Is this the Place?

[ProfessorM]

morning, hit the early mass today because the cat woke me up, then pancakes for the kido. Doing a road trip today down the cape to Biteme's house i think, stop at M&D's on the way down. Spent yesterday making templates and turning so I can return all the great plugs that were lent to me last week. Still lots to go. I have not even started to epoxy anything yet so I won't be bringing much if any to the fest, but that was my intention this year. looking forward to wandering around more this year so I have no sense of urgency. Now when I need to get my boats ready and tackle ready and am still building then i will feel the heat. My motto should be always put off today what you can do tomorrow.

[BigFish]

Hi guys! I woke the other morning inspired and though I was not planning on building a Flaptail for the contest......something urged me to do so! It came out pretty great I think! I can't wait to get some paint on it this week.....not sure what colors yet? Also started painting my Nike and that looks great so far! Looking forward to PlugFest very much!

Oh! Flaptail is a Lido style copy!

[Grapenuts]

f-tail food for thought:

flaps on needles straight out the butt...go for it...adds flash.

it's a known fact that flaps screwed to the bottom of a plug work much better then out the butt on surface plugs.

fishmaster/ did jerrys design straight out of the butt only because it was an easy production method for them.

[Diggin Jiggin]

It's funny how easy it is turn this into work. I like the woodworking but I've been painting, wiring and epoxying this week. I dread the finishing part but I guess you can only put if off for so long...

Anyone got any good tips on wiring the fornt half of a jointed plug?
When I did the tail loops of the front section I kept scraping the paint trying to form the loop.

[Backbeach Jake]

Rockfish9 has a nice method. Clean and neat no wraps..I still botch it...
http://stripersonline.com/surftalk/s...iring+jointeds
found it , it wasn't here..

[Backbeach Jake]

After rereading and reviewing the pix, I realized why I was messing up my plugs. I was doing it completely bassackwards.

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by Backbeach Jake

After rereading and reviewing the pix, I realized why I was messing up my plugs. I was doing it completely bassackwards.

I'm not sure that is backwards, Fred, that is the way everyone else used to do it. I think Rock may have a better way, however, since it eliminates the need to use an oversized grommet and lets you squeeze the wire less tightly, hence it is easier to reopen. It does help to anneal your wire before doing it. Heat just the loop you want to reopen to cherry red and let it cool slowly (don't quench it).

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by Backbeach Jake

Rockfish9 has a nice method. Clean and neat no wraps..I still botch it...
Stripes,scales and jigs.... - SurfTalk
found it , it wasn't here..

Whew, thanks for the link Fred....will be trying this technique tonight. Also, thanks to Rockfish for sharing the technique.

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by Diggin Jiggin

Anyone got any good tips on wiring the fornt half of a jointed plug?
When I did the tail loops of the front section I kept scraping the paint trying to form the loop.

....I'm having the same issues...been to CVS three times this week for black, white, and yellow nail polish to fix scratches... I keep telling the cashier its for my toe nails...

[Tagger]

Flaps look great Ted ... The needles ,, How are they in the water ,, Float ? Sink ? .. need micro balloons ?

[the greek]

Originally Posted by Tagger

Flaps look great Ted ... The needles ,, How are they in the water ,, Float ? Sink ? .. need micro balloons ?

They sink. Not like a rock but they sink. Straight alumilte will sink without the microballoons. I don't fish needles alot and when I do I don't fish them well. I'm very impatient and thats probably why. I only use needles at the end of the year and I need them to be heavy and small where I fish. I thought I would give them another try and would have the ability to move weighting around easy in the mold. What I thought would be an easy bait to build has been one of the hardest for me. I have had good luck with weakfish on a small needle I make that we fish with light tackle. It's only 4" and weighs about 5/8 oz. Other than that I am still trying to make a productive needle.

[angler229]

Awesome flaptails Ted.

[Tagger]

Originally Posted by Grapenuts

f-tail food for thought:

flaps on needles straight out the butt...go for it...adds flash.

it's a known fact that flaps screwed to the bottom of a plug work much better then out the butt on surface plugs.

fishmaster/ did jerrys design straight out of the butt only because it was an easy production method for them.

Good info there ,,, wish I saw that first ... I got a couple of surface,, out the butt Jerry's way ,,,whoops ?? .. Did make some needles that way too .. That's funny because JS started, just screwing the barrel swivel to the bottom of the plug ..and later went to out the butt method ..

[numbskull]

GOD I HATE EPOXY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[numbskull]

Actually, now that Larry isn't talking to us anymore, whatayasay we go over there, beat him up, and steal his clear coat. Fred and Eddy, you guys can take him and I'll grab the clear coat.

[Backbeach Jake]

I've been made similar offers, ask about the great strawberry heist...If there's running to do, I"M your man.

[chrisjoe13]

Finally finished! I am so slow. This is my largest batch to date (30). They are all epoxy sealed red cedar. None have been tested but I'm optimistic. I've learned almost everything from this forum (& clumsy trial and error), so thanks to all.

[Backbeach Jake]

Originally Posted by chrisjoe13

Finally finished! I am so slow. This is my largest batch to date (30). They are all epoxy sealed red cedar. None have been tested but I'm optimistic. I've learned almost everything from this forum (& clumsy trial and error), so thanks to all.

Very nice work!!

[Backbeach Jake]

Is M&D open today? I'm headed that way in a few..

[Diggin Jiggin]

Originally Posted by numbskull

GOD I HATE EPOXY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been pretty lucky so far this year.

I ran out of sys 3 clearcoat so I ordered some more, when I opened it I was suprised to see how clear the hardener was. The last of my old hardener was very dark yellow, the new stuffs almost clear.

I've been heating my plugs before I epoxy them (The basements cold) and it seems like that lets the epoxy go on easier. I flipped the last set of darters and I was suprised how quickly the cool air made the clear coat stop running. I bet I only needed to flip 2 or 3 times in the first 30 minutes or so.

[ProfessorM]

Originally Posted by numbskull

GOD I HATE EPOXY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL. I am going to do my first batch today. Got to hit church first, Our Lady of Perpetual Motion, to pray to saint George the patron saint of top coats for a little help.


Diggin the hardener will eventually get yellow. Doesn't seem to effect the stuff though

[numbskull]

It all went wrong.

Drying box too hot, maybe, caused pull away from the darter edges. New batch of epoxy, it skims in the cup and produces clumps when you brush it. That and too much dust in the shop. Some kind of silicone problem in the paint. So now I have 40 odd no-slip darters with pock marks and easy wear edges.

I want to build stuff for other people, but giving away this crap is embarrassing. It was all looking so good right up to that last step.
So it goes.

[Diggin Jiggin]

Originally Posted by numbskull

It all went wrong.

Drying box too hot, maybe, caused pull away from the darter edges. New batch of epoxy, it skims in the cup and produces clumps when you brush it. That and too much dust in the shop. Some kind of silicone problem in the paint. So now I have 40 odd no-slip darters with pock marks and easy wear edges.

I want to build stuff for other people, but giving away this crap is embarrassing. It was all looking so good right up to that last step.
So it goes.

That sucks but don't worry about giving them out, no one will complain. Last year darters were the only thing I had problems with on the spinner, I'm not sure why but i think its because they're not symetrical and it couldn't flow evenly around the body like a round plug does. Darters are the only plugs I still flip...

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by numbskull

It all went wrong.

Drying box too hot, maybe, caused pull away from the darter edges. New batch of epoxy, it skims in the cup and produces clumps when you brush it.

I want to build stuff for other people, but giving away this crap is embarrassing. It was all looking so good right up to that last step.
So it goes.

George, you might want to abandon the drying box and let them just spin for a day on your rod dryer as it seems to work best for me. My basement is about 70 degrees and the sys 3 sets up good in 12 hours and is real hard in 24. I can imagine the heated dryer will keep the stuff viscous longer than you want, thus the running problems may occur.

My stuff skimmed in the cup if I let it sit there too long and didn't stir it. If you treat the stuff like a cement mixer and keep stirring, the clumps are minimized.

Keep in mind here I'm doing small batches (30cc) and only coating 5-6 plugs at a time.

Finally, I hate to sound like a know it all on the sys 3 as I'm a rank beginner plug builder, but I've finished hundreds of fishing rods and the sys 3 properties are
much like aftcote properties with regard to mixing/applying, minus the clumping.

[eastendlu]

Originally Posted by numbskull

It all went wrong.

Drying box too hot, maybe, caused pull away from the darter edges. New batch of epoxy, it skims in the cup and produces clumps when you brush it. That and too much dust in the shop. Some kind of silicone problem in the paint. So now I have 40 odd no-slip darters with pock marks and easy wear edges.

I want to build stuff for other people, but giving away this crap is embarrassing. It was all looking so good right up to that last step.
So it goes.

Good morning all.I am in epoxy hell also one whole batch ruined I am sick of it their has to be a better way.

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by numbskull

GOD I HATE EPOXY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This might sound funny, but I've found the epoxy to be the easiest part of this entire process. This is due to the fact I'm setting them up on my rod spinner and proceeding like I'm finishing a rod. I'm only doing 5-6 plugs at a time, thus it will take me 8-10 sessions to get everything done as the system three takes a while to set up. I'll get some pics up later.

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by Back Beach

This might sound funny, but I've found the epoxy to be the easiest part of this entire process. .

Stay away from me. You are now TOTALLY jinxed, poor soul. The epoxy gods do not tolerate insolence.

[BILLC]

After reading Rockfish's thread I have a few thing to do today! Perfect timing since I have a few jointed to wire when the sun gets up a little higher.

Thanks for the post Joe. Wish I would have seen it sooner.

[Diggin Jiggin]

Good morning guys. I didn't get too much done this week. I got some darters epoxied and I did get my flaptail plug sealed & primed... Maybe do some painting on some topwater stuff today or tomorrow.

Eddie, just for kicks I tried that scale with the circle thing. I'm almost 2 hours in and its still not done.

here's some of the darters... bottom ones are 2.5 oz, top 2 are experiments an inch or so longer and an ounce or so heavier.

[ProfessorM]

Originally Posted by Diggin Jiggin

Eddie, just for kicks I tried that scale with the circle thing. I'm almost 2 hours in and its still not done.

My first thought when i saw that technique is nice but way too long in application which equals way to many instances for me to screw up. I will just admire others attempts and not bother.