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Author Topic: Wooden Plugs - Through Wire and Eyes  (Read 6950 times)

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Offline Out Fishing

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Wooden Plugs - Through Wire and Eyes
« on: April 14, 2011, 08:31:44 AM »
First off thanks to all you guys for the help so far.  I'm still getting my stuff together to start building some plugs for myself and have a couple of other questions.

Regarding Eyes - I assume these go on last......do they go on after paint and and prior to clearing, or after clearing?
If after clearing, is the adhesive strong enough to last in the saltwater surf or should these be epoxied on (I have a few kits from Salty's).

Through Wire - the size of the wooden plugs I'm building are in the 6 - 7" length neighborhood and I'll be using them on the Jersey shore, mainly in the surf.  Is the through wire construction necessary for lures that are going to be used occasionally and not heavily fished?
I was thinking of using screw eyes in some of my lures.

Also with the through-wire hole....what's the best way to drill the hole accurately?  I have long drill bits but it seems like it will be pretty hard to do this accurately without a drill press. Any tips/secrets you guys can share on this topic...do you drill the wood blank or do you turn it into the final shape first before drilling the through hole?

Thanks again guys...this is a great forum.....my other hobby is fixing up old pinball machines and the google pinball forum I belong to has been of invaluable help to me in that hobby....looks like this one will be just as informative.....Rich
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Offline Out Fishing

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Re: Wooden Plugs - Through Wire and Eyes
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2011, 08:37:24 AM »
eyes go in after painting. Some guys put them in before clear some after. If you put them in before clear it helps to keep them on the plug when boofishes have their way with them...but I like the eyes after clear...much crisper look to them. Should be epoxied on or CA glue works well also. Don't' rely too heavily on the adhesive they come with...it's waterproof but won't last as long as glued in.

Epoxied screw eyes are stronger than thru wires in most cases when done right. Go thru wire for ease and durability..

Start with a short bit...then go to a long bit if you do this at home. I do it on a cnc machine. If you do it by home a drill press works the best but hold the blank solidly if you do that. A lathe can be used with a morse taper chuck, some guys do this but I never found it to work as well as a drill press.
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Offline Out Fishing

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Re: Wooden Plugs - Through Wire and Eyes
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2011, 08:38:20 AM »
show us some pinball machines. Neat to see other peoples hobbies.

There's a pretty wide range of stuff on here people do. Handy is a bee keeper...way cool stuff!
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Offline Out Fishing

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Re: Wooden Plugs - Through Wire and Eyes
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2011, 09:25:19 AM »
I'd be glad to post a few pics of some of the machines I've restored from my other hobby...have to get them off my home computer.

I'm hoping my plug building hobby will give me the same creative release / satisfaction I get from repainting/restoring my old pinballs.
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Offline Out Fishing

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Re: Wooden Plugs - Through Wire and Eyes
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2011, 07:36:08 PM »
Hey Salty...here's a couple pics of pinballs I've restored recently....
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Offline Out Fishing

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Re: Wooden Plugs - Through Wire and Eyes
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2011, 07:39:43 PM »
Wow those are real pinball machines too. 1950's?
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Better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing than a long life spent in a miserable way....Alan Watts

Offline Out Fishing

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Re: Wooden Plugs - Through Wire and Eyes
« Reply #6 on: April 14, 2011, 09:13:47 PM »
hay richiep after my plug is all painted up i like to install the eyes and the belly gromitts i epoxy the gromitt in  and i let it dry then i applie the two part epoxy  i add real fine glitter to the epoxy to give it some flash not to much... just a little and epoxy over the eyes........i use threw wire....cause even if my plug explodes apart i still have the fish on  i dont trust screw eyes.....get some brad point bits they work great   i drill the plug from both ends.......then run one of saltys drill bits right threw..............be warned those bit he carrys are very sharp  and they like to dig into wood... but they work great :)
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Offline Out Fishing

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Re: Wooden Plugs - Through Wire and Eyes
« Reply #7 on: April 15, 2011, 04:13:41 PM »
Hey Salty...actually one is from the mid 60's and the other the early 70's
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Offline Out Fishing

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Re: Wooden Plugs - Through Wire and Eyes
« Reply #8 on: April 15, 2011, 05:46:27 PM »
oh!! richiep i forgot to mention way to go on the pinball machines :)
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Born to fish forced to work
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Offline Out Fishing

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Re: Wooden Plugs - Through Wire and Eyes
« Reply #9 on: April 15, 2011, 09:29:18 PM »
Finally; someone (Saltyshop) agrees with me that the drill press is the easiest way to drill the through wire.
richiep,
Before the drill press I would through drill first, then turn. That works pretty well, but the wire will always be center. Sometimes you may want the line tie higher or lower.
Another way is to turn the plug and drill the hole for the gromet/swivel.  Then carefully drill starting with a shorter bit to the gromet/swivel hole from each end. With this method there will be misses, but that is the challenge of plugbuilding. Enjoy the hobby
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