding the plastic can be placed into a warm oven until the plastic begins to sag. When it starts to sag it's then ready to be placed on the vacuum table. You still need to have a heat gun and a smooth edged tool to help the vacuum former pull the plastic down around the profile being copied. A smooth edged butter knife works well for this. Just leave the vacuum running and warm any spots that don't want to pull down with the heat gun and help them into place with the butter knife.

 

hope this helps,

 

Ben

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I use the PETG material .020 x 24" x 48" sheets due to I make large muskie lures, My vaccuum box is large 1 foot square. I block part of the opening with sheet metal blanks, I lay the bait right on the perforated surface. I use a heat gun that is made for paint remover or tiles, generates high heat and it works great. I heat the plastic all around and top of the bait before I turn on the large shop vac and it forms great around the bait, Hopefully this helps

Gino

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Hi Gon2long,

Can you help me with the right name/type glitter you use from paintwithpearl house ?

I have see it, but have many types, pearl, metal flakes .... Now i don't know the correct type glitter to by ?

By

Nuno

I use the PETG material .020 x 24" x 48" sheets due to I make large muskie lures, My vaccuum box is large 1 foot square. I block part of the opening with sheet metal blanks, I lay the bait right on the perforated surface. I use a heat gun that is made for paint remover or tiles, generates high heat and it works great. I heat the plastic all around and top of the bait before I turn on the large shop vac and it forms great around the bait, Hopefully this helps

Gino

I am sure glad you posted this, because I posted the wrong thickness. Thanks Edited by rhersh
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Thanks for the help. Still can't find the tutorial on building one using a box and the hot plate. Thought it might work a little better because heat is not being blew on the plastic. Haven't used stencils much....but might if I could make a decent one..lol. Just would be nice to have another tool to add in making paint designs.

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I used an alternative method for making stencils when i was messing round with making plastic baits. Polymporph is a plastic that can been formed after dipping it in water just below boiling point. I took a small mount and ran it through a hand operated pasta rolling machine(it is non toxic so you put the pasat machine back in the kitchen when you have finished). dropping back in hot water between rolls until i had it at the finest setting about the thickness of lansgana. After dipping it in hot water again i drapped it over half the lure an kind of wrapped it a little around the back and let it cool, as it cools it shrinks a little gripping the details on the lure Once cooled it turns white and i cut out my pattern with a very sharp sclapal. The drawback with this material is when it is hot it wants to stick to itself and it is a bit like working with chewing gum.   Once hard through it is very similar to nylon, or hdpe like plastic milk bottles

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Go to Member Submitted Tutorials, do a search using this keewoord and it will come up "vacuum box"

was posted Sept 30 20011

Gino

That's the one. Thanks Gino. Wanted to give this one a shot knowing I have about 3/4's of the materials on hand. Still can't find some steel plate with all the uniform holes.Be nice to not make a project out of making a project. .lol

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Lowe's has the metal material but it's abt $27 for what appears to be a 12/12 piece I think if I make the same kind of former I'll use the top of a rectangular Christmas cookie can and just drill a bunch of holes in it. I currently just use the can and a heat gun and place the plastic between two frames like the dakota lakes video

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Sorry for the mistake on my post moments ago, I meant to write .020" not .20". As for my setup, I went to a local paint shop and purchased a new/ unused 5 gallon paint can and had them crimp and seal the lid. I also purchased a adapter nozzle from Home Depot that is specifically for my vacuum brand, cut a hole in the bottom and siliconed it on place. I placed a couple dowels in the interior of the can so the suction pressure would not indent the can. Few holes in the top and it works great for me. I tape one corner of my stencil material as it is placed on top of my bait. From there I heat it until it conforms to my bait. I keep a sharpened pencil near by to coax the tight corners and to also bring out the scales patters on the bait. I also let the vacuum run for a few seconds to cool the material before releasing it.

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My thoughts on thickness.

I have started to offer stencils on my website and .020 is just too thin, it cuts very easy but makes for easy mistakes and once a slit is made it is hard to cut another pass near it because it is so flimsy,  were .030 is harder to cut but knife slips and flexibility is better so you can keep a straighter line.

With .030 if you get it too hot it thins out like .020 when vacuumed.

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I just started with vacuum formed stencils and am having some success at least with making the blank stencils. Cutting shapes in it is another learning curve. I made a wood frame and I staple the .020 petg to the underside of the frame. turn the vacuum table on (I made mine out of a bird house...) And heat the petg until it softens and sags. Then place it on the table over the crank and apply heat carefully around the edges of the crank if needed. I did sand flat spots on cranks to use as molds so that they lay flatter. I have plenty of 1.5 baits with busted bills to use... Hope that helps.

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