# Alternative Through Wire - Micro



## hazmail

Recently I posted this on another forum and hope someone gets some usefull hints from this -
I see a lot of guys make through wire lures, understandable when I see some of the pictures of the fish you catch there. I dont normally bother for trout but if I am going after Murray Cod or Barramundi here, it certainly is an advantage.

This is how I have been doing it for about 30years (with a 10 year break until recently) but it is by no means the only way, as you can see from this great forum and others. Some of this will be obvious and mundane to the seasoned builder, but it could turn the light on for guys just starting out, so bare with us. Take what you like and adapt it to what you need and by all means, have fun doing it. 

I dont think there is anything new, but because of the sizes I make 3& 2 (very small I know) and because I am pretty isolated here, I have been doing through wire a bit different, and for some of you guys, may be more accurate and quicker.
These sizes are only what I use and can be expanded or contracted to suit the size lures you make. It sounds complicated but once I am set up I can cut and rout 10 - 12 lures in about 30 min (not including sanding and wire harness), these will keep me busy for months.

JIGS: If you intend to make this a career or an extended hobby - Make a JIG for every aspect of lure making you can (that goes for wire harness, furniture, wood turning, toys etc), it initially takes a lot of time to make some jigs, but the time savings and accuracy from lure to lure, down the track are enormous. If you get one lure that is the right weight and shape, and it runs to the depth you like, then every one will run the same if you use jigs - if you dont, each one will be a mystery, until you use it. Treat jigs like gold and put them away after use, some can be tiny, but invaluable - THESE (jigs), I think, are the most neglected part of amateur lure making, or making anything for that matter.
DONT FORGET THE DUST MASK










First I get a 20mm x 20mm length of timber and rout a 3mm wide and about 1.5mm deep groove (this 1.5mm, would be about ½ through wire harness thickness), the entire length of a suitable length piece of timber on both sides. Length is up to you but I usually do about 1 meter (3), which gives me about 10-12 lures @ 80mm. If you want to add weight (lead wire etc) to your lures, you should allow more width for this, so use a wider bit.










I then put this timber through a table saw and cut it length ways, slightly less then half width (8mm), this leaves the off cut slightly wider (9mm), the blade is 3mm wide. I then put the off cut through (routed edge on fence) and shave off the extra width (about 1mm), this way you finish up with both sides exactly the same width and saves fiddling around trying to cut dead centre.
Put these two sticks together and cut with a drop saw or hand saw, hack saw and dock off to slightly longer than your required length, which for me is a bit longer than the finished lure (80mm). Get the router going again and set up some stops (I use old clothes peg springs) and rout the slot for the bottom hanger/hangers (same depth same width). Because each side is a reverse of the other, you will need to clamp on a R/hand and L/hand stop here. Obviously the distance from the lip end to the first hook hanger should be approximately the same for both pieces, dont worry about the back end, any extra can be sanded off later.




















Sort them into opposing pairs and maybe number them and mark the end you will be using for the lip. Its essential to get the lip ends square here, for when you have to cut the lip slot later.
Now get your lure profile and outline it on the lure, with the profile (lip end) starting right at that end of the blank.











I make my profiles out of 1mm sheet aluminum and have been using the same ones for years (its a Jig), or you can stick on printed paper lure profiles - one side should do if all your sander beds etc are square, if not draw/glue your lure profile on both sides (of course noting where the square lip end is and the routed part for the bottom hook hanger/s). If you want to make an aluminum profile, just stick your paper one on a sheet, roughly cut out with snips and then put it on the sander to finish it off, sanders eat aluminum.




















Check that your wire harness fits snugly in the routed grooves, not loose, if it is loose just sand (within reason) a bit off each face until it is snug to tight, when you glue and clamp the halves later, life will be so much easier if the harness is a good snug fit.










