Lure Turner... revisited

[CarverGLX]

So... after years of use I’m redoing a lure Turner. 
The one I currently have will do 24 baits using rubber bands and hooks to hold the lures and uses a rod drying motor. This presents some issues.

1-The motor is not beefy enough and eventually wears out. (Getting rotisserie motor but looking for model recommendations)

2-rubber bands can break when the get old and require constant checking. (Would like a different method of holding the baits that allows for sure grasping of the hook hanger. There isn’t always a lip available. Exacto knife handles? Bulk source?)

3-24 baits is nice but 48 would be better. (Going bigger for round 3 as the wheel size is always the hang up when doing lures)
 

Which motor is best and ideas for methods of reliably holding hook hangers?

[Travis]

I have always used a rotisserie motor from the big box store.  I paid under 30 bucks for it and have gotten many years (15 years) of use out of it.  It was a charbroil.

I bought wooden spools from the craft store and used a file to make the opening square and used a set screw (cut off wood screw) to set it in place and slide on spools as needed.  I drilled holes in the spool and glued dowels with alligator clips attached to the ends.  You can hold by either the bill or by the hook hanger.  Each spool holds six baits.  I may break one every now and then but no big deal as rarely do I do more than 30 baits but can easily do more than that (over 100 if drill different spacing).  For years I just slide the dowels into the spool but they slowly lose the friction fit.

I use the alligator clip/dowel to hold while painting also.  Better options out there I am sure and I intended to build another one with a Bodine gearmotor with speed dial that I seam to be always moving out of the way in my shop.

Edited November 24, 2019 by Travis

[CarverGLX]

1 hour ago, Travis said:

I have always used a rotisserie motor from the big box store.  I paid under 30 bucks for it and have gotten many years (15 years) of use out of it.  It was a charbroil.

I bought wooden spools from the craft store and used a file to make the opening square and used a set screw (cut off wood screw) to set it in place and slide on spools as needed.  I drilled holes in the spool and glued dowels with alligator clips attached to the ends.  You can hold by either the bill or by the hook hanger.  Each spool holds six baits.  I may break one every now and then but no big deal as rarely do I do more than 30 baits but can easily do more than that (over 100 if drill different spacing).  For years I just slide the dowels into the spool but they slowly lose the friction fit.

I use the alligator clip/dowel to hold while painting also.  Better options out there I am sure and I intended to build another one with a Bodine gearmotor with speed dial that I seam to be always moving out of the way in my shop.

Really like the look of that. How well do the alligator clips hold?
Was thinking very similar setup with xacto knife handles maybe by attaching a short bolt to the back of them to attach to a nut on the rotisserie stock. not sure how cumbersome that may be screwing in though. Friction fit of dowel may be better. 

Edited November 24, 2019 by CarverGLX

[AZ Fisher]

I built a couple turners like Travis has, using the alligator clips. One of the issues I had was the epoxy/mcu dripping or running on to the clips and after a while several became unusable due to the clips sticking together. I was able to break some of the epoxy off but deformed some clips to the point where they wouldn't secure the baits anymore. Had to replace a bunch of the clips by cutting the 3/16 dowels back past the clips and re gluing new ones, so now I have different length shafts on some. I use a 5-6 rpm microwave motor and can do up to 32 smaller baits at a time.

[CarverGLX]

33 minutes ago, AZ Fisher said:

I built a couple turners like Travis has, using the alligator clips. One of the issues I had was the epoxy/mcu dripping or running on to the clips and after a while several became unusable due to the clips sticking together. I was able to break some of the epoxy off but deformed some clips to the point where they wouldn't secure the baits anymore. Had to replace a bunch of the clips by cutting the 3/16 dowels back past the clips and re gluing new ones, so now I have different length shafts on some. I use a 5-6 rpm microwave motor and can do up to 32 smaller baits at a time.

That doesn’t sound too bad though. I’ve just had bad alligator clips in the past. May try that again with better clips. 

[The Guy]

I use a set up similar to Travis with a 5 rpm motor.  I use straightened paper clips in the nose line tie and the rear hook hanger and clip those in the alligator clips.  

[Travis]

I never had any issues with enough top coat getting onto the alligator clips to glue them shut.  But 99% of my baits have been top coated with Devcon and I besides leveling don't have much issue with it running.  I have use stiff wire spanning the hook hangers on some lures, mainly swim baits, also when needed.

 

[CarverGLX]

Rotisserie rod for charbroil Turner is somewhere between 3/8 and 7/16”. Used 3/8” ID bearing refusing to go back. 

[cadman]

Just a take over from me constantly hanging my jigs in an oven to cure my powder paint. Sometimes I have to bridge the lure (spinnerbait heads ) across my rack, because they are too long to hang vertical and put in the oven. But I have done this for years and it is simple and cheap. Since this is X-mas time, go to the store and buy the x-tra long ornament hangers. I found these to work much better than paperclips or wire. Reason being, they are very flexible. You can bend them to any shape at all, wrap them around things over and over, pull and tighten them around objects and they don't break which means you can use them over and over again. I have tried to twist these back and forth to break them and it just doesn't happen.  I think this will solve your rubber band problem. If you wait till after the holidays December 26th, you can buy a box of 50 or 100 hangers for $1 or 50 cent. I usually stock up now and buy ten boxes.  May be worth a try.

