[finlander]

Those who build muskie lures...what are you using to fill the thru wire hole and the hook hanger holes???

[Terrydabassman]

I think it was "Stripers on line" or something like that. They talk about using "boiled Linseed oil" to seal the wood including the through wire hole. Then no fillers needed.
***You buy boiled linseed oil, don't boil linseed oil***

[cheesehead]

epoxy fills the gap when you glue the two halves of your lure together.

[SmokeyJ]

I don't know who in their right mind would seal a bait with boiled linseed oil. Boiled linseed oil is a wood finish that dates back to the 18th century and earlier and does not offer good water protection. Save the boiled linseed oil for antique furniture and cabinetry and use epoxy to fill those holes.

[Terrydabassman]

Lots in their right mind that are in the know.
Here's just one thread on the subject. Most of these guys fish the salt. If the lures hold up well in the salt then surly they would be ok for fresh water.
blo ? - SurfTalk

Go there and do a search, tons of information on the 60/40 mix of boiled linseed oil/mineral spirits to sealing the wood.
One word of caution, never discard the rags you use to wipe down your lures that were soaked in boiled linseed oil in the house or basement. They are well known for spontaneous combustion.

[Yake Bait]

I use 5 minute epoxy for the fill work and work the epoxy into the gaps using a small toothpick. I have a small vice for my drill press that I use to position the bait to allow the epoxy to level and cure. Don't be afraid of excess, especially on a hardwood lure, as it sands off easily with 220 grit orbital palm sander.

[BruceKY]

Most of the time I use thinned epoxy to get down into the holes, strait epoxy to cover-up or fill holes, and I have used a filler material similar to bondo to fill big holes.

[SmokeyJ]

Originally Posted by Terrydabassman

Lots in their right mind that are in the know.
Here's just one thread on the subject. Most of these guys fish the salt. If the lures hold up well in the salt then surly they would be ok for fresh water.
blo ? - SurfTalk

Go there and do a search, tons of information on the 60/40 mix of boiled linseed oil/mineral spirits to sealing the wood.
One word of caution, never discard the rags you use to wipe down your lures that were soaked in boiled linseed oil in the house or basement. They are well known for spontaneous combustion.

Sorry, kind of the wrong tone I took with that one, but my uncle does carpentry and we have talked about boiled linseed oil before regarding rifle stocks, window trim, cabinetry, etc. He told me that a lot of people who buy old houses want to use period finishes on stuff, and he said he does everything he can to talk people out of boiled linseed especially for window trim and bathroom/kitchen cabinetry exposed to water because it doesn't protect as well polyurethane or even some other more modern oil finishes.

The military used it on rifle stocks because it prevented them from drying out and warping/cracking. It is water resistant (not water proof) because it is an oil and is hydrophobic, but it doesn't form any sort of actual hard barrier on the surface like an epoxy or a polyurethane. It soaks into the wood and repels water. With furniture, wood trim, etc., it actually requires reapplications through the life of the piece to offer adequate protection (both from the wood getting too dry or too wet). In addition, because it is something that absorbs into the wood, and doesn't form a hard coating on the surface, the grain can still be felt (although it may not affect the appearance of the painted lure). Maybe it has benefits w/ saltwater, I don't know.

Anyways, I don't think it would do anything for filling the through wire holes and hook hanger holes, which is what he asked about in the first place, not sealing baits

[gldnbear93]

filling and sealing are two different things.

For sealing the entire plug (water repellance) many of us saltwater builders use a 60/40 BLO/mineral spirit mix, or 60/40 valoil/mineral sprit mix. This does not fill the holes. It does NOT create a hard barrier. it does seep into the wood and sheds water. Most of us thru drill on a lathe or drill press and leave the thru hole unfilled NOT unsealed. A guy on that same board did a nice experiment with a variety of sealers. There were some surprising results, though a common theme is that you must have the right finishing system (sealer, primer, paint, topcoat) to be effective.
The debate rages (much like the "what is the best clearcoat debate here).

For filling the holes, you could use 5 min or 30 min epoxy. Another fine product is plumbers epoxy 2 part mix in a tube at the big box stores. tear off a piece knead it to mikx and fill the holes. It hardens like steel.

[SmokeyJ]

Does anyone do a linseed oil soak for water repellence and then seal over that with something hard for protection like epoxy or propionate over it? Overkill maybe?

Good idea with the plumber's epoxy, I hadn't though about that for filling the holes.