[DanCampbell]

Hi All,
I am making plugs from cedar and I am wondering if anyone uses a template for hook and hardware placement. I am trying to find the best way to put the hooks / hook holder in the same place on lures of the same size. And I'm wondering how I am going to get the hooks centered every time.

Any thoughts would be great.
Dan

[benton B]

I have a template made for every body style that I make. That way all the baits look and run the same. I mark the line tie position and the hook hangers along with the weight port. I mark the center of the bait with a wheeled marking guage.

[LKN4DDB]

A template is the way to go. it has been said here to get a notepad and write down everything you do that way when u have a design you like you can reproduce it. I havent done this but wish i had. I would suggest you do it and just experiment with your first couple and see what happens!

[Vodkaman]

I find it is best to mark the centre line on before shaping. I glue a print out of my body to the wood blank. Cut out and sand to the line. I then cut the lip slot, which is also marked on the print out pattern, as are the eye locations.

To mark the centre line, on a flat table, I hold a pencil on a suitably thick block of wood and slide the shaped blank along the pencil point, scribing a line. I then flip over the shaped blank and repeat. This leaves two parallel lines, the centre of which is the c/l of the blank. I then transfer the hole positions for drilling operations onto the shaped blank and peel off the paper template.

The holes could be drilled at this stage rather than after shaping. I don’t know if anyone else does this, but there is no reason I can think of for not doing so. Advantages are that if you mess up bad, you haven’t wasted all that carving time. You have a flatter surface to drill. Any rough edges will be removed in the shaping process. It is a win-win situation as I see it.

The c/l markings are kept on the body as a guide during shaping, so the symmetry can easily be eyeballed. Only after completion of shaping do I sand them out.

Well, it works for me.

[diemai]

I don't use templates , I glue cut-outs of photocopies of my luresketches onto my woodboards .

After I cut the shape out with a bandsaw , and sand the shape down to the marked outline .

Location and direction of lipslot and screweye pilotholes I can also determine by that copy , the center line around the circumference of the blank I mark with a pencil just by eyeballing , I find it quite easy since the lureblank is never rounded somewhat at this stage .

These sketch copies can be minored or enlarged on a photocopy machine , if you should wish to make the same blank in different sizes , only have to re-calculate about some measurements accordingly to percentage of size change .

Greetz , diemai

[CreekMonster]

This sounds simple compared to some of the replies, but I use a piece of clear, flexable plastic for a template, cut to the width of the wood I'm using.Measure out your first lure, cut the strip to the length of the blank, put holes in it where you want your hardware, and after cutting more blanks, simply lay the strip on the blank even with the head or tail, and mark them with a pen through the holes. Then drill.

Jay

[hazmail]

I am not sure of your access to Tutorials, this will give you a "dead centre" every time :
"I then put this timber through a table saw and cut it length ways, slightly less then half width (8mm), this leaves the ‘off cut’ slightly wider (9mm), the blade is 3mm wide. I then put the off cut through (routed edge on fence) and shave off the extra width (about 1mm), this way you finish up with both sides exactly the same width and saves fiddling around trying to cut ‘dead centre’."

Also for templates see ; Micro Through Wire Construction

Pete