Finishing Lure Shop/Getting Started with Pencils

[numbskull]

By calipers I mean simple mechanical ones. You will set one for your tail size, one for your head size (on swimmers) and one for the widest spot on the plug (maybe a fourth for some other area on the plug).

You will turn a cylinder with your gouge, then use your parting tool and calipers to set the 3 or 4 crucial dimensions. You will rough down close to final shape with your gouge, connect the dots with your skew, touch up with sandpaper, and start another body.

I think a 1 1/4 " skew is easier to use than a 3/4 " one, a 3/4 " roughing gouge is a good tool, although I use a 1 1/2" gouge more often (both work and the 3/4 better for final roughing). Get a simple square sided parting tool, it is better for flat ends and faster (more stable on the tool rest than the narrower diamond tool) unless you need a thin profile for detail work.

A duplicator is a mixed blessing.

[Eric Roach]

Originally Posted by numbskull

By calipers I mean simple mechanical ones. You will set one for your tail size, one for your head size (on swimmers) and one for the widest spot on the plug (maybe a fourth for some other area on the plug).

You will turn a cylinder with your gouge, then use your parting tool and calipers to set the 3 or 4 crucial dimensions. You will rough down close to final shape with your gouge, connect the dots with your skew, touch up with sandpaper, and start another body.

I think a 1 1/4 " skew is easier to use than a 3/4 " one, a 3/4 " roughing gouge is a good tool, although I use a 1 1/2" gouge more often (both work and the 3/4 better for final roughing). Get a simple square sided parting tool, it is better for flat ends and faster (more stable on the tool rest than the narrower diamond tool) unless you need a thin profile for detail work.

A duplicator is a mixed blessing.

Do you use a 1 1/4" skew for small plugs too?

What would you say the cons are to a duplicator?

[BigFish]

Get a duplicator later, learn how to turn by hand first! It helps to know how to turn by hand and you will need to turn by hand to make your master bodies for templates. Don't try to skip on the learning curve.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by BigFish

Get a duplicator later, learn how to turn by hand first! It helps to know how to turn by hand and you will need to turn by hand to make your master bodies for templates. Don't try to skip on the learning curve.

Yep.... thats part of the fun.

I do use my duplicator most of the time now but I still use the tools to make new designs and once you find a new design that works pissah then you can slap it on the duplicator and make a template.

When Plugfest rolls around....ain't much on the table there that was created with a duplicator.

[Mr. Krinkle]

I agree about turing plugs before you start using a duplicator. I would rather turn plugs by just using tools and not the duplicator. To me it is much more enjoyable than just ripping a body on a duplicator. There are videos on turning wood on youtube if you need a visual. Good luck and enjoy.

[Eric Roach]

Originally Posted by BigFish

Get a duplicator later, learn how to turn by hand first! It helps to know how to turn by hand and you will need to turn by hand to make your master bodies for templates. Don't try to skip on the learning curve.

Thanks, I agree -- I think I'm going to keep it in the box for now.

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by Eric Roach

Do you use a 1 1/4" skew for small plugs too?

What would you say the cons are to a duplicator?

A skew only cuts with the bottom half of it's width, and only a 1/16" section of the edge is in touch with the wood as it cuts no matter how narrow or wide the blade. The wider tool gives you more control as you swing/lift the handle. 3/4" is OK, but wider is better unless you are doing fine detail work (which plugs don't require).

The other VERY important thing about skews, and something that took me years to realize/find out, is that they need to be sharpened with a flat bevel.......not hollow ground on a wheel and then given a secondary bevel like most other tools. The skew is held steady by three points of contact; the tool rest, the edge, and the bevel which rides on the work behind the cut. Get that geometry wrong and spectacular stuff happens......very, very quickly (hence the face mask).

Duplicators require patterns. Patterns take time to make so once you make one you tend to get locked into that shape. When you turn freehand you will find that the shape you start with often evolves as you go. Evolution of what you are making leaves opportunity for improvement and learning. Once you have a shape you are sure you like then duplicators are fine and take a lot of the tedium out of turning multiples.

[Eric Roach]

Originally Posted by numbskull

A skew only cuts with the bottom half of it's width, and only a 1/16" section of the edge is in touch with the wood as it cuts no matter how narrow or wide the blade. The wider tool gives you more control as you swing/lift the handle. 3/4" is OK, but wider is better unless you are doing fine detail work (which plugs don't require).

The other VERY important thing about skews, and something that took me years to realize/find out, is that they need to be sharpened with a flat bevel.......not hollow ground on a wheel and then given a secondary bevel like most other tools. The skew is held steady by three points of contact; the tool rest, the edge, and the bevel which rides on the work behind the cut. Get that geometry wrong and spectacular stuff happens......very, very quickly (hence the face mask).

Duplicators require patterns. Patterns take time to make so once you make one you tend to get locked into that shape. When you turn freehand you will find that the shape you start with often evolves as you go. Evolution of what you are making leaves opportunity for improvement and learning. Once you have a shape you are sure you like then duplicators are fine and take a lot of the tedium out of turning multiples.

This is great information, numbskull -- I appreciate it.

And thanks to everyone for all the advice and viewpoints so far. I'm really digging the generosity on this site.

I'm cutting out of work to go to a specialty woodstore a few miles away to pick-up some pine and maybe some basswood. I'm still a couple weeks away from turning, but I wanted to take a look. My friend buys his wood here -- he's shopped the entire area for the best prices.

I don't suppose you can get any pine of appropriate quality at one of the box stores(?) My friend says most of their stock isn't clean enough for plug building.

Couple other things I've been told that I want to put out there for opinions:

• Don't bother trying poplar for lures (splits?)
• Maple is more likely to split than birch when I start turning sinking needles.
• Don't take anyone's opinion of lure building as gospel - experiment. BUT, assume probably all safety warnings and cautionary tales come from experience.

[Striperknight]

Originally Posted by numbskull

By calipers I mean simple mechanical ones. You will set one for your tail size, one for your head size (on swimmers) and one for the widest spot on the plug (maybe a fourth for some other area on the plug).

I have to say this is a great tip. I only use one set and I have to stop to
adjust all the time. Time to run out and buy some more.
Do you color code or label the calipers some way? I know when i get multiple ones its gonna be hard not to mix them up.