Tallbald

This is a very informative thread. Thanks everyone for the insight. Don

Folks I really appreciate the information all have shared. I really am working to learn as I go, and the help here is so valuable. Don

I've been studying old posts and see "gesso" mentioned as a base coat on wood lures when using acrylic paints. All the paints I am/will be using are water based acrylics (Folk Art brand from Walmart so far) for safety and simplicity. I have never used gesso, and really never knew what it is until reading here. Will the gesso seal lure woods for me so that waterlogging is prevented? I had at first thought of dipping in a solvent based sanding sealer, but if a safer alternative like this gesso will work, I'd be very happy. Solvents affect my lungs easily, and water based brush paints would be my choice if they would work. Also, when using water based acrylic paints, is there a certain brand or style of two part epoxy top coat that must be used? I've read here about the problems with mixing different brands of paints due to chemical reaction between the mixed brands, and wonder if epoxy topcoats are at risk for these troubles too. Thanks so much. Don

SO very true Crankbaits. I shall make them to make me happy and smile. Honestly my mind is aflutter with quirky fun ideas as well as more serious bait styles. Between the free license I've given myself to try new techniques and materials and my wish to stay occupied I have a lot of new ground to cover. Wow this board is full of supportive and inspirational folks. Thanks. Don

Actually Joliepa this will be my first attempt at selling. I'm aware of other wood workers who are successfully selling things like beautifully turned bowls, pen and pencil sets, wine bottle stoppers and puzzles at local shows, but honestly those type things don't speak to me like the thought of lures and fishing related stuff does. Because everybody seems to have something that excites them, I'm expecting a lot of different reactions from "I like those" to "what are you trying to make?". Penny says I should make things I enjoy making since we don't at present have to rely on selling to put food on the table. If someone wants to spend $20 for a wall decoration in their den I have what they need (grin). I'll keep working an improving my skills, and will learn to make the oversize, store display style lures I set out to create. I will, with help here, learn to create real, functional lures also. Like so many others I worked all my life doing what I had to do to earn a living, and now I'd like to try doing what I myself want to do creatively. I'll let you know after this weekend if any buzz was heard. Don

I've been reading and studying the forum and other sites to learn as much as I can about lure terminology and construction. Often, I run across lures that are called "muskie" lures. We do have muskies here in southern Kentucky, and and for my part they look like vicious critters that would need heavy artillery type lures just to keep from being chomped in half at a strike. This is the reason for my post here. Most of the muskie lures I've seen seem to be bigger than those for large mouth bass and the more common game fish. Is there a generalized size requirement? It appears that at least some of them have a through-drilled hole front to back to run wire the length of the lure and secure the trailing treble hook. Is this done on handmade lures by using split halves that are glued back together for finishing? Is there a certain gauge of hardware that should be used for muskie lures because of the strength of the species? What species of woods are muskie lures best made of? Given the appearance of muskie, I suppose solid hardened steel would be a good material choice (grin) but the lure action would I guess suffer. Thanks for replies folks. Don

First, let me tell you that like so many here I love aquatic life. From childhood on, ponds and lakes amazed me and bodies of water were my favorite part of the little family farm we were blessed to have. Second, throughout the 90's and into the early parts of the new century I spent countless hours at the wood lathe and band saw in my little shop creating finely finished turned wood and metal sculptures that sold (thankfully) through several art galleries in Kentucky and Tennessee.Most of the sculptures were quirky and humorous in design, and all my creations were accompanied by an anecdotal story that explained the meaning of the piece. It was a labor of love to create the sculptures, and I strained to execute each piece in great detail. It could be physically demanding work too. Fast forward to today. I find myself forcefully retired 10 years before expected. My body has let me down (whining here) and I am only able to spend short stretches in our little shop. My loving wife Penny even halted my thoughts 2 years ago of just selling off all my shop tools in a fit of frustration and despair over lost abilities. I've always loved fishing lures and considered them to be artwork. I loved studying the colors, the patterns and the shapes. I am eagerly anticipating making and using lures that I create and maybe even selling a few to help finance my hobby. In regards to that I have learned so much on this forum in the short time I have been here, and met enthusiasts that are the most generous and caring folks I have met in years. And again I thank all of you and hope one day to be able to pass forward the kindnesses I have received. This is truly a great site. Several months ago before joining this forum, Penny and I had decided to try participation in a local craft show. Penny is an outstanding seamstress and wanted, with my encouragement, to present her works to the public. It's time together we shall enjoy, and we have decided to offer our items at a shared table. The "Kentucky Woodfish" in the picture I'll try to post here are not lures. What they are though is the result of me some time back taking rescued wood scraps and hand sketching around knots, cracks and holes then cutting them out and contour sanding for visual interest. I don't know how yet to use the air brush I bought years ago. I also don't have the finely tuned skills at painting that so many artists here have. I do however have a supply of acrylic brush paint and decorated these "fish" with them, trying to learn blending and experimenting with patterns and colors. People who have seen them call them "folk art" and I can accept that. They are silly and quirky but are simply my first steps traveling down what I expect to be a long happy road leading to making real, functional "folk art" lures. They cost little but my time, and I'll use the things I learn making them to help me make the "real deal" I hope one day. Just wanted folks here to understand I am sincere in my wishes to learn the skill of lure making, but that I am taking baby steps in some odd directions during my quest. Don

