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PatrickD · 04-08-2007, 07:50 PM

I could never make 30 plugs the same with out a duplicator no matter how much time you gave me. I would not be pleased with the results if I tried. Any of you guys who do this stuff freehand are better builders than I am.

With the Vega, It takes about 2-3 hours to turn and sand 30 bodies. Lets say 4 hours because we really need to make 36 to make room for the bogeys that end up in the wood stove

Drilling (with hook, weight and eye holes) takes about 2 more hours.
Sealing the raw wood with epoxy takes about an hour. Priming 30 bodies takes about 15 minutes with a spray can. Painting takes as much time as you want depending on how nuts you want to get with undershading, interference colors, scaling, and sex paint but that's the fun part.
Wireing, glueing eyes, signing and epoxy sealing 30 plugs takes about 5 hours of actual work time. I give special props to Tagger 'cause hydro-orientating is an additional step taking more time.
I know that set up and clean up for each operation adds something on each end but, plug making is supposed to be fun. If it's not fun for you to make 30 plugs, it will quickly become work, and nothing kills fun (and productivity) faster than work!

Please don't get me wrong. I don't care if some of the guys are a little late. Truthfully, I expect it. Some guys will go 3 1/2 months and still be waiting for lips and swivels to come in the mail. I'd swap with any of you no matter how long it takes to finish.

It just seems that we signed up for this in November and 4 months should be plenty of time to make 26 or 27 actual shipped plugs.
That said, I thank you all for taking part in this and I'm really looking forward to seeing, and fishing your plugs!

Hey Flap.
Why would you disdain a duplicator?? Useing a dupe does not make you any less of a craftsman.
You are still free to do all the freehand work and new designs to your hearts content. The only time a dupe really comes into play is to save time and improve consistency when you need to do the assembly line thing. It should never thwart your creativity or hinder your skills with a gouge and skew. It's just a tool like any jig or fixture.

Patrick aka Digger

04-08-2007, 07:50 PM	#25
PatrickD Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Monmouth Co, NJ Posts: 90	I could never make 30 plugs the same with out a duplicator no matter how much time you gave me. I would not be pleased with the results if I tried. Any of you guys who do this stuff freehand are better builders than I am. With the Vega, It takes about 2-3 hours to turn and sand 30 bodies. Lets say 4 hours because we really need to make 36 to make room for the bogeys that end up in the wood stove Drilling (with hook, weight and eye holes) takes about 2 more hours. Sealing the raw wood with epoxy takes about an hour. Priming 30 bodies takes about 15 minutes with a spray can. Painting takes as much time as you want depending on how nuts you want to get with undershading, interference colors, scaling, and sex paint but that's the fun part. Wireing, glueing eyes, signing and epoxy sealing 30 plugs takes about 5 hours of actual work time. I give special props to Tagger 'cause hydro-orientating is an additional step taking more time. I know that set up and clean up for each operation adds something on each end but, plug making is supposed to be fun. If it's not fun for you to make 30 plugs, it will quickly become work, and nothing kills fun (and productivity) faster than work! Please don't get me wrong. I don't care if some of the guys are a little late. Truthfully, I expect it. Some guys will go 3 1/2 months and still be waiting for lips and swivels to come in the mail. I'd swap with any of you no matter how long it takes to finish. It just seems that we signed up for this in November and 4 months should be plenty of time to make 26 or 27 actual shipped plugs. That said, I thank you all for taking part in this and I'm really looking forward to seeing, and fishing your plugs! Hey Flap. Why would you disdain a duplicator?? Useing a dupe does not make you any less of a craftsman. You are still free to do all the freehand work and new designs to your hearts content. The only time a dupe really comes into play is to save time and improve consistency when you need to do the assembly line thing. It should never thwart your creativity or hinder your skills with a gouge and skew. It's just a tool like any jig or fixture. Patrick aka Digger Last edited by PatrickD; 04-08-2007 at 09:53 PM..