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Eyectcher

Pouring Crankbaits

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Hi gentlemen I have a question I hope some can help me with Ive ordered all the components to start pouring crankbaits so basically when it arrives this comeing weeks I'm going to be pouring some silicon milfs of done crsnkbaits I have that work well for me and I'm going to use them to make the divine moulds the issue I've been thinking about is the front lip they are sieving plugs with a large lip can I make the moulds with the lip on and pour them with lip on so I have the lip already done so it would save me time and get the lip just right or should I cut the lip off and put one on after it's been poured guys any help and advise would be greatly appreciated

Thank you

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Agree w Travis.... If you can cut the lip slot out before molding the bait, I'd do it that way..... If not, leave the lip in.. It's difficult to cut a square slot in a round body, so you don't wanna have to do that on every bait

Also I like painting before installing the lip... No masking required, and just looks cleaner to me

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If you mold the lip slot in the bait it will come out right every time also.  I like it because I can store the blanks easier, not worry about masking bills, etc.... I also felt I got a much more secured lip gluing than drilling holes in the lip and having the casting medium expand through the lip to lock it in place.

 

flats.jpg

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I'm looking to duplicate the old Arbogast Bug Eye crankbait. The diving lip on this lure is at zero degrees at the point of attachment to the body, then bends down at about 45 degrees. It looks like a one piece mold would be the easiest way to generate this configuration. However, I'm new to this and wonder if the Alumilite resin with microballoons that I plan to use will generate a sufficiently strong lip and joint. What do you guys think?

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Travis nice job Travis I was just wanting to pour the crankbaits all in

One with the lip in as 99 percent of my fishing is trolling and if I'm trolling

Let's say four lines even keeping them on planer boards they will eventually cross each

Other and make a mess I have some proven

Crankbaits that track great they hardly if

Any need tuning that's shy I thought I could pour

Them all at once also while writing this I have thought

I finish my baits with two coats of devcon 2 ton epoxy

I am going to try to pour one and just give it a

Couple coats of epoxy and see how strong they come

I have to say I have had many rapala lips break of in the painting stage

So I think it may work if it doesn't I may need some help guys in cutting

Slots for lips guys thank you all for your input

I will let everone know how it goes thanks

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I haven't poured any baits yet, but I do a lot of trolling in the spring. There is much more stress on baits while trolling. I'm just putting it out there.

The next topic that I wanted to put out is you may want to create a prototype and make a mold, for the lip issue Eyectcher.

I'm getting interested in the pouring of blanks. The reason is to be more consistent in the baits. I'm also carving more then painting. I enjoy carving but I really enjoy painting.

I need to look into this and some prices,

Dale

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One thing to consider is when making a mold with the slot for the lip, is that you can't change the angle,  I would wait till you are really sure that is the angle you want on the lure, then go ahead and try it but for myself I cut the slot after the lure is done, that way I can have more control of the depth of the lure  with one mold.

Wayne

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I'm not trying to have harsh debate but a discussion. I am looking into start pouring, so this question can help me.

Excluding top water and deep divers, we as fisherman and bait designers (different levels) fish primarily in water of 5'-10', 10'-15', 15'-20'. Assuming this is a true statement then you need to design a bait that you like to work in each level or just one or two of these areas. This would include a lip angle for this depth.

I have a dozen designs that I have created. Some may work better in shallower water and some work better in deeper. I would make a mold with the lip angle that would give me the best results and I would not have to cut them in after the pour. The ballast is just something you would have to deal with in a shaped bait.

When I first started I built a jig to make cuts for lips in the baits after shaping, it did ok but sometimes I had a slip. This is not fun after taking so much time in the carving of the bait. Knowing the extreme importance of a square lip to the bait I started cutting them in with the wood being square in it corners. Drilling the ballast in at this time to. Thanks to some people here.

My question is why wouldn't you do this at this point? The ballast is just something you will have to deal with the drilling, unless there's a technique for it. If I had three baits in the 5-10' depths then there are three there and maybe a few in each other depth. So I have about 9 molds. A person doing this for some sometime like Travis, that's a easy amount. Now he does not need to worry about fittings a lip.

As I stated just trying to learn,

Dale

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One thing to consider is when making a mold with the slot for the lip, is that you can't change the angle,  I would wait till you are really sure that is the angle you want on the lure, then go ahead and try it but for myself I cut the slot after the lure is done, that way I can have more control of the depth of the lure  with one mold.

Wayne

 

Very good point.  All that however should be worked out in the prototype bait prior to molding so no surprises.  

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With hand carved bodies, making a jig is problematic because every lure body is a slightly different size and shape. BUT, with molded bodies, every lure body is identical, and a whole new world of jig making is opened up. The jig can be made of Bondo, molded to the lure body.

 

The drilling operations and slot cutting operation is faster than the time taken to write this one line of text.

 

The molded jig blocks can be adjusted for square-ness by grinding on a belt sander. The rest is about building guide blocks for use on the drill press table and the band-saw table. The adjustable lip is achieved on the guide block. The same guide block jig can be used with different lures.

 

Here is a link to my original post. Sorry, cannot find the pics.

 

Dave

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