Carterdale Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 I started “shaping” baits a year ago after starting to throw larger Swimbaits, and I like the idea of catching a fish on my own bait. I’ve made baits with old 2x4’s, I think treated pine. So far I’ve been using the joint and hook hangers with ace hardware eyelet hooks that are rated up to 20lbs and glueing them in with epoxy! I just order a airbrushing set up ($100 from tcpglobal, I’m a broke college student) any tips at all or strategies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azfisher Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 I would suggest using Stainless Steel hardware from Jann's Netcraft, Barlow's or Lure Parts Online. For big baits you'll want .092 musky hardware. 20lb rating isn't much with a potential toad on the line. Poplar and cedar are common woods used for making big baits, as well as AZEK trim boards. Seal your baits WELL prior to painting. When you think your airbrush is clean, clean it some more. Most AB problems come from a dirty brush. This can be really frustrating when your just learning. Keep it clean, can't stress this enough. Using quality AB paints helps as well, craft paints from Walmart don't shoot well. Createx is decent, you may have to thin it a bit, Wicked's better. Hobby Lobby carries both, use the 40% off coupon. When I was starting I was pretty heavy handed with the paint as a lot of new guys are, I have learned since, less is more. The are some great Youtube vids on lure painting, dakotalakestackle, lure me in, check them out. Check out Tackle Underground as well, Hardbait section for info. Nothing beats catching a nice one on a lure you crafted yourself, good luck!! Carterdale 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgantm16 Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 I agree with Will on painting. I spend more time cleaning my airbrush than painting. Wear a respirator even if your shooting water based paint, if you're shooting metallics, you don't want to breath it. It'll take some time to get a hang of blending paint to get the colors you envision, so don't get frustrated when you spray your first couple if they don't come out like you want. Sticking with airbrush paints like createx or some other brands is a safe bet, i still like to thin those a little. On the other hand, I've thinned a lot of regular acrylic craft paint, it takes a lot of thinning and a lot of cleaning, and it doesn't spray as good like Will mentioned, but I have done it. I would suggest sticking with true airbrush paint. And just paint slow. Its not always a bad thing to add a little transparent base to what you're spraying so it won't lay down so heavy. Carterdale 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefchris Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 start with baits you dont care about, get some blanks online from ebay or lure parts online before you decide to paint one of your own prized baits. like theyve said, less is more, go slow, spray thinner coats (easier to blend). you can always paint the base of the bait with spray paint instead of trying to cover the whole bait with airbrush also if youre using treated pine be extra careful sanding and breathing that stuff, toxic (pressure treated) and make sure you seal your wood baits really well before any painting, cause you dont want to go thru all that hard work and have them swell/peel Carterdale and VolunteerSwimbaits 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ong Jim Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 Great tips, especially regarding paint. As a beginner, we try to do too much at times like carving out gills, lips, fins, and even scales. I would say focus on the action first. Get that dialed in then move on to details. Nothing worst than a beautiful lure that swims like crap. I fish the CA Delta and I've come to learn that all the fins and scales don't matter too much when the water is fairly stained. The most I do with my lures is a generic gill and mouth and a simple paint job. Carterdale 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogervang Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 Carve your bait however you want, the tricky part is tuning it. You can make an ugly bait swim flawlessly or a beautiful bait sink to the bottom. So take a lot of time tuning. When it comes to paint, I use about 75% acrylic and 25% createx. Just because it's so much cheaper and you get "A LOT" more when you thin it. Almost 100%. Plus there are much more color variety. It can be fustraighting but its worth it in the end. Carterdale 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carterdale Posted February 8, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 Man I love this website! Thank y’all for all the advices you answered all of my questions! I’m sure someone else will find this super helpful! I appreciate y’all taking the time to lay down some knowledge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porkmeatballs Posted February 9, 2019 Report Share Posted February 9, 2019 All of this is great info! I would also highly recommend that you take some time to watch some airbrushing videos/tutorials on Youtube. There are a lot of great tips and techniques out there that will help you get started. I'm still not a master at airbrushing, but I can say that watching all those videos definitely helped me along. Good luck! Carterdale 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggfeast Posted February 12, 2019 Report Share Posted February 12, 2019 I think making a silicone mold of your masterpiece is great to start so that you can make a bunch of practice blanks without worry. Once you perfect it, you can paint your wood master with skill. Also, if you ever want to duplicate that bait, you can get molds of it in resin and make more or make adjustments with ease of not starting over from scratch. Me personally I am just using rattle cans so have no clue what and how to do with an airbrush Carterdale 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishhct Posted February 15, 2019 Report Share Posted February 15, 2019 dont worry about the screw eyes if you can get a hand drill and some stainless steel wire to make your eyes it will be cheaper in the long run. Also if you're gonna get a carving specific knife #2 blade are hell of a lot easier to work with instead of #11 Carterdale 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishhct Posted February 15, 2019 Report Share Posted February 15, 2019 Basswood is also the easiest to carve by a long shot but its one of the most expensive too Carterdale 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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