I've been wondering this for a while, so here goes:

I've been making cranks for almost a year now, and i've wondered how to insert rattles into them.

What's the "Best" way?

Danke schön

After you've built the bait, drill a hole drop a rattle in so the bbs rattle side to side (when it wobbles).  

You may need to nip off the end of the rattle (hope its plastic).  Just cover the end with foil and epoxy over.

Sounds over simplistic but it really is.

Hope that helps.

J

Do you buy your rattles, or make them?

Something like this?

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=20803&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults

More like these...except plastic. Pyrex may be able to be ground.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=37706&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults

Hope that helps.

J

i was wondering if you couldnt drill the whole and dropp some BB in and then use a dowl rod to cap off the end like whittle was showing in his "Poor Mans Pointer" post.

You can, but the noise is made by the rattles hitting something very hard.  The bbs themselves make a bit of noise when hitting each other but most of the noise is generated by the bbs knocking other bbs into plastic, glass, metal, etc.  You could be creative on a lure if you drilled a hole through and capped each end with anything special (small brass sheet, plastic, etc.).  

The key is to just be creative.  That was the best thing that came from Whittler's post.  

J

glass rattles are the loudest, but you will have to grid off the ends.  a metal cutting wheel on a grinder works good, just tape the rattle tight with masking tape and take a

little bit at a time.  WEAR SAFETY GLASSES, glass shard in the eye will hurt like hell.

So just drill the hole, insert the rattle, then fill the space with epoxy?  

You can still hear the rattle through the wood and epoxy?

Danke

kbkindle  here on my wood lures i take a spent 22 cal short shell insert and   put 3 bb's  in  the casing then plug end works pretty good   kb

That's one of the best ideas I've heard in a long time.

But yes, through the wood and epoxy you can still hear the rattle and so can the fish.

J

Here is how Poe's does rattles in their cedar baits, 1/4" hole, 3/16" steel ball and a small brass disc on either side.

kbkindle  here on my wood lures i take a spent 22 cal short shell insert and   put 3 bb's  in  the casing then plug end works pretty good   kb

Works great KB.  Used a .22 LR in a large sized crank.  

Danke