A New Swimmer

[BaitLobber]

This one still needs the epoxy coat. It's going to do some traveling and hopefully catch a Tarpon, unfortunately, I will not be there if it does:rolleyes: :D The body is 7 inches long.
4963

4964

[Bristol Lou]

Very nice work, handcarved I take it?

[rjf3]

Very nice work, handcarved I take it?

Lou,

Brads handcarved plugs are sweet.


Russ

[bunkerfinger]

very nice. good luck to the person throwing it:)

[Charlie G]

Amazing you can do that by hand. Can you tell me how you get the angle of the lip and size. I'm thinking of giving it a try witteling me one. Never get it like that tho. Nice plug Brad.

[BaitLobber]

Thanks guys. Charlie G, you can do it, it really ain't that special. Carved ducks with all the feather work complete, now thats something special!

Just don't start off thinking "Hey, I've got an hour, think I'll make a plug" That's not going to happen. I may "play with a handcarve 10 - 20 times, but only 5 -10 minutes each time. I wander out to the garage, carve a little now, file a bit later, next time do some sanding, seal it, paint....you get the idea. I never sit down and make a plug, it happens gradually over several days or a week. I like doing it that way because I get a chance to step back and think out the next move (do I want more taper on the tail, etc...) and in the end it turns out better that way for me. I only say all this because I always hear people say "I don't have the patience for that", well I don't either, other than 5-10 minutes at a time;)

As for the lip, no real science used here, some trial and error, lots of looking at the angle of manufactured plugs and trying to match the action of other plugs to what I'm looking for. My lips are cut from one side of 1/8th inch thick 1 1/2 inch aluminum angle with a pair of shears, but I really want to switch to sheet stainless. The aluminum is easy to work with and I already had it. I cut the slot with a hand saw and glue the lip with Loctite 5 minute epoxy.

Good luck, any questions, feel free to ask. Probably get better advice from one of the real plug builders on here.

[RhinoScores]

sure is sweet looking. I have to see some of your plug in real life.

[BaitLobber]

sure is sweet looking. I have to see some of your plug in real life.

I have to meet up with you soon anyway, just got a call tonight and that item is done, I may pick it up tomorrow:)

[Red_Cherokee]

Very nice Brad.

[BIG DONS PLUGS]

Thanks guys. Charlie G, you can do it, it really ain't that special. Carved ducks with all the feather work complete, now thats something special!

Just don't start off thinking "Hey, I've got an hour, think I'll make a plug" That's not going to happen. I may "play with a handcarve 10 - 20 times, but only 5 -10 minutes each time. I wander out to the garage, carve a little now, file a bit later, next time do some sanding, seal it, paint....you get the idea. I never sit down and make a plug, it happens gradually over several days or a week. I like doing it that way because I get a chance to step back and think out the next move (do I want more taper on the tail, etc...) and in the end it turns out better that way for me. I only say all this because I always hear people say "I don't have the patience for that", well I don't either, other than 5-10 minutes at a time;)

As for the lip, no real science used here, some trial and error, lots of looking at the angle of manufactured plugs and trying to match the action of other plugs to what I'm looking for. My lips are cut from one side of 1/8th inch thick 1 1/2 inch aluminum angle with a pair of shears, but I really want to switch to sheet stainless. The aluminum is easy to work with and I already had it. I cut the slot with a hand saw and glue the lip with Loctite 5 minute epoxy.

Good luck, any questions, feel free to ask. Probably get better advice from one of the real plug builders on here.

I would venture to say you are a real plug builder and a very good one. Excellent work. Big Don :)

[BaitLobber]

Thanks again guys, Big Don much appreciated:)

[RhinoScores]

I have to meet up with you soon anyway, just got a call tonight and that item is done, I may pick it up tomorrow:)

I got your email and responded - will be calling you tomorrow. I'm very excited. :D :D :D

[RhinoScores]

Guys - I saw this plug in person tonight, and all I can say is WOW! The pic does not come anywhere close to doing the plug justice. Truely amazing.

[Fishenough]

Great work BL. Do you use a marker to create those scales?

[BaitLobber]

Great work BL. Do you use a marker to create those scales?

Thanks guys,

Yep, markers. Spray the scale pattern with a net and highlight the back edge of the scales with Sharpie micro fine point markers, same with the head details. Very tedious, but the result is worth it to me.

[Fishenough]

That is sweet work. Outsatanding!!! The time you put into your plugs wil surely pay off.

[DJ COAST]

BL, sweet work man....I would love to see how it swims. Is it a trial and error with that also? I was wandering when you come up with a new style and before you paint it and seal it do you test it first to see how it swims and maybe shave a little off here and a little there...then test it again??

[BaitLobber]

Thanks DJ, I kinda chuckled when I read this because until recently I didn't put that much effort into it. I really just got started the end of last winter and barely have 2 dozen plugs under my belt. I have learned alot with each plug and have modified some of the first few. Its been stated here before and hard to achieve, but as you know a plug needs to accomplish many things. The action hasn't been a problem at all for me so far, always been very happy with the way they swam. My biggest problem has been flight and it is the nature of the beast with the hand carve in my opinion. The shape is just not condusive to tail end first flight, at least without some added weight. That's where I'm at now, getting the balance between enough added weight for flight and stealing some of the action by moving the center of mass to the tail. So, in a nut shell...trial and error:D :rolleyes: