The Predator: Getting ugly

[ProfessorM]

Paperbag Looks good to me.

[numbskull]

One more detail. If you can't drill on your lathe, you can through drill with your drill press as outlined in a prior thread, but you'll have to use a longer nail as the centering pin to clear the lower lip of the plug.

[Charleston]

Nice write up...but....why not drill your hook holes before you cut the diving plane? Add the eyes if any at the same time.
I am going to give it a try.

[Tagger]

I like that plug because it is so freaky looking.. I've already started.. one proto in sealer now . making for the swap .. Great info Numbskull .. always thought of it as a darter,, never acually fished one.. so its a swimmer class plug ..

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by Sea-5

Nice write up...but....why not drill your hook holes before you cut the diving plane? Add the eyes if any at the same time.
I am going to give it a try.

I find it difficult to cut the diving plane perpendicular to the hook hole (unless you make a jig which never seems worth it for one or two plugs) if you drill it first. By cutting the diving plane first you can use it (by supporting it with a thin block of wood on your drill table) to keep your hook hole perpendicular. For the same reason (and unlike with darters where the hole is central) I don't try to drill the through hole until after I've cut the plane and mouth freehand, it leaves me more margin for error when cutting the plane. If the mouth (and hence wire height) ends up slightly different from plug to plug, well then I stand to learn something about its effect on the action.

Good luck, I hope it proves worth your time.

[Charleston]

I was assuming that the square ends were being left on the blank. I register my holes/eyes/lip slots using the square surfaces.

[Kadywampus]

Nice job .
I can picture that thing popping out of someones chest , ala Alien .

[MassBass]

good stuff