No idea why there are vertical lines in these but I used my scanner for picture. I have had a problem with the powder coating. The powder paint sticks fine and the finish looks great, much better than photo, but when you put the grommets in both ends and pull the wire tight and do your wraps it causes the powder paint to move a small amount on the ends where the grommets are pushing into and thus the salt water gets under the paint and causes corrosion. It only happens on the ends the rest looks great. Rinsing in fresh water helps but eventually it will get to it. Epoxy might give them a little longer life but salt will get to it too. Just have to use them as long as they last then glassbead and paint again. The silver one is hollow stainless so I don't have to worry about that with that one. Only drawback is it weigh's more. Back to the drawingboard again. I am not giving up, stubborn Irishman you know. I am kind of hooked on the dimensions and look of the lure so I am making copies out of wood up to 9 inches right now and they look promising and no corrosion. Paul

that green one winked at me... :drool:

You had better seek a patent Paul, you are on to something, I am sure.

Those things are awesome. Your metal work is sweet.

Nice Paul, real nice. :kewl: :drool: Looks like they coulda been wrapped by a machinist.:huh::D

Is it the 2 different metals that are causing the problem?

Just off of Naushon is a place called Job's Neck and a string of red lobster buoys. I think you might just have the number when it comes to September Albies there. :drool: :thanks:

No Dave the problem arises when you wrap the wire and pull it tight on the grommets. The grommets push into the paint and cause it to push away ever so slightly and then the water can penatrate under the paint. The corrosion happenes because the water gets trapped under the paint and can't escape. I have a naked one that looks better than the one where the water got under the paint. You just got to rinse and polish every few days and it looks good no corrosion just dulling. There is no coloring the lure though just the shinny alum. color, which does look good though. Maybe I will try some alum. grommets to see if it makes a difference. Now I think a coat of epoxy around the belly hole and around the grommets where they meet the lure is the way to get added life out of the thing. I am starting to think about stainless again. I need to lighten them up and think I have tried everything but this fall I will try more. Paul

Thems sure are sweet Paul. Just out of curiousity (cuz I don't know much of anything on this stuff), Why do you need a grommet at all? I would think they'd work fine without one. Anyways, nice work. Good to see someone working the gray matter. :claps:

Well lets see. I need a grommet on the back because I hollow out the thing to get it lighter around 5/16 Dia. so you need a grommet to center the 1/16 wire and I also add things inside. As far as the front goes I could probably get away without one but the stainless wire hitting the alum. will eventually cause the paint to crack and 2 dissimilar metals together esp. stainless and alum. will cause problems. The front grommet's I think are nickle plated brass so not as big a problem as stainless. I make the rear ones out of titanium. I will this fall experiment on alum. grommets like justplugit suggested. It is funny I got one that is uncoated just naked and well used and dull looking. I polished it up with Mother's alum. mag polish and it looks brandy new, no corrosion. So it is the powder paint that is trapping the water under the paint. Probably won't use the powder paint again. Bummer because they look soo good with that candy powder paint. Maybe a light coat of your favorite spray paints and when it wear's off repaint like Bassmaster suggested. Paul

those are sweet PM.. very nice work :D

Paul, like I said before, those are sweet.

p.s. (sorry) I still have your book :hihi:
.
.
.
love the ruler too :kewl:

Okay, I get it Paul. What if you just turned a plug out of the same material to press in there after the machining work is done to fill the hole and reduce the I.D. to the correct wire size. Then the piece that gets pressed in can get powder coated along with the rest of the plug. :drool:

Nice work Paul.
Really nice and neat.
Like the ruler too. :drool:

What if you just turned a plug out of the same material to press in there after the machining work is done to fill the hole and reduce the I.D. to the correct wire size.

Well that would add the weight back on and I want it as light as possible so I can adjust the weight to my liking which is still not to my total liking yet. I got a few new ideas and design looks and as it is I will probably fiddle around with the weighting over the winter and it might be made completely different by next year. These are the first bunch and I don't think they are the final design or material yet but they could be. P.

Those ought to work for you to catch the funny fish.

How about trying on out of titanium? make it real light and thin that way, I know, expensive......

Wow! :shocked:

Paul, what if you glue or epoxy (devcon 2 ton or something) in the grommets before wiring, so that the glue acts as a buffer between the grommet and the paint so it doesn't chip. Once the epoxy is set, the grommets won't move when you wire it so the paint should not get chipped by the movement of the grommet..

Just an idea...
-Dave

How kool is this.:huh: A course in metalurgy from Professor Moriarty. :hihi: :D
Thanks Paul. :)

:drool: :drool: :drool:

Man O Man PM,
They look great! WHat is the weight on them? I am sure you will catch Albies with them. Kinda looks like the "Hammer" lure but better :)
I have seen the hammer lure out fish others on the Vineyard when albie fishing. Just a note: try a single hook on the rear end :) with a little hair on it.
The double hooks is a over kill, plus a single whould be a quicker release so you can catch the albie of a life time :)

Paul, you may also want to try white .

Best Of Luck
VB

Now that is what i am talking about thanks for the input guys. Two heads are better than one. Bruce I have made them out of Titanium. Yes expensive but possible. $43 bucks a pound and changes daily. Last year at this time was $21. The epoxy on the ends before grommet sounds good too. The single hook set up is easier for me too. I originally made for bass but someone told me they would work for small tuna types too. The small one is almost 2 oz. in stainless. The alum you can weight to what ever you want. I can make any size just need imput from people that fish for these species, I have not been lucky enough to. White is possible. Hell you can spray paint the stainless ones any color you want. Thanks guys More ideas please. Paul

I'm not sure how powder paint is applied, but could you do all the wiring first and do the painting as the last step ?

Paul, loved those since I saw em at Mikes that Day this spring when you were chillen with PNG; the look deadly'
What about 6" long with a single hook (heavy duty), some lead in the nose and wala; a new version of a cedar plug....

Bryan

Mill some chugger head holes. Fat in the front tapering (aluminum would probably be the best bet to keep it light)... kinda like a popper cept the holes catch air and leave a bubble trail (Like the trolling lures).

toona/dorado go NUTS over that.

not sure if it'd work, but it'd be an interesting experiment.

I'm not sure how powder paint is applied, but could you do all the wiring first and do the painting as the last step ?

It is sprayed on, electricly charged and then baked in an oven. I guess you could do it that way I will have to talk to the guy and try a few this winter. Good idea. P.

You can hard coat anodize them which is the way to go with a durable finish for aluminum but it is expensive and the colors are limited. P.

More ideas please. Paul

Take a torch to the stainless one and turn it straw/blue/purple colors.

Another good idea. Funny I was just last nite drilling a long piece of stainless and the drill melted down and I was admiring all the Kool colors. Never dawned on me to do it on purpose. I am on the horn today to get a few stainless ones powder coated to see how they last. Figure if the water gets under the paint it will not corrode the stainless and shouldn't be visable. Started on 15 new stainless ones late last nite to try and finish by late Aug. for trade 's. Going to be tight but if I just give up sleeping I should be ok. Thanks

Visited Paul last night at his shop. Man! He has got some beautiful stuff there and now I got a few too. Thanks Paul, enjoy the skin plug, it's a rare one so you may want to turn a few before sending it out to the sea. I still can't get over the sand eel rake head. Outstanding work! Thanks Again , Steve S.

those are pissa!!!
scuff them up with a gold skuff pad,spray them with adhesion promoter and pour two part eurethane clear all over them. they'll hold up to anything.

I'm not familiar with that stuff but if you are I am willing to send you a few. Can you apply it over the powder paint or any paint for that matter or just to the raw aluminum. I'll send a couple for you and a couple for me . :bl: Paul

yes it can go over anything. painted, raw, powdercoated, chromed. just needs a little bit of grit to grab to stick well.

wont stick to polished.