[Toadman]

Check out this drying wheel for 48 lures at a time

 

[Big Epp]

Anybody ever try using a "perpetual motion" machine to drive a lure turner?

 

[CarverGLX]

After trying the new grill rotisserie motor I am very happy with the torque. However the speed is slower than I had previously and the result is suffering. Think the new Motor is around 4 rpm. Old was 6. Thinking of a modification using 2 pulleys and a belt but think that may be hard to source parts and keep proper tension. 

[mark poulson]

Try the 4 rpm motor to see if it will work.

I built a Ferris wheel type turner like Toadman's, and used a 1 rpm rotisserie motor, and it worked fine.

Edited December 12, 2019 by mark poulson

[CarverGLX]

On 12/12/2019 at 10:48 AM, mark poulson said:

Try the 4 rpm motor to see if it will work.

I built a Ferris wheel type turner like Toadman's, and used a 1 rpm rotisserie motor, and it worked fine.

It works ok but it seems like the finish over a batch of lures has more issues than with the 6 rpm rod turner motor I had before that wouldn’t last. Maybe from the brief stops and adding more baits allowing time to sag? Same process with the 6rpm motor as the current 4rpm. Also, I have the same issues of baits flopping on hooks as it goes around I’ve always had only using rubber bands. A more secure connection is needed. Alligator clip or hobby handle looking best currently without constantly bending wire. 
Thinking of scrapping the whole thing I have and starting from scratch with the spoke idea from above Travis posted. Flexcoat has a lure Turner that uses foam disks to hold hobby knife handles that looks like it may be a better system.  Better hold with hobby handle, easier insertion, tension held handles in foam. Haven’t tried the wood center spoke method but thinking the foam may be an easier system than the wood center with holes especially as it wound be aluminum/wood connection with hobby handles instead of wood/wood connection and friction with a wood center.  No 5 second stops. Jab it in there as it turns. But $150 for this is insane. 

Can build something with much higher capacity, better motor and much cheaper. Hobby handles would be the biggest expense and the issue of sourcing the foam. 
What I eventually want is to build a working system and house it in a cabinet to run away from dust, maybe 48 baits or so. Maybe add lightbulb for heat/light and leave in garage. Just a lot of money to invest in handles, cabinet, time, whatnot to get it going correctly. 

Edited December 15, 2019 by CarverGLX

[mark poulson]

I am not familiar with that lure turner, but I've found that, as the diameter of the turner increases, so does the actual speed of the lure as it turns, so a lure mounted on the outside of a 6 rpm turner with a 6" diameter foam drum will turn much faster than a lure mounted on the actual shaft of the turner.  My ferris wheels were 12" in diameter, and the lures were suspended between the two wheels, so they were moving faster than the 1 rpm shaft, but I don't know how fast they actually moved.    

[CarverGLX]

1 hour ago, mark poulson said:

I am not familiar with that lure turner, but I've found that, as the diameter of the turner increases, so does the actual speed of the lure as it turns, so a lure mounted on the outside of a 6 rpm turner with a 6" diameter foam drum will turn much faster than a lure mounted on the actual shaft of the turner.  My ferris wheels were 12" in diameter, and the lures were suspended between the two wheels, so they were moving faster than the 1 rpm shaft, but I don't know how fast they actually moved.    

Mine is about the same 12”. The gravitational pull causing sagging would only effected by rpm not wheel diameter though. It still takes the same amount of time for a lure to go from up to down regardless of linear speed and a bigger/smaller wheel. 

Edited December 15, 2019 by CarverGLX

[jcromerangler]

Why not dip and hang using KBS? more protection for the bait. 2-3 coats 

What are the advantages of turning your finished baits

 

[AZ Fisher]

Turning allows the clear coat to be cured equally all around the bait, reducing any drips or heavy spots where the clear pools...turning gives a very nice finish...jmo

[jcromerangler]

So you guys that turn the lure after clear coating, BRUSH the clear coat on then put on the lure turner? or do you dip then place on the lure turner

 

 

[mark poulson]

When I used to epoxy my jointed swimbaits, I'd suspend them between the two wheels of my turner and then brush on the epoxy.

 

[Big Epp]

Brushing on is what I've seen in several videos on Youtube  #Marling Baits.  (In some of his older videos; in the more recent ones he dips into uv clear-coat)

Edited January 8, 2020 by Big Epp

[AZ Fisher]

1 hour ago, jcromerangler said:

So you guys that turn the lure after clear coating, BRUSH the clear coat on then put on the lure turner? or do you dip then place on the lure turner

 

 

Both or either

[Travis]

On 12/6/2019 at 2:35 PM, Big Epp said:

Anybody ever try using a "perpetual motion" machine to drive a lure turner?

 

If I (or anyone) could make a perpetual motion machine I could buy every lure company in the world to design and make lures for me.

[Toadman]

I built a small turner using scrap lumber and two 120volt motors I bought from ebay for about $10.  I can do (4) lures at a time with this device, which for my operation works fine.  The lures rotate at around 4rpm and I brush the epoxy on as they are turning.  I use eTex Lite and allow 24hrs for each coat.