Having a problem with handcarves...

[Mokes]

Originally Posted by WoodyCT

Stan Gibbs used screw eyes on his famous 3 hook darters, so maybe yours will be OK provided the wood you used isn't too soft.

I dabbled with hancarves a while back and hit this same hurdle and fell on my face. I bet the type of drill bit is crucial for accuracy. Try one specifically forvdrilling end grain. Fuller and Morris Wood Tool make them.

Bit size for hangers? Does it matter if you will be filling the hole with epoxy putty?
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Probably not on the size, more than how wide a hanger is. I tried making one last week and the thing was kind of huge, lol. I tried doing it by hand with my Knipex roundnose though. I think i need a mounted jig with nails or something to make it smaller.

I use AYC for these and only drill a really small starting hole, not too deep so the devcon 2 ton and threads can seat in well. Maybe I should just stick with that for these. They are only 5.75".

[Slipknot]

screweyes would be fine I bet

otherwise, I see no reason you need to thru drill at those angles, you should be able to drill a straight shot thru to the tail. If it goes thru the lip, all the better to help hold it in place.

my 2 cents

[the greek]

There are many ways and none are right or wrong but this is what works for me. Mark nose center and tail center and then through drill on the lathe. Then take a 1/4" forstner and drill your belly hole to where you bottom out just at the through wire hole. I don't like to be too deep. The 1/4" looks small but is plenty big, any bigger and your hangers will be bigger and tend to fold. Keep them small. You don't want the hanger to be too loose or you will have trouble keeping it centered when you fill it. I did a long post with pics at the other place on this [drilling and weighting handcarveds]. A small 1/8 inch s/s rivet head makes a great tail grommet for thin tailed baits. If you need metal for lips and some rivets pm me. I could throw a hanger or two in to let you see how I make them.

[Mokes]

Originally Posted by the greek

There are many ways and none are right or wrong but this is what works for me. Mark nose center and tail center and then through drill on the lathe. Then take a 1/4" forstner and drill your belly hole to where you bottom out just at the through wire hole. I don't like to be too deep. The 1/4" looks small but is plenty big, any bigger and your hangers will be bigger and tend to fold. Keep them small. You don't want the hanger to be too loose or you will have trouble keeping it centered when you fill it. I did a long post with pics at the other place on this [drilling and weighting handcarveds]. A small 1/8 inch s/s rivet head makes a great tail grommet for thin tailed baits. If you need metal for lips and some rivets pm me. I could throw a hanger or two in to let you see how I make them.

Thanks Ted, I will go look it up. I can make the lips, though mine are kind of cavemanish. I have 1 SS piece you gave me left and I have a huge sheet of it that is kind of dinged that was given to me last fall, but it's workable with a hammer.

I have a hard time imagining making hook hangers that small with my thorugh wire, but maybe I just need to make that jig and muscle it.

I can buy some rivets I'm sure. Probably pretty cheap? Can you find them at Home Depot you think?

[numbskull]

It is very easy to drill those interconnecting angles if you use a drill press and a center pin (which you move off center to intersect your target). Do a search, it is all there.

[bennyraw]

Get thinner gauge wire for your hangers, the prebent stuff is too stiff for hangers.

[FrankR]

I drill the thru wire hole after shaping the plug using the center pin/drill press method that numbskull recommends, and finish with a hand drill. Learned it from a post by rockfish.

On my larger handcarves I drill a 3/8" hole for my hangers, smaller sized holes on smaller plugs, down to 1/4", fill all holes with epoxy, no gromments.

I make my hangers using round nose pliers, real easy once you know how, learned from Ted.

Rivets are available from lure parts,they have two sizes, they are used on buzzbaits, both sizes are good to have.

I'll try and post a photo of the drill press method later, got to find them ?????