Top water wire bending help

[obxbasser]

I am just starting making my own wire through topwater  prop baits. I am looking for a tool or technique that will help in making the final eye on the wire  bending process. Its really tight space after you add the props and hardware. Any suggestions on the best wife bender for this application would be appreciated. Thanks for any help and advice!!!

[mark poulson]

I make through wire Whopper Ploppers.

I buy pre- bent wire from Lurepartsonline, usually the 12" .51 wire,  with the front loop already bent.  https://www.lurepartsonline.com/Looped-End-Wire-Shafts

Then I thread them through the bait body from the head, add my prop assembly, a cupped washer and several metal beads, and then make my tail hook bend.  I start the bend with round nosed pliers, binding it around until I get the wire just past the shaft.  Then I put the loop I've formed in a bench vise, hold the wire tag with a pair of vice grips, and wrap the wire back around the shaft until it gets to the last ball.  I cut the tag end off carefully with a dremel and cutting wheel, and test how the prop spins.  If it's too loose, I spread the wrapped wire a little to make it tighter.  If it's too tight, I cut a little of the wrapped wire off to give it more play.

[Big Epp]

I just started making some trough-wire caterpillar lures... What I've done so far is drill out a hole in the end of the bait that is at least as wide as the twisted wire.  Then, I basically thread the wire on, pull the twisted end up into the bait far enough to pull the other twisted end down and then back it through so they are even.  I'll try and get a video of this together soon, but I hope this makes some sense.

Also, I chuckled when I read, "wife bender," before realizing how easy it is to make that typo!

[mark poulson]

On 7/6/2020 at 5:17 AM, Big Epp said:

I just started making some trough-wire caterpillar lures... What I've done so far is drill out a hole in the end of the bait that is at least as wide as the twisted wire.  Then, I basically thread the wire on, pull the twisted end up into the bait far enough to pull the other twisted end down and then back it through so they are even.  I'll try and get a video of this together soon, but I hope this makes some sense.

Also, I chuckled when I read, "wife bender," before realizing how easy it is to make that typo!

Are you sure that isn't just the phone's autocorrect?

 

[Big Epp]

On 7/9/2020 at 8:12 PM, mark poulson said:

 

Could be, but I have no excuse, I was working from a computer... must be that doggone lesdyxia...