So nice to hear of the acceptance among the folks here. To be continued.....onward and upward! Don

Thank you all for the leads and information. I'll be checking links and ordering. Sure will beat the way I'm buying now....Don

The more I've studied lure making online here, in books and such places, the more I am drawn to folk art style creations.Yet I stand in awe of the skills and clarity of vision the members here exhibit in so many of the lures they create---lures so realistic and artistic that they are mesmerizing. I hand painted accents on my turned sculptures for years, using water based acrylics and brushes. For the present I still have a steady hand. And I feel good learning new ways of making patterns with dry brushing and sponge dabbing. My techniques lend themselves more to folk art style motifs, and I can paint one or two lures at a time as my physical limits allow, or spend days painting and trying new techniques on an oversize piece. Now here's the rub. I'd enjoy coating my lures with, for example, epoxy mix for durability and shine. I'd like to use stainless steel where appropriate. I'd like to use scrap brass sheeting for diving lips, or old stainless tablespoons from the thrift store. Basically using what's on hand, available, or that offers a practical, artistic benefit. I suppose I'm looking for validation that there's no right or wrong way to get to the finished product, depending on what I aim to make. From the reading I have done (very interesting stuff I have to add), our predecessors used as I would, whatever was on hand, affordable and practical. I suppose that if they had had two part epoxy and such, they would have used them too. Hopefully I'm not violating the spirit of folk art lures by combining materials and techniques from different eras. What say members here? Don

At Walmart I can get the annoying two-in-one syringe that dispenses "equal" amounts of resin and hardener (but which always leaks for me causing hard plugs of glue in the nozzles). And of course there's the teeny separate tubes for one to three bucks depending on where you buy them. But on Youtube videos, I see folks with what look like 4 ounce bottles of hardener, and 4 ounce bottles of resin they can suck up with syringes. Are these a local item you suppose or mail order? Thanks. Don

As I have had to retire, I have joined several special interest forums. Some I have not stayed on as I saw more and more acrid exchanges among members, and thinly disguised cursing. I'm not a prude or pure as driven snow, having lived 55 years and spent 40 of them working in factories, shipyards and hospitals. I also don't join forums to be contentious or participate in fussies. With that said I'd like to sincerely compliment the members here for the pleasant atmosphere they create and their willingness to help someone new. I enjoy this forum and the enthusiastic flavor of the forum makes me happy to visit and exchange ideas each day. Thanks everyone. Don.

Thanks again. I hadn't thought about palownia in years. It does grow over in Eastern KY, but I seem to remember that much of it gets bought up and sent to Japan for, I think, ceremonial boxes. As to the cedar, the kind I have access to here is common red cedar with red wood mixed with the white sapwood(?). Does the color matter from a mechanical perspective? I actually have very little experience with cedar. Thanks. Don

I've seen clear plastic tubing sections pushed down over the hook and barb to prevent injury and damage. I've tried several different wording combinations on search features of online lure part retailers but results come up blank. Are folks snipping these from a piece of tubing themselves or is there a product name I'm missing? Thanks. Don

Travis I understand your point, but I'm retired. Actually I'm learning to live on social security. Basswood is hard to come by here, and balsa is quite expensive, so those two are not really an option for me. But HickoryHollow as I said there's lots of poplar. Although a plain looking wood, I really like its working properties. In the past I have used it for secondary construction wood in case goods I built. It machines easily,turns well, takes pretty good detail and has the benefit of a fairly close grain structure and even density. And it's inexpensive here.I had been thinking that it would be a pretty good choice for my lures. The Bradford pear I collect after spring storms goes for bowls I turn on my lathe. Although it has wide annular rings from fast groeth, it turns very nicely and has a wonderful golden honey color. And again, it's free for the taking all over towns like mine Thanks folks. Don

Here in Southcentral Kentucky, I have access to these local hardwoods in quantity. Oak (red and white) Tulip poplar red cedar Black walnut Sassafras Black cherry Bradford pear (one of my favorite rescued turning woods) Soft and hard maple Sycamore Honey locust Hickory Sweet gum Pine and yellow pine can of course be bought at the lumber store. Can't think of any more right now, and any would work fine for oversize folk art style lures meant to be displayed not used, but understanding which woods would make true usable lures is important to me. I'm sure my ancestors in Eastern Kentucky use whatever they could find. But some work better than others. Please think over the above list and help guide me in my wood choices. Another concern I have with wood choices, aside from sectional density and grain structure, is a particular species ability to take and hold a screw eye. I had thought that as with my art works of years past, I might be able to "harden" the wood at a screw site with cyanoacrylate glue. Hardwoods with a tight grain structure take fasteners better in my experience, so woods like balsa (very expensive here if bought at hobby stores) would easily strip out I would think. I wonder about pine doing the same. .Thank you. Don

Toadfrog when I finish the two I'm working on I shall try to post photos. I really hadn't thought of them as being of folkart quality, but they do compare I guess with what I've seen illustrated on a few folkart sites. I use repurposed materials such as poplar offcut pieces of kindling as sold at a local supermarket in bundles, wire clothes hangers, acrylic craft paints from Walmart, and old spoons, scrap aluminum sheeting from the scrapyard., and Thank you for the welcome. Don

Wow. Thank you for the welcomes! To learn that I'm not viewed as being disrespectful to the art by wanting to make oversize representative lures is wonderful. As to my having no airbrushing skills, I have been studying a number of Youtube videos. Unfortunately, many I have watched have little good to say about the equipment I have on hand. Now that I'm forcefully retired I don't have the means to upgrade, but I view the limitations of my equipment as a call to learn to adapt.Within limits I was taught that the end product was the result of the willingness of the maker to overcome obstacles. I think I am skilled (having done much learning on my artwork) in contouring wood using my Delta 14 inch band saw and Grizzly 6x48 inch belt sander. I feel comfortable in my lathe skills also, and general wood/metalworking. I am excited at finding a potential new avenue as I understand you, RayburnGuy, did. I so loved fishing, particularly in farm ponds so overgrown you had to fight to find room to cast, and I will also plan to make some lures for myself to really use too (I hope). Well, thanks again. I tend to have diarrhea of the mouth when I become excited about new pursuits, so I want to spend time looking through past posts on the hardbait forum before asking too many questions that have already been addressed. Don

Evening to all. New here and hope my interests and questions will be welcome. First, I'm a wood turner. For years I made and sold turned wood and metal wire sculptures that were sold through some regional art galleries, which helped supplement my income earned as a factory tool and die maker. I often accentuated my wood turnings with acrylic paints drawing attention to natural faults in the rescued woods I used. I liked the faults, likening them to human shortcomings, my own included. Anyway. I have retired now because of injury to my spine, and am actively exploring new forms of wood art I can enjoy creating. I have from childhood been fascinated by fishing lures, and considered them artwork themselves. I don't get to fish much any more because of physical limitations. But I still love lures. I have always wanted to turn, paint and display large, oversize lures like I used to see as a child in the sporting goods store serving as advertisements. I have made a few and given them as gifts, making my own "diving lips" from flat stock aluminum and stainless steel dime store table spoons, and formed my own "hooks" from 1/8 inch mild steel rod brazed together. I've cheated and used hardware store screw eyes at times too. Painting was done with acrylic craft paints and artists brushes, with clearcoat polyurethane topcoat. From years ago, I have a Pasche VL airbrush and a Harbor Freight diaphragm-type airbrush compressor (I now know I could have chosen a different style unit though), which unfortunately I never did learn to use. I've added learning airbrush techniques to my bucket list. I hope my rather unusual interest is not so out of kilter as to be unwelcome here. I want to use the same skills and techniques used to create true fishing lures, just on a larger, representative scale. I'll try to avoid unnecessary postings folks, but the skill set shown here is one I would greatly appreciate being allowed to tap into. Thanks for your time, Don.