New here
 

Hey Guys, I joined a little while ago but this is the first time posting on this site and forum. I have been reading threads here and besides the fantastic plugs you guys are building and posting, I also like very much the overall knowledge here and helpfulness of the answers to any questions asked and it looks like a nice forum to be a part of.

As for me, I am not brand new to plug building, (some of you guys may know me from another site) I've been building for a few years but am by NO means an expert on any aspect of it. I have fun with it and catch fish on my creations, trade a few here and there and thats keeps me happy and doing something fishing related on the off season. I hope to offer some helpful info when I can here or any tips I may have that may help someone sometime, but the way I build is a bit different than most guys and I don't know how much may be useful.:) I don't own a lathe or use any power tools except a hand drill. I enjoy hand carving and and using hand tools to shape my blanks. I also don't use an airbrush or rattle cans to paint. I use brushes and a spatter paint technique to get the effects/results I want. I always though that I would have all those things by now but I actually enjoy the hands-on aspect of the way I build. It is and always will be just a hobby for me. (Also a great excuse to escape to the man cave when needed. hehe)

Here are a couple pics of some of the stuff I enjoy building.
Joe

couple more
 

Few more pics I still had on my computer.

Hello, and welcome.
Cool stuff, hope you stick around.


Have you tried a spokeshave?

Thats exactly what I do most of my roughing out of a blank with.:uhuh: Its a small one perfect for plug sized work while the blank is held in my vise with a pair of rubber vice pads. I can get a blank pretty close to final shape with it.

This thread may interest you, it has another way to hold your work while you spoke shave (better for larger stuff). http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripert...carve-how.html

Hello and Welcome
These guys do awsome work. Your stuff looks good.

Hey Joe :wave:

Welcome
 

Welcome to the site.

Nice paint on the scenic popper.
Might be the only way to get bluefish to eat plovers.

JMAC_kerel, VERY NICE, great looking MAC,LOVE the FIN effect did you brush them on:confused:, Im going to try a few this winter, if I can hold my hand steady:smash:QUESTION on the baitfish how are you weighting them, or should I say WHERE are you putting the weight:confused:
GOOD LUCK HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Can I have a plug?
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Me2 im a good tester!

Nice mac pattern btw and nice tail wraps

Thanks for the welcome and kind words guys.

Yeah, the details like the gills, pectoral fins and mac stripes are brushed on. (Not sure if the stripers really care but I enjoy doing it)

As for the weighting most of the plugs I have been making are slider/glider type plugs and I weight them to be slow sinkers or hang just under the surface. On my smaller plugs like the peanut bunkers in one of the pics, I actually weight them right near the center and as low as possible to almost act like a keel and keep the plug upright and level. I little twitch of the wrist makes them 'swim' like the real thing. They are small enough that weight placement doesn't effect castability like it would in a longer plug. For the longer plugs I move some weight back but try to still keep a nice level sink rate.

Joe- Your plugs look great. Curious what wood types you like to use?

Basswood, eastern White Pine, Alaskan yellow cedar?

Very artistic stuff there :btu: I like it

I think I met you in RI this past fall
welcome to the forum

Real nice stuff, welcome.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Thanks. I actually use a variety of wood types. Mostly maple, cherry, poplar, birch and some pine. Depends on what I want the plug to do. Believe it or not, almost all is found/recycled wood or scrap wood. Old furniture etc.

Thank you. We did indeed meet in RI. We had lunch with Glen (GooGoo Man) and Matt. I think we were the last customers of that guy's season.