stuff in progress

[ProfessorM]

Originally Posted by NIB

Hey Paul,On the Needles how do ya make the face cuts.I do a few the same way and I just sand em on the belt sander.It takes some care to make em perfect as far as alignment with the eyes and all.I know it don't matter if it's 100 percent but it would bother me it it where not.

Hey Tony
I sand the Stezko needles with a small drum sander you can put in your drill press. I made a quick fixture to hold the plug up right using the belly hole I then go in from both sides sliding the fixture on the drill press, Bridgeport, table till I get them even. The small needles I use an endmill and put plug in a bridgeport vise and mill the flats. Not very helpful to you I know but I would think you could do them the same with the drum sander in the spindle of the drill press, but it would leave a bigger radius. Doing it free hand leaves to many ways to screw it up, something a fixture would eliminate IMO.

PS. it would bother me too if they weren't even.

[Mr. Krinkle]

Here's some stuff I have in progress. Hopefully I can make it to the plugbuilding gathering.
Top to bottom:

9" Maple Needle - 3oz
6" Mahogany popper - 3oz
Musso troller knockoff - 3 1/4
7" Mahogany needle - 2 - 2.5 oz
Small handcarve - 1.5oz
Atom 40 knockoff
5" Red Cedar pencil - 1oz.

[Lower]

Nice plugs guys. Looking forward to seeing it up close in a couple months.

[scottw]

wow, that was a real treat...plug envy...talent envy...knowledge envy...workshop envy.... Professor, do you go with a vintage looking paint job on those Capt. Bills? I like the drawings, Bay Stalker had some nice ones in a recent post, those would look great framed up and hanging on the wall...

[go4broke44]

I've been turning out some pencils and polaris style poppers for the ditch here and there, but have also been toying with some newer designs (for me at least).

I've been making a surfster-ish plug for a while thats similar to the g2 slim plugs, and recently reshaped it a bit to look more like a slim, with various weight placement. Might try making it a slope-head as well. Probably some more experimentation with beer-cap lips too, since its fun and I have too much time on my hands, haha.

my original shape


the "slim"-er shape


Also one of my main projects is the conrad plugs, especially the junior. I would really like to start trying to fish these in the ditch this year, and learning how to do that should be fun (I hope). note the smoke in the epoxy on the yellow one from getting the lighter too close

[ProfessorM]

Originally Posted by scottw

wow, that was a real treat...plug envy...talent envy...knowledge envy...workshop envy.... Professor, do you go with a vintage looking paint job on those Capt. Bills? I like the drawings, Bay Stalker had some nice ones in a recent post, those would look great framed up and hanging on the wall...

First time I tried these so I have not decide yet. has a gigantic a-40 lip on this skinny little plug. The finish on the original is that plastic type outside finish capt bill used. I guess i will try one in the original paint, could be a challenge though.