[DSV]

got some fins put on:

[DSV]

well after i figured out how to change the blade on my new coping saw (that made me feel like a retard) i cut the joints on the bait.

to my suprise it worked out EXTREMELY well. i really couldnt ask for better considering this was my first time with a coping saw (besides a few practice cuts on scrap wood). i found it was VERY easy to cut in a straight, vertical line, and if i did get off track i would notice it quick and just get back in line.

anyway, here is the butchered bait



after that i ran into problem numero uno. the way i planned on shaping the joints was two V', like this << so that the point of one end fits in the open part of the other end, making the "recieving" side wider than the other end.

the reason this didnt work out is beacause i made the fins and gills too close to where i was going to cut the bait to make joints. if i continued with what i had in mind, i would have cut into the fins and gills.

so i made a very quick change of plans, and left the inside of the joints flat and made the edges very round.

this wasnt a big problem. all it means is that now i have to make my joints spaced out just a little bit more.

anyway, here are the sanded, rounded joints:



its starting to look like a swimbait now

[diemai]

@ DSV
Nice carving job done.........and almost "live" reported.... great !

Never came across this particular router bit , have to check the tool shop again , but maybe this one is not in the local "Dremel" line ?

I want it , seems to be very useful !

Keep on carving , Dieter

[DSV]

its a great bit. its pretty expensive though. cost me 18 US dollars.

it does take off a considerable amount of wood pretty fast. good for rough shaping. it scrapes the wood up pretty bad when it carves it though. requires a good amount of sanding.

[DSV]

here is my plan for the inside of the bait. the two lines are where the chain will run, the blocky thingies at the front and back are gonna be where the wires for hook hangers will go. and the weights will be placed where they are. they are steel bearings by the way. i dont know how much they weigh but they seem sufficient.

[mark poulson]

That's a good looking lure. Laminating two pieces is a good way to go if you're doing any kind of through wire fabrication.
I like that the joint gives you a full time center line, and you can read the contours of the plywood laminations as you shape to keep things symetrical. Clever.
Is the plywood waterproof?
One more thing.
Could you post a pic of your hinges?

[DSV]

Mark, i never really paid attention to the contours of the plywood. i mean, i noticed it and thought it looked cool but i never used it to keep things symmetrical.

what i liked most about plywood was that using two thin sheets eliminated the step of splitting the bait down the center which is the step where i would totally destroy the whole project. plus, this plywood is really cheap! i dont know if its waterproof, but im not worried about it because im gonna be epoxying over the whole thing.

here is a link to the exact plywood i used: A.C. Moore - Rectangle Basswood Thin Plaque-5"X7"X.312" 2/Pkg

as for the hinges, well, they arent quite hinges. its actually a chain that runs thru the entire length of the bait. the reason you havent seen them yet is because i hadn't made them. but in the next few pics, you will see the chain-joints starting to take shape.

i changed my plans a little bit from the last pic to make it easier for me.

here is what i ended up with (i havent put the weights in yet):



with the other side of the head attached:

[boomah21]

Never seen that done before....looks interesting. I would love to see how well it holds up as well as swims. Is that "chain" stainless?

[mark poulson]

DSV,
I'm impressed.
Where'd you find the chain? That looks really slick.
Can't wait to see it finished, and hear about how it fishes.

[diemai]

@ DSV

I have thought about joining a swimbait with a chain as well before , but somehow I can't trust such tiny chains for bigger pike(in case , that I should catch one once more in my lifetime , presently fishing's so slow over here) .

This chain pictured is the kind used to hold the closure plugs in sinks and bath tubes , I assume .

If it is , it would be of plated brass , I never came accross this type of chain made of SST(but that doesn't mean , that such might not exist !) .

Have you pull-tested that chain before ?

There are so called chain swivels available(most likely 3 swivels connected) in tackle shops , I have also considered to try these ones , but it is always headache to find what I want in local tackle shops , and I didn't want to drive around Hamburg city just for them !

These would need to be pin-secured into the lure sections , not just epoxied .

In fact those tungsten carbide cutters are expensive , over here I'd have to pay 10€ to 15€ for such , I assume , but I'd be happy , if it was available at all .
But your work has convinced me to get one for future baits , I'd like to try my hand as well on such detail carving work .

Greetz , Dieter