javasource

They put a stop to them... d**n. Did not know that - or that it took those kind of temperatures to form them. Well, it was a good idea to post this question. Guess I'll stick with piano wire...

Hey all, I'm trying to find a supplier of titanium wire for spinnerbaits. I found a site called smallparts - but I'm not really sure if what they have is what I want... I think I'm looking for 1mm (.0393) diameter wire... Anyone know of a supplier or outlet that you can purchase either the wire forms or the titanium wire directly from? Thanks... Mike

Hey, thanks a ton for taking the time to post these pics. I assumed that you meant through the side - but still was a little mistified on the whole cup-faced concept - I was thinking that there'd also be an indentation - but having it half-moon cut makes it easier to do so. I'm gonna try this out this weekend. Again, thanks a lot. Mike

Yeah, cedar is a good wood to use. It's actually "harder" than some hardwoods. It resists rot exceptionally well - but take some time to make sure you're using stock that has no knots. Also, as mentioned previously, make sure that the cedar is aged some - or kiln dried. If it's green (as with any wood) you might see some nasty effects down the road. One great feature of Cedar is that it doesn't crack easily - but the downside is that it tends to make you re-sharpen your tools quite often. If it's free, use it. I like that microwave idea...

Bass wood is my personal choice - although it is a hardwood - it works and finishes pretty easy. The dowel thing is handy if you don't have the tools or patience. I simply went to a local saanother sitell and picked up a rough-cut 2X8 (with very few or NO knots). I think it was like 5 bucks. Can't tell you how many lures I've made with that bad boy... I simply cut it into 2" x 8" strips and then stick those on my lathe. I've also seen some people use a combination of balsa and bass wood. There are a ton of model plane websites in which you can order balsa - if it's too difficult to find locally. What they'll do is take a relatively thin piece of basswood and sandwich it between to pieces of balsa. This allows you a really good anchoring wood for your hook eyes and a really simple wood to shape on the outside (the balsa). My only tip on this method is to make sure you drill the hook eyes holes first and then glue them in with an epoxy (devcon works good). If you use balsa, it's a good idea to seal that wood prior to painting - and then seal it again when you're finished. Considering that you're making chug bug's - I'd go with basswood or balsa option. Chug's have a relatively flat top and bottom profile - and if you use the sandwich method - you'll only have to focus the majority of your efforts on shaping the balsa sides. Good luck othe the lure mouth - I've use my Dremel and a rotary rasp for chug bug mouths - spend the time needed to make the lip of the mouth as even and as sharp as possible. I've gone so far as to shape a small diameter piece of copper (into the shape of a chug's mouth) so that I can trace the inside of the copper with my Dremel. SOunds kind of ghetto - but it works for me... Last note - take an existing chug bug and trace it onto a see-through blank stencil page (Wal-Mart craft section). Make side, top, and bottom cut-outs of these shapes and use them as a guide to shape your lure evenly. A chug who's shape is off a little really doesn't run that true. Also, chug's come with rattles - so you may want to work on hook placement so that you get the lure to sit properly in the water. Put a chug bug in a bowl of water. Watch how it floats - and try and get your lure to float the same. some people use suspend strips on the rear trebles or even add a little weight to the *** end. Speaking of trebles - I really like the Gamakatsu EWG's with the appropriate sized split rings. Light wire - great hooking percentage. Fish On! Mike

I must have read this 1,000 times and still can't picture your description. I'd hate to bother you any further on this - but is there a way you could illustrate this - maybe a digital picture step-by-step? I really like the sound of this - I just don't see how the bit makes a rounded/intented cut. I can't really picture the whole scrap piece of wood thing and the position of the bit. Thanks so much! Mike

Hey Everyone, First post for me... I've been dabbling in wooden lure making. I use Bass wood - just doesn't seem right to use anything else... Typically, I'll turn my lure bodies out on my lathe. I don't have a three-jaw chuck or plunge router - so when I make the mouth of a popper I use my handy little dremel. I find this quite tedious and was hoping that someone could shed some light on the best way to make the mouth of a topwater popper. I don't like the metal rasp idea - cause it never resembles my favorite popper - the Rebel Pop-R. So, anyone have any suggestions or tips on this?