Alternate Material for Crankbait Lips vs. Lexan

[islandbass]

I was wondering if anyone uses other materials for the crankbait lips that was not lexan.

For curiosity, I am going to experiment with metal lips that I plan to make from thin metal but would like to know if anyone has tried this and if so, could recommend the gauge of metal and type. I found some fairly thin strips of metal that looks like it would work fine as a lip.

I think the use of metal might provide me with a cheaper and more cost effective material for me but it is probably going to be heavier than lexan.

Could the extra weight affect the lure's wiggle? I think that it probably will.

I also bought a small sheet of lexan from home depot that I was also going to try, but does anyone know if this is the same type of lexan used for crankbait lips? On the package it notes that it is very tough.

For those that use other materials than lexan, what do you use and what do you like about it over lexan?

Thanks.

[BIG M]

The only other materail I use is Garolite (g-10).   I like it because it's 1/32 thick and very easy to work with.

It does have a durablitily issue when cranking rocks, the lip edges will chip away.   

[BobP]

Yes, different weight lips make a difference in how the bait balances and how it swims.  Lexan is the G.E. brand name of polycarbonate.  G.E. invented it during WWII for airplane canopies and guys say "Lexan" to denote all polycarbonate.  Like Kleenex!   There are many brands and all have similar properties and are suitable for lips.  I almost always use 1/16" thick.  Like Marty says, the other favored lip material is Garolite G-10, also known as Micarta, circuit board, etc.  It's good for shallow baits because it gives a sharper rebound off of cover like rocks and wood, which bass like.  It comes in various colors and is opaque and stiffer than Lexan.  I also like the 1/32" G-10.  It will make a crankbait dive a little deeper than a thicker lip, with more defined action.

[ToledoEF]

I need to find g-10 where I can make bigger bills then what Janns carries! Also how do you cut lexan and circuit board? I am a sheetmetal worker, can I use tin snips?

[islandbass]

Thanks!

Toledo, I am going to try my scroll saw with a fine teeth blade and if that doesn't work, maybe the dremel and if that doesn't work, I have a coping saw.  ;D

[wickyman]

Move slowly with both the dremel, and scroll saw.  If you go too fast, on either material, you will melt it. 

[BobP]

The fastest way to cut Lexan or G-10 by hand is with tin snips. I draw a lip outline, cut it out leaving about a millimeter of material around the lip, and then take it down to the exact line with a fine grit Dremel sanding drum. You can use a felt polishing cylinder on your Dremel to dress the edges.  You can do it with a scroll saw but tin snips are faster, just as exact, and less noisy. Guys who do larger batches of baits often stack the lip material and cut it out on a band saw. McMaster-Carr (www.mcmaster.com) sells G-10 garolite (yellow color) and more expensive and harder G-11 Garolite (yellowish green).