Almost too pretty to fish, Micanopy....I said almost!
Bob
You are always so complimentary....thanks.
I am showing some of what I make. Mostly just experimenting and seeing what can be done. I’d fiddle for the rest of my life but the Lord and my wife wouldn’t take it very good. So I fiddle in the early mornings and then go to work. Have to stop for today to help brother with his shed project. He always does these things once it gets hot outside. Never in Winter when it’s nice.
Up next feathers.
Maybe they will bite this one……
The resin does open many doors and I know you’ll try most of them. I found that using a bodkin, or a needle with a handle, was my best tool for applying eyes. The sticky back is enough to hold the eye while you get it placed and then press and coat with resin. Keep it up......
Creativity is just intelligence fooling aroundMicanopy thanked you for this post
Did you ever use