Mad Eye Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Have been experimenting with tubes. I have been making a tubes using a taperd dipping rod. I have been dipping holding from the head (thickest part). This enabels a nice thin solid tail. Unfortunalty though this means the frount of the head is open and hollow. I have been trying to find a way to make the head solid as i want to use these with a jig head After i remove the tube from the rod i have been diping the tip of the head in the plastic trying to seal it. The problem is though no mater how many times i dip the head in it wont seal. A bubble forms at the head, a only a thin film covers the head. Even if i dip the head 3 times only a thin film is left and this also bulks out the head to much which i dont want Im sure this is hard to understand so i have attached a pic. The Grey is the hollow sections. The Black is the solid sections. And the red on the head is what i want to be solid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 The only thing I can think of, is to pinch the open end together and seal with a suitable glue, the stuff used for plastic lure repairs. Trim the now flat nose with scissors to shape, then dip. I'm sure you already though of this, but it is not going to give you your ideal result. Another way, would be a shaped balsa dowel insert, glued in and dipped. This might give you a better shape. The problem that I anticipate with all this, is the air trapped inside. As you dip, this air will expand with the heat. Hopefully not too much to cause you problems with the dipping. The second problem is buoyancy. The trapped air is going to nail your lure to the surface of the pond and will probably require some weight to achieve the sink rate you require. The air bubble inside the body can be adjusted with a hypodermic needle, at the waters edge. The plastic should re-seal the needle hole automatically. Then there is the teeth issue. I don't thing the dipping process was ever designed for this type of lure, but that does not mean you cannot try. This is called innovation. Good luck with the project and keep us informed. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squigster Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 If you dip it the other way you can seal the pointy end with glue. If you have another rod that is not made yet I would drill a hole in the center of the end that is going to be pointy, machine or turn on a lathe the shape you want leaving the diameter of the pointy end slightly larger than the hole you drilled, then in weld the coat hanger in place and dip the rod. I would dip slightly over the coat hanger. If you dip multiple times your head (fat end) should have enough plastic to hold a jig head. You should be able to pull the rod off if you lubricated it well and then trim off the excess plastic that went on the hanger and seal with Mendit or superglue. Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bojon Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Sounds like a fun project.All the suggestions should work.I would be interested in seeing the final result,and how you finnaly accomplished the final product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Eye Posted February 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Basicly what im trying to acheive is a hollow stick style plastic. I have tried dipping the head end first and sealing the tail. For some reason though the plastic doesnt drip down from the tail enough making the tail alot thicker than if you dip the tail first. Also by dipping the tail first you can drip plastic off the tail causing it to tapper off past the rod enabling an extremly thin solid section of the tail as seen in my diagram (black tail) Have also tried the squezing gluing the head but looks like crap lol. My latest idea is to make a 1 piece mold head section, lay the finished headles tube on the mold and then pour a head. I forsee a cold pour line though where the head meets the body. So far the lures look amazing if i can just work this last section out Will post some pics tonight to show you Will post some pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Yes, a cold crack will happen. But how are you going to stop the plastic flowing into the head? May be better to pour a head, then glue together. With a molded spigot that will fit into the tube. Still, not going to be pretty. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Eye Posted February 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Found a soloution Pics to some Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Eye Posted February 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Cant work out how to post photos Pink is pen to compare size Grey is my dipping stick shaped from a large nail (needs to be thin) Yellow is a small blob of cured soft plastic. Slide it onto the dipping stick Dip the rod verticly into the plastic past the blob of cured plastic. Wait till cools and slide off the finished lure. Slide lure down to tail. Green is the finished product Hope this makes sense Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Eye Posted February 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 Heres the finished product and the dipping stick. Baits are 2 3/4 inch and 4 1/2 inch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSC Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 Looks good .. I think you may have "planted" some ideas with that design. Thanx JSC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zbass Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 Boy did he ever! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squigster Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 if I am not mistaken Basstrix has a worm that they came out with last year that is hollow like this. It's a neat idea. I did some gobies like this. I took a 3/8 diameter rod and machined the body down and shaped the head to a taper on the body and you end up with a swollen head on the bait and a tapered body. I did some other hollow baits like the basstrix baits it's just a pain to get the shapes right but it's pretty cool what you can come up with. Nice job with your baits they look good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bojon Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 They look great,and I bet the fish will really go for them. How are you planning on rigging them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 Mad Eye, they turned out real sweet. Nice job. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Eye Posted February 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 (edited) Looks good .. I think you may have "planted" some ideas with that design.Thanx JSC Yeah was a little bit hessitant at sharing the idea at first. But after all i have learned from everyone here its only fair i give back. Is anyone keen on sharing how you get the scale pattern on your swim style paints. Is it just a matter of dipping once, spray painting on the pattern then dipping again in a clear coat?? I still have a few more ideas to extend on this technique. Bojon: Take a close look at the small bait and you will see its rigged on a light jig head Edited February 12, 2009 by Mad Eye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bojon Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 Thanks,I see it now.The jig head becomes the nose of the bait.Should work good!Keep us posted of your success with the bait.I always used Super glue to seal the long tubes that I make.This should save my fingers from getting stuck together.LOL:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
