Cutting Bodies For Wood Lures - An Automated Approach

[WC_Sage]

There are a variety of YouTube videos that show homemade devices capable of cutting wooden fishing lure bodies from blank wood stock. Some of the homemade automated devices use a master lure body - the shape that is to be copied - mechanically linked to a lathe, saw, or other cutting mechanism that traces the profile of the master body such that its shape is replicated in the blank wood stock. This post requests your experience with making wooden fishing lures via any automated approach that involves equipment costing no more than $2k.

[BIG M]

I have not seen any baits posted here that were cut with duplicator. I know most of the builders if not all that post regularly here and all of them are hand carving baits.

[Jigfishn10]

There was a thread in this forum a couple of years ago where one of the members had come up with a computer assisted design for a lipless crank, had it cut-out and was getting ready duplicate the prototype. I don't remember how it came out or if he took it any further after his wife delivered their child.

Not to burst your bubble, I'm not sure you could buy the machine, cutters etc for under 2K, I may be wrong, but it would appear to me that the equipment would be a little more expensive than that.

JMO

[WC_Sage]

Regarding "... not sure you could buy the machine ..." - the idea; here, is to make the machine much like some others have done as seen in their YouTube videos.

[prjavelin]

hopefully this doesnt get me in trouble. Check lumenlab.com they sell a portable/small/hobbyist kind of cnc machine. it works on plastics metal or wood and its a great value and more importantly it wont break the bank.

[WC_Sage]

Skunk master,

Thank you for the reference. However, the lumenlab.com link does not appear to work at this time.

[whittler1]

If you want to make flatside baits then most of the work can be done with a router. A couple straight cut biits and a couple sizes of roundover bits and you can accomplish quite a bit. Making patterns and holding fixtures is the most difficult part of the whole process. With the correct holding fixtures you can cut some very small baits and do it safely. Glad to help you any way I can.

The small bait, 3/4" in my avatar was done on a router.

[WC_Sage]

whittler1,

The use of a router, together with some sort of mechanism to move the router or/and wood blank, is one option being considered. In addition to the use of routers, some of the YouTube videos exhibit a small saw for the cutting function in the associated make-it-yourself lure-making machines.

[whittler1]

I have seen several of those machines and they all use some kind of chain or belts for their drive and holding fixtures. That type of setup always leaves a lot of chatter, which converts into more sanding to smooth the bait for finish. Those saw type cutters usually have to turn in excess of 40,00rpm and will require a very ridgid system.

From block to a bait ready to finish I think I can do it faster by hand.