# Questions for the crankbait makers



## st.slippy (Oct 3, 2008)

1. What are some easy lips that I can make or find locally? I don't have a good cutting tool for lexan, and I'd assume they need to be pretty precise. Has anyone ever tried a colorado or indiana blade flattened or as is?

2. Is thompsons waterseal a reasonable sealer before painting? I also have some zinser primer, but thought it may be too thick.

3. Can I use split shots to weight them, or should I just try it without?

4. I will be hand painting and maybe spray painting as I don't have an airbrush. Are Testors paints for models a decent paint to try this? Can I use permenant markers, and will they hold up when sealing?

5. For final sealing, I saw a guy just dipping his lures he made professionally and hanging them up. What kind of product could I use? I have the thompson's and polyurethane in can and spray form. I know that I can use different epoxies for this, but I don't have a turner

I have read a lot online, but specifics are often left out, or people make these in bulk, so they have spent big money on crafting supplies. I made 3 baits, 2 from cedar and one from MDF. I made the one from MDF because I thought the weight might help it stay down. I basically want to see if they can even work before I put a lot of money into gadgets and what not, so who makes simple homemade baits, and wants to share? Thank you for any suggestions


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## SConner (Mar 3, 2007)

st.slippy said:


> 1. What are some easy lips that I can make or find locally? I don't have a good cutting tool for lexan, and I'd assume they need to be pretty precise. Has anyone ever tried a colorado or indiana blade flattened or as is? You can order them from Jann's Netcraft. http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/
> 2. Is thompsons waterseal a reasonable sealer before painting? I also have some zinser primer, but thought it may be too thick. Since Thompsons tends to repel water, I would think it might repel some paints also.
> 3. Can I use split shots to weight them, or should I just try it without?
> 
> ...


 I am in same boat as you and have made some decent looking cranks with no more than a scroll saw, a drill, a couple cans of spray paint and some clear coat. I am finishing a crankbait now that I thinked turned out real nice considering it was painted with spray cans (will post a picture when done). I would love to try out an airbrush but can't seem to justify the expense... Maybe some day. I recommend you study photos of Tigger's work closely then try to figure how he acheived some of the paint schemes. Good luck!


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## JIG (Nov 2, 2004)

After seeing some of the hundreds of baits that kid made I think youll be amazed at his work. Off the hook!!! He does have a site for such. Might try his user page.


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## vc1111 (Apr 13, 2004)

St. Slippy, what types of baits are you making? Walleye, bass? Or musky? Lexan lips can be purchased from a number of sources. Rjbass has a good one but I can't remember...I think its Jann's Netcraft for walleye/bass sized baits. Rollie and Helen's Musky Shop has musky class Lexan lips.

Do not use Thompsons. It has wax in in and paint does not like wax. Use Minwax sanding sealer. Cheap, easy to find.

Try making a given type of bait without weight and then one with. See which you like best.

Testors is okay but super expensive. Markers will work if you spray clear enamel over them. They smear and run if you put epoxy over the work.

Spraying something like Krylon clear enamel (about 3 or 4 coats) can provide a pretty decent level of protection for bass/walleye baits. I think the stuff you saw for dipping was polyurethane clear varnish, but I'm not sure.


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## st.slippy (Oct 3, 2008)

I ended up buying a sheet of lexan, and am going to try it. I also flattened a colorado blade with a small scoop that remained in the middle. I really think it should work. So I thought I would try both. I did drill in and place two split shots in the bait, so I guess that will be my weighted one. I actually wanted to paint the first one with the grains of the wood. I thought they looked neat, so we'll see how it goes. Yes they are mostly going to be used for saugeye, but where I fish a musky is always near by, and can't be ruled out


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## BITE-ME (Sep 5, 2005)

Over the past couple of years a buddy and I have really gotten into to painting muskie baits. Primarily re-paints of the baits that we bang up during the season and blanks we purchased. We have been using a "Central Pneumatic" brand delux airbrush kit purchased at Harbor Freight for $20 or $15 when they are on sale. They don't do as well for fine detail work like some nicer airbrushers out there, but they seem to do a decent job. Listed below is a link. The air compressor might cost you a little more.

http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=airbrush.


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## st.slippy (Oct 3, 2008)

Here it is so far. The lip didn't turn out as well as I had hoped, but I was using a hacksaw, cause the dude at lowes told me to get this knife insted of the coping saw I had in my hand. I made the screw eyes out of stel wire like I saw in a video, and on here. Worked well!! I'll keep you posted as it progresses


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## Fish With Teeth (Mar 1, 2008)

st.slippy said:


> 1. What are some easy lips that I can make or find locally? I don't have a good cutting tool for lexan, and I'd assume they need to be pretty precise. Has anyone ever tried a colorado or indiana blade flattened or as is?
> 
> 2. Is thompsons waterseal a reasonable sealer before painting? I also have some zinser primer, but thought it may be too thick.
> 
> ...


I would steer away from making baits out of MDF.(medium density fiberboard). If that stuff gets any water in it, it won't last long. I'm a cabinet maker and have used this stuff quite often. It is also unpredictable about the way it holds fasteners, like screweyes maybe.

I see you are from Reynoldsburg. You can buy scrap Lexan from American Plastics in Grandview. However you will have to cut the lip shapes yourself.

One thing to remember about painting. Always start with a white base coat. It will make your top coat colors be the colors they should be. A rattle can of white paint is good for this. I use an airbrush but I basecoat my baits with white paint from a rattle can. Many of your top coat colors can be applied with rattle cans as well. Fire Tiger is an easy pattern to do with rattle cans.


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