I now have two halves (8mm x 20mm x 80)), place the routed edges together, the bottom hook hanger slots should approximately line up and the lip end should be square. Now you dont have to align with dowels etc. Get the finest panel pins (fine nails) you can find, for me these would be about 1mm x 12mm long (enough to pass through the top half and about ¼ into the second half), square everything up and nail the two pieces together (without wire harness), nailing about 1/3 from each end or where you know the saw blade (for lip slot) will not hit it and you will not want to drill for eyes etc. If possible dont pre drill these pin holes. Now if everything was flush and square, you should get a nice tight join.



















Now cut the lip slot, this is where youre blank, being square and centered, really pays off.


----------



## hazmail

*# Part 2*
Either use a tenon saw, hack saw, band saw, circular saw, whatever rocks your bait, I use a very fine circular saw blade, hooked up to a sewing machine motor, because the slot is very fine @ 1mm wide. For some of these bigger lures you could use an adze and as long as it is square, finish up with a great job. Whatever you use, square the blade to the lure or use a set square to draw a line. I use jigs for about three different lip angles (and for just about everything I make).

Lip slot and harness grooves are done and it is all pinned together and coincidentally, if you normally place the lip in before you start painting, you have a nice centre line to eyeball with. 
You should now be ready to sand the lure to shape &#8211; WARNING &#8211; If you use a high speed sander (some belt, drum, dermal etc) you should be aware that those steel pins you inserted can create tiny sparks while you are sanding. So take the dust bag off, or you may come back to the basement/ shed and find a smoldering dust bag or worse a flaming building.



















I use a disc sander (see Disc sander) I made with a motor from a free standing (i.e. portable) evaporative cooler (not sure what you call them there), I picked it up at the rubbish tip for $10. Just pull the &#8216;pelton fan blades&#8217; off both ends of the motor and you have a low revving 4 speed double shafted electric motor. They are usually, 3 or 4 speed (about 150 rpm max); the motors are sealed, so no arching (because they operate in a very humid atmosphere), the shaft comes off both sides of the motor, so you can put a disc on both ends (fine & coarse). 

What do I mean by an evaporative cooler &#8211; &#8216; Google&#8216; it or
Evaporative coolers use a fan or blower to draw in outside air and pass it through a wet filter. As hot, dry air moves through the filter the water evaporates, cooling and humidifying the air. The cooled air is then blown through the room or house.










Right, you have sanded your bait down and you like it - now is a good time to fine sand it, while the wire is not in the way &#8211; don&#8217;t bother doing around the joint , because you will have to do it again when you later glue it up. 




















When you finish sanding, insert a small flat screw driver in the rear hanger hole and gently prise the two halves apart, don&#8217;t remove the pins from the halves. Put your wire in the slots you have routed, with any weight you want to add (maybe lay soldering wire along the slot), organize how you are going to clamp the halves after gluing (vice, tape, paper clamps etc), mix up some &#8216;Devcon 2 Ton&#8217; (not 5 minute) and spread over the wire and lure halves and then line up the pins/nails, (you did not remove), press together, make sure there is no glue in the lip slot and get it ready to clamp. 










You should find the halves line up close to perfect; you may have to giggle the wire a bit here, so it all lays snug in the slots. Wipe off excess glue with denatured alcohol (called methylated spirits here) and let it set, it&#8217;s best to hang it on a drying wheel if you have one, so the glue does not run from the holes.










If the wire gets in the way when you insert the lip, punch or drill a large hole in the lip to allow clearance. 










This is a smaller 2&#8221; cedar lure, but it demonstrates why the lips were punched so they clear the brass hook hanger.


----------



## TIGGER

Great post! I love this kinda stuff. fantastic.

I hear you on the sparks in the dust bags! lol I have had that happen 2 times. I second the dust masks also!
John


----------



## All Eyes

Excellent photos. I'd like to watch you do that on PBS. You need to lobby to get your own show. You and that VC1111 guy can team up. 
Come on! Who wouldn't watch that?


----------



## vc1111

Great tutorial, Pete. You make it look easy.


----------



## All Eyes

The way things are mass produced now with seemingly no passion for anything but money, it's nice to see real craftsmenship and skill at work.


----------

