Crank Makers...

[Red]

I love coming here and looking at all the nice custom jobs by Big M, fishwhittler and all the others.  Seems pretty regular that you put out a few new baits.  I am curious, how many baits do you make in a months time? A year?  Is it a profitable hobby for you or do you only make baits for yourself?  From start to finish how long does it take you to make the average bait?  If you do sell your baits or give them to friends, what is the farthest away from where you live that one of your baits is being used?  Just curious!!

Thanks

Cliff

[BobP]

I hobby build 100+ baits per year in batches of 2-6 and use them or give them away to friends.  It's hard to say how long each takes to build because you work on them over several days and much of the time is waiting for a coating to dry, etc.  For me, it's 15 minutes here, 30 minutes there.  But I'm in no hurry.  No customers, no schedules.  If a bait style interests me, I build it regardless of how long it takes.  And it often takes multiple prototypes over months to get a bait where you want it to be, performance-wise.

[BIG M]

I've never counted how many baits I build per month or year.   Each bait takes anywhere from 2-5 hrs of hands on time depending on the style of bait.   With all the drying times included for sealer and clear coat then it's several days per bait.   

[Red]

Cool guys, thanks for the answers.  2-5 hours, I would have guessed much longer.  But I guess as many as you have done your probably alot faster than if someone like myself, who has never done it.  Nobody has one in like Spain or Sweeden or some far off place being used?

Thanks

Cliff

[Siebert Outdoors]

I've seen Big M carve a crankbait.  He looks like those guys off swamp loggers cutting down trees.  The wood chips fly.

[fourbizz]

My baits take me about 2 hrs each as near as I can tell. The lack of a bill makes up for the size difference as far as time is concerned, I think.