My latest idea: non-fixed weighting system in PVC cranks

[Fishwhittler]

This bait has a non-fixed weight in it, unlike I've ever done before. I cut the lure in half lengthwise, ground out a large space for the weight to sit in, and epoxied it back together. I originally intended to epoxy the sinker in place, but when I had the space for the sinker ground out and saw the weight sitting in there and rattling around, I decided to leave it as it was and see how the bait worked. Now this bait has a "one-knock" rattle from the ballast weight. Disregard the small rattles you see in the pic below; the epoxy stuck them together so I pulled the bait apart and removed them before the epoxy set up. Once the lure was epoxied together, I carved it to the shape you see below. In the bottom pic it's stuck together and ready for initial testing. If it works, I'll epoxy it together and paint it.

Next I want to make a half-size version, as well as a large Punker-style bait. I also want to try the non-fixed weighting system in comparison with some of my baits with fixed ballast.

What do you think of it?

Ben

[jbass]

Now that is some "out of the box" thinking.

[NateFollmer]

Might make it hunt more. I think it will run ok though because you kept its pocket small. If you made a big pocket, the weight might shift to 1 side and stay there. Cant wait to hear how this works.

[Fishwhittler]

It works!  It has a nice, medium-tight action, and it doesn't pull very hard.  I don't know how it compares to a fixed-weight lure, so I'll need to make some more baits with and without the moveable weights.  I'm working on some more lures with this type of weighting right now, and I hope to have some more finished in the next few days.

[BIG M]

If you put the fixed weight in the same location in the baits the action will be the same between the two.  The free floating weight does not have enough room to move around and change the action.   If you look at some of the old plastic baits they had weights that move from side to side to double has a rattle.  Good looking bait there.

[Fishwhittler]

Thanks for the info.  I wasn't sure how much difference in action there would be.  Oh well; it still adds a rattle, and I don't have to use as much epoxy or fill in a hole on the outside of the bait.  Plus it's a whole lot of fun.

Here's a lipless bait I made this afternoon.  It has two free-moving weights: a 1/4 ounce sinker in the nose and a 1/8 ounce sinker behind the belly hook hanger.  I've not made very many lipless baits, so this is pretty much a whole new thing for me.

[NateFollmer]

When I was researching lipless cranks it looks like as long a you have the sides semi flat, the nose area shaped kind of like a shovel and put the tie high up the body, it will work ok. You should have enough weight in it to make it work. I bet your design will swim just fine

[Jigfishn10]

I like that lipless crank Fishwhittler. You have very nice scale and gill plate detail. I would like to find out how you do that someday. Please post the finished painted cranks.

Very nice work!

[Fishwhittler]

Thanks guys. 

Jigfishn10, I posted directions for how to do this scale pattern in my thread "5" swimbait".

For the scales:  I took a wood-burning tool and pressed the tip into the PVC to get the scales.  DO NOT PLUG IN THE WOOD-BURNER.  I tried using it plugged in, and it's far too hot for PVC.  Pressure is all you need for PVC.

This scaling technique would also work on wooden lures, but you'd need to plug in the wood-burner. 

Below is a pic of the tip I used.

I timed myself doing this bait, and it took about 10 minutes for each side. That's not quite as long as I thought, but it's still pretty long.  Plus this bait is smaller, so it doesn't take as long to scale as a larger bait.  It took me closer to 15 minutes per side for the lipped crankbait in this thread, and it probably took even longer on the swimbait with these scales.

I carved the gill plates with a utility knife.  The key is to go slowly.  Get just a little careless and you can ruin your workpiece, or cut yourself.

The lip isn't carved:  I rounded off the point of a 16 penny nail with a dremel, and used the nail to "draw" the lines around the lip on the lure body.  This is also a good way to get other details that you don't want to carve with a knife.

I've got the first crankbait painted and top-coated, and it's drying right now.  I still need to test the lipless bait before I paint it, but I'll post pics when I'm done.

Ben

[Jigfishn10]

THANK YOU!

I apologise for not looking back at your prior post, but I really appreciate you posting again.

EDIT: I wish I read that post prior to doing my dog walker...LOL

[Captain Obvious]

How does that lip-less bait  work???

I go though those things fast and it be great to be able to make um

[Fishwhittler]

I got the lipless bait tested, and it works very well. It sinks pretty fast, although not as fast as a Rattlin' Rapala I have. It swims with a nice, tight wobble and it stays down well, rather than come up to the surface like the Rapala. I'm going to paint it this afternoon, and I hope to have it all the way done by tomorrow.

Capt. O, you won't save any money by making your own lures. I thought it would be cheaper when I first started building lures, but I've spent more on lure making supplies than I would have spent buying lures. I'm not trying to discourage you from making lures, don't get me wrong. If I had to do it again, I'd definitely make my own lures. It's very fun, and you can build just about whatever you want.

[NateFollmer]

Awesome! How does the rattling sound with the PVC?

[Fishwhittler]

The rattles aren't very loud, but that doesn't really matter because that's only their secondary purpose.  I couldn't hear them when I was testing it, but then I wasn't listening for them. 

The rattle it does have isn't as sharp as on plastic lures; it's more of a knock than a click like on a Rattlin' Rapala.  If I got some glass rattle pods and put them in, it would probably give a sharper click than the lead weights do.  But at any rate, rattles in PVC or wooden lures are going to be somewhat muffled, at least when compared with plastic lures. 

[NateFollmer]

The rattles aren't very loud, but that doesn't really matter because that's only their secondary purpose. I couldn't hear them when I was testing it, but then I wasn't listening for them.

The rattle it does have isn't as sharp as on plastic lures; it's more of a knock than a click like on a Rattlin' Rapala. If I got some glass rattle pods and put them in, it would probably give a sharper click than the lead weights do. But at any rate, rattles in PVC or wooden lures are going to be somewhat muffled, at least when compared with plastic lures.

Right, I just wondered if it made ANY noise at all. I think a muffled rattle may be an advantage in some situations.

[Captain Obvious]

I know all about how making lures does not save you money

Still I would be nice to make because then I would never have to wait to get to a tackle shop

[Fishwhittler]

When you build lures, you have to wait for them to dry. And you have to wait for your latest component order to arrive.

If you want to make your own lures, a good place to start is this forum. There's a boatload of info already posted, and there are a bunch of guys that can answer any questions you have.

[Jigfishn10]

The rattles aren't very loud, but that doesn't really matter because that's only their secondary purpose. I couldn't hear them when I was testing it, but then I wasn't listening for them.

The rattle it does have isn't as sharp as on plastic lures; it's more of a knock than a click like on a Rattlin' Rapala. If I got some glass rattle pods and put them in, it would probably give a sharper click than the lead weights do. But at any rate, rattles in PVC or wooden lures are going to be somewhat muffled, at least when compared with plastic lures.

Right, I just wondered if it made ANY noise at all. I think a muffled rattle may be an advantage in some situations.

I think Nate is right. What you have is something completely different from what is produced and what bass are conditioned to hearing. I believe in days gone by some manufactures used lead as ballast and rattle, but I don't think a "one knocker" style.

In my opinion you're on to something. It's a winner in my book.

[SusqyMusky]

Very cool stuff indead...!!!

I'm new here, so I'll keep an eye out for your future creations.

Thanks for sharing.

[Captain Obvious]

Very true whittler I still love making my own stuff though