New Handcarves

[tynan19]

Wow those look really sweet.

[f_b_]

Hi
Nice looking plugs, with your gliders I suggest a couple different weighting schemes. About an inch (or so) from nose and an inch (or so) from tail. If you want less of a glide go more than an inch. If you want the plug to do 180s go with less than an inch. Add more lead to the middle of the bait for more weight, this gives a little wider glide and more depth. And drill 2 holes in your lexan lip with scuffing the edge. When the epoxy cures the holes will act like a couple of screws and as you know the scuffing will give the epoxy something to grab. Check the pic for examples.
Hope this helps - fb

[numbskull]

Interesting input f_b_, thanks. This whole slider thing is something I've been fooling with this winter, without realizing you muskie guys have already worked it out. If you don't mind, it would help if you could tell me whether you set up your sliders to float nose up (and, if so, how much), or try to keep them floating near level. Thanks again.

[gary2]

I have pinned my lips with SS wire with very good results.I pin most of the lips wether it is SS or plastic.Probaly one wire would work but why go thru making a nice handcarve and do the lip half a--
gary2
Nice plugs

[FlukinUki]

Glue a small 1/4x1/4 square of sandpaper to the tip of a pencil easer.

For small sanding "sticks" you can also spray the back of a piece of sandpaper with adheasive and lay out popsicle sticks, wood coffee stirrers, etc. When the glue dries just cut off a stick and sand, if your anal you can even write the grit on the stick.

Great info, Im gonna have to try some gliders now.

[Jigman]

Originally Posted by numbskull

... it would help if you could tell me whether you set up your sliders to float nose up (and, if so, how much), or try to keep them floating near level. Thanks again.

Set them up as either slow sinkers or barely floaters. Either way, have them sit level in the water. If the nose is up a hair, they'll still work, but not glide as well. Nose down and they'll dig in and not glide. The weighing of these plugs is the key. It is definitely worth taking the time to weigh each one before painting to insure that it will work right. Been messing with them too. In the last few weeks, I've probably done 30 as tests: different woods, thickness, profiles, weight locations, etc. Also was lucky in that a friend of mine makes them so I had someone to bounce ideas off too. Different woods and different profiles, and different thickness means different locations/amount of lead. My 2 cents.

Jigman

[steelhead]

I feel a pattern happening here. I've got about 6 carved and turned glider/slider style plugs turned and drying in the basement. This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'll put up a few pics in a day or so. Those big muskie plugs are a whole nuther world!

[f_b_]

Hello
Jigman is right, generally you want your glider to sit horizontally and slowly sink. There are coundown gliders (sinkers) and floaters and are used for different situations. But most gliders sit horizontally and slowly sink. If you find you glider sits unlevel or sinks too fast take a drill with a small drill bit and drill out lead until you get the glider to do what its suppose to do. You also can experiment with your glider by placing the lead higher to the center of the lure (drill deeper holes, but not too deep). This gives your glider nice belly rolls. I dont know if you will like this, but musky fisherman really like the belly rolls. In the musky world, cedar is a popular wood with lure builders when making gliders. I believe all the lead going into the cedar gives the glider a more "livelier" action. Maple is another good wood, less lead but good action. One last bit... take your last spook (topwater) you turned on your lathe and weight to sit level and sink slowly. You now have a glider and this profile will give your glider a very nice wide glide. See if this is something you like or not.
Hope this helps and have fun tinkering - fb