Big and Med Ballarina
 

I wanted to post these pictures of some ballarinas that I made this winter. These are the first plugs i have posted. I wanted some spook type plugs that would cast better than the balarina copy that I made from the most recent fisherman series (Dave Andersons not the professor). I used the copy machine at work to blow up my original template. I like the way the plugs turned out but am not happy with the clear coat. I used etex but will try rod coat next. Charlie G.http://013.jpg

Rainbow trout?
 

I know that rainbow trout are not usually on the forage menue on the atlantic coast for stripers or bules but hell I liked the way the trout pattern looked in the book and wanted to try it. The mack is more traditional.

Nice work. Like the eye detail. Stick with Etex, it just takes some trouble shooting like everything else. I suspect rod epoxy will be too soft.

Those are some handsome ballerinas. You will have a lot of fun catching with those. Try them in Barnstable Harbor... I have heard they work great there...

nice work man.

the trout is great and btw it catches stripers and blues no problem. I have trout redfin, it crushes fish, has all the right colors, pinks, greens and browns.

why the shrink tube on the back hook?

think you were at cms the other day getting your rod tip fixed right?

stcik with e tex, thers some great tips on here about it, i think i have them printed somewhere too.

muskyslayers etex method is great and what I use now.

Cris the black shrink wrap covers some fly tying lead. I wanted to change the angle of the plug when it's floating. Trying to tune a plug thar I screwed yp weighting. Chris where is musky slayers post on etex?
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Those are nice. What are you using to create the eye recess? Core box router bit? Kutzall spere?

I couldn't find Muskyslayer96's post on his E-Tex method.

As mentioned elsewhere, keeping your painted plug away from your skin oil is important. I don’t touch the lure body at all after the first primer coat (I wire at that point). Also, anything with silicone (like the aquarium tubing used to cover hook points) is a real bear; a “billimeter” of silicone creates quite a huge fisheye.

Some paints are tougher to finish than others. Rust-Oleum metallics come to mind – fisheyes and uneven thicknesses. Acrylics that haven’t fully dried (or layered over anything that isn’t fully dry) can create problems too.

I've only been burned with mis-measured E-Tex twice (I think). I used to use a graduated mixing cup, but after a little inconsistency I decided to follow the process I use for rod building finish: Now I use syringes. Because the E-Tex bottles are so tall I burned two syringe-nipple-sized holes near the top of the bottles (one to draw from, one to vent). I leave the bottle cap on. The syringe fits tightly so nothing leaks and I don't have to wipe excess. When done, I cover the bottle holes with a round of masking tape.

Excess is plunged out of the syringes until they are exactly equal in volume. I squirt them both into a mixing cup, which is placed in a Pac Bay epoxy mixer and spun for at least 7 minutes (I use a timer).

The mixed epoxy goes in a small aluminum tray to let the heat dissipate (this increases pot life). Any bubbles in the mix are popped by exhaling gently over them with a straw. I apply to the lure with an acid brush previously cleaned in denatured oil to get rid of the loose bristles and annoying black flakes.

When applied, I use the straw (or occasionally a small butane torch) to pop any bubbles on the finish. I have a couple of pins around to pick out any hairs or other large crap that made it onto the plug while applying.

In an encased spinner it goes, where it will turn for several hours around 75-80 degrees. Once firm, I turn the heat up to 90. I don’t like to set it at 90 initially because sometimes bubbles will show around the belly grommet or eyes if the air underneath the soft epoxy heats and expands too much.

Anyways, this process has worked well for me with E-Tex.

First off sweet lures they look great :)

Onto not happy about the etex:

How did you apply the etex? And what exactly did you not like about it? Was it not a super smooth finish? Answer what you didnt like about it and maybe we can help get you sorted out :)

etex problems
 

The etex was not very hard couple of blues and bass and the hooks had pierced through to the ayc under the sealer and the paint and the extex clear coat. Should I be using more than one coat. Basic problem it did not become rock hard as others have discribed their epoxy work. Not durable at all. As for the eyes I used a round silver (corse) kutzall bit. I switched to a gold (it is smoother than a gold cutter) a lot less sanding by hand to smoth out the eye socket. thanks for the help with the etex. charlie

Charles, those are awesome, your paint just keeps getting better! If you have further issues with the eTex stop by and we'll talk about it, it might be easier explained in person? :huh:

Not rainbows but there are deffinately still a small number of sea run brookies that make it to open water. Someone posted a video here or on fb about a state tagging project, I bet they'll love that. cool plugs btw, good luck with the etex lol!