bluedragon2k9 Posted November 10, 2014 Report Share Posted November 10, 2014 Ok heres my problem.i have been making flat sided cranks , but i want to make a round sided crank for the first time.How can i get that round profile?i know this might be a noobish question.But you never know till you ask. a profile body like this thank you ahead of time to any one that takes the time to help me out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeeter Posted November 10, 2014 Report Share Posted November 10, 2014 The only way you are going to learn to do this is to just get at it. Trace the lure out on a piece of paper. One with it laying on its side and one from the top of the back of the lure. That way you have the length and width of the lure. It will also give you the tapers. Cut the tracings out, place them on a piece of balsa, and trace it. Cut your lip slot into the lure before you go any further. This will make sure that it is square. It is almost imposible to cut a good slot once the bait is shaped. Take your band saw, scroll saw, hand saw, or carving knife and remove the larger pieces of material. After that it is all carving knife and sandpaper. I say to use balsa because it is so easy to work with. It is the best material to learn to do this with. Another suggestion would be to use a larger bait for your learning. Something like a DB II or III or a Poes 3 or 400. It is much easier to see how to shape the bait if it is larger. You are training your eyes to know where to remove matierial and keep everything in a straight line. The hardest part of the process is to keep the tail straight. It just takes time, patience, and a good set of eyes. You won't learn to do this overnight and you will mess up plenty (at least I did). You are making a lure by hand dude. It is a skill that not many people have. You are taking a bare block of wood and making a piece of art. It is truely what this forum is all about. I applaud your efforts because there are not many that do this anymore. Good luck and let me know if you need any help. I would really love to see you post the finished product. If you need help on the amount of weight to install and how to do the lip just ask. I would be glad to walk you through the steps. Bravo!! Skeeter 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted November 10, 2014 Report Share Posted November 10, 2014 Putting a center line all the way around your lure body, once you've cut out the profile and sanded it smooth, but before you've begun the rounding process, will really help you keep things more symmetrical as you shape your lure. Trust your eye, go slow, and you'll get the hang of it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted November 10, 2014 Report Share Posted November 10, 2014 After you cut out the blank, cut the lip slot, and taper the lure, It's time to begin rounding. A center line is indispensable for locating where all the hardware should be installed. What helps me in rounding is to use a compass on the top, sides and bottom of the lure to mark off where I will cut facets off of the corners to begin the rounding process. I usually measure a distance half way between the edge and the center line of the bait to fix the compass for a round body shape. If I want an oblong bait cross-section, I use the same half-distance measurement on the top and bottom of the lure and use a full edge-to-center measurement to fix the compass for the sides. Since the lure has been tapered, you cannot cut full size facets at the tail and nose of the bait. You just have to blend the facets in the middle of the bait into the tail and nose shapes you want. After faceting, use sandpaper (I like a Dremel with fine sanding drum) to blend the facets into the round body shape. Accuracy and symmetry is EVERYTHING in a bait body and the more operations you can make into measured "no brainers" the better off you are. I've been hand shaping baits for 15 years and yes, you develop a knack but I still cannot shape a symmetrical body just by eyeballing it. Wood grain and variations in the color of the wood, plus lighting effects while you work make it almost impossible for your brain to accurately judge what is going on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
token12 Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 Just do it...literally that's how I learned how to do it. I just simply cut the blank out and used a carving knife to round out the lure. I would recommend using any scrap wood to practice with before using your main wood of choice. This guy is amazing and hand carving lures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeking 56 Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 For rounding a bait that size I would suggest starting off with a riffler / rasp. This will allow you to remove the same quantity of material every time you do a pass on the edges or on the side of the bait. Then finish with sandpaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 Just do it...literally that's how I learned how to do it. I just simply cut the blank out and used a carving knife to round out the lure. I would recommend using any scrap wood to practice with before using your main wood of choice. This guy is amazing and hand carving lures That guys is very talented! Top water lures are the most forgiving lure, so they are a great lure to start out with. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
token12 Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 For rounding a bait that size I would suggest starting off with a riffler / rasp. This will allow you to remove the same quantity of material every time you do a pass on the edges or on the side of the bait. Then finish with sandpaper. x2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
token12 Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 What kind of wood are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted November 14, 2014 Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 In a nutshell , ............I'd turn them down on a lathe to roughly the shape of an ancient amphora or a flower vase . Then cut the lip slot and using it as a reference , I'd take away material to make up for the back and the flanks of the lureblank , so that the front part would remain round and the rear part unsymetrical . Here is a lure of mine made this way(the top one) : http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/index.php?/gallery/image/3876-small-lathe-turned-cranks/ Greetings , diemai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northrivergeek Posted October 11, 2016 Report Share Posted October 11, 2016 (edited) In a nutshell , ............I'd turn them down on a lathe to roughly the shape of an ancient amphora or a flower vase . Then cut the lip slot and using it as a reference , I'd take away material to make up for the back and the flanks of the lureblank , so that the front part would remain round and the rear part unsymetrical . Here is a lure of mine made this way(the top one) : http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/index.php?/gallery/image/3876-small-lathe-turned-cranks/ Greetings , diemai This is a 2yr old post yes .. but good info nevertheless .. I was trying to find a way to make fat bagley B and such easier .. I saw some of the duplicates on youtube .. and would love to make one .. I'm just not much of a mechanic / fabricator .. just dont have the skills needed to make one from scratch. I have many friends that do .. maybe one day I can talk someone into helping me make one. But .. give me instructions I can make about anything lol...and this drill press lathe OMG .. quick and easy way to turn baits until I can swing the price of a real mini lathe or table top lathe .. Yes a mini lathe at is really not that expensive 88 to 150.. but wife bitches if I spend money on tools lol .. "don't you have enough tools ? " she says ..I'm like HA! .. never .. but she does like it when I get repaint work or order for my flat sides.. her hands are all out then. I'm sure some of you have simular situation with wives and girlfriends. I just thought this could help a fellow lure junky Edited October 11, 2016 by northrivergeek 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Jaws Posted October 12, 2016 Report Share Posted October 12, 2016 Gene AKA LINCOYA has an excellent tutorial in " hand carving your own wood lure" in the member submitted tutorial HARDBAITS. That tutorial sure help me out. THANKS GENE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted October 12, 2016 Report Share Posted October 12, 2016 I was like wow, then realized that it had some age to the thread. Bad habit of mine. A few weeks ago I started on a bait that would have a round body and shorter then anything that I have done to this point. I was pleased that what these people stated to do, I was very similar. I'm now making one after another that are very similar. A profile gauge is very helpful to. I believe that a train eye is the ticket tho. Evidently paying attention to the people here will get you there better and quicker. Yes it's a very good thread. Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northrivergeek Posted October 12, 2016 Report Share Posted October 12, 2016 (edited) I figured out a way today, without carving .. take the block of wood cut down to the length of the bait you want and thickness of the bait .. cut the body like you would a flat bait on the bandsaw. Find your centers on all sides..chuck it in the lathe.. then use the angle and cup blades to round off the bait , and get the taper to front and back of the lure.. or even cut the basic taper on the bad saw after marking center lines.. its basically the same way a duplicator machine would do .. except instead of a saw blade your using wood lathe chisels. Then use cloth sandpaper to sooth it out on the lathe .. no need to sand after that .. cut the lip drill your holes for hook hangers and belly wieght.. and you're ready for sealer Edited October 12, 2016 by northrivergeek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted October 13, 2016 Report Share Posted October 13, 2016 Glade you figured it out. My duplicator uses a router with a cutter shaped like the follower. More I think about I start at the nose and move my way back to the tail and I'll keep doing this until I get it the way I want it. I keep looking down the centerline and marks to stay symmetrical. If I'm copying a bait I will use the profile gauge to check the work every now and again. Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
