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RiverMan

Can we talk about foil again?

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I would really like to improve the scale patterns I have been doing on foil and thought maybe someone here could inspire me! I really would like to use the "stick on" tape stuff if all possible for it's convenience. I know guys have used the handles of various tools and "all thread" to make scale lines, any pics, suggestions, comments, other?

RM

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Jed, I did post about a "thingy" that I used to scale my jointed minnow lure. Perhaps you can think along that line to make "custom" scale patterns.

Alternately, see the " seluang for DeVery" in TU galery also sometime ago which had the scale on foil pattern pre-printed with a dot matrix printer. This would be the most versatile method but a bit messy to set up but once you get the pattern done it can be accurately reproduced. Only complain I have about this method is the finest line a dot-matrix printer can produce is still too thick for my liking. But with your muskie sized lure it might be just nice or even too thin (this you can just adjust your line thickness in your graphic program - I use CorelDraw) :D

Have fun tinkering.

(Sorry I'm no good at finding old post, but a copy of the seluang lure I have it here: http://www.pbase.com/sebarau/seluang scroll to the end, last pic, click on pic for larger view)

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Jed, I just started playing around with foil lately,but one cool thing I found was taking a wire form (used for making clay models) its basically wire screen and has a diamond pattern to it.Anyway I was pressing the screen onto the foil and it imprints the diamond pattern onto the foil.You can also lay the foil on top of the screen and press the foil onto the screen with your finger,this gets a more pronounced scale pattern.Like I said I just started experimenting with it,so give that a try and let me know what you come up with.The first one I did looked pretty good.

Tom

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Tom S. makes a real good point on how to do it. I have done it the way Tom S. Reccommends and here are some of the trials and tribulations I have experienced.

On my lures with foil, I have used Aluminum foil or candy wrapper foil that I have bought at the craft store that sells candy supplies. I also use a wire mesh as he described. Instead of using my fingers, I purchased a small printers roller from the craft store in the printers section. It should be around the linoleum block area and should be under 5 bux.. ( I think! ). The biggest problem with doing it as Tom says.. is keeping the imprint intact as you glue it onto the lure. It can real quick and real easy lose its imprint, its a thin sheet of foil. Thicker foils would work better Im sure, you would just need to apply harder pressure to get the imprint. You must be very careful when glueing it on. I use a Loc-Tite brand Contact Cement, but any pressure on the foil will affect the foils imprint. PLUS.. you also want to make sure your foil gets a good bond with no air pockets underneath. So its a difficult proposition... you need to make sure it adheres.. but you cant apply too much pressure!

I also used the tools; after I glued the foil down, I then ran a socket wrench over the foil to get the imprint. It worked pretty good, BUT.. if you can get a real good imprint the first way with out affecting the imprint, the first way is the way to go. Hope that helps out! Cody

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I like that scale pattern Lapala, may try to work on something similar, thanks.

Cody and Tom....great idea! The other night I put on the sticky backed foil and then layed some scale netting over the top of it. I then took a roller like you suggested Cody and roll over it several times...it did leave an impressiion but it's much more subtle than I would really like to have. I am always nervousabout the foil coming off the bait so personally I would prefer to get the scales "after" attaching the foil. I will work on several options tonight and if I come up with anything I will let you guys know....thank you.

jed

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Ok. To get a good foil pattern this is what I do. Not saying its right wrong or indifferent.

I use the foil tape that you can purchase at any home improvement store.

Trace your outline onto the foil with an ink pen.

Cut the foil out with scissors. Place the foil on a piece of balsa or other soft wood.

Take your knurled handle ( I use a very small pencil scribe used to write on tools or plastic) and place it the foil, and with the knurled handle make one clean, evenly pressed roll over the foil.

Remove the backing (sometimes the backing will start to seperate from the foil) and press on the bait. Smooth over with a dowel, or use your fingers. Simple.

Sometimes I stick the foil on the bait before I knurl it. But dont tell anyone. :)

I hope this helps and This is how I did the ones in the gallery.

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Jed, IMO, amything you do to the foil prior to adhering it to the lure will get compromised in the afixing process. I had some success using a knurled roller on lures which already had be "foiled" Here's one I hurriedly done for the tutoial.As you can see I didn't completely wrap the lure with the foil, hence the seam line. Still, I found the scaling effect, OK.

Min4.jpg

Jed.jpg

Mike

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Hey Jed, I've done both the "before" and "after" methods with success, and with various knurls, just depends on what you're after...lately I've been using a nail-set punch for my knurl in basically the way Rick describes in his before method--the nail-set is knurled its entire length, enabling me to use a one-pass method which leaves a perfect pattern.

Dean

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If you have a lot of netting material then you can put it under the tape and then press down to get some pretty cool looking lines. I tried this on one of my scrap baits to see how it looked and I thought it turned out really cool looking. It was really easy to do, just make sure you have enough room to attach the tape to the wood for good adhesion.

Doug

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Riverman, I've been trying to do the rolling to get the patterns on the foil w/o much luck. I don't think I've found a good enough utensil in which to roll yet, like the one in the posted pic. However, I did find this in my room while I was thinking about it yesterday. Try cutting out a template for you baits from the foil tape and rub it evenly on the grating that covers stereo and computer speakers (and some space heaters, and I'm sure plenty of other places). This looks 100 times more like scales, has an original look, and would look pretty dang deadly on those nice glider baits you cook up. Hope this helps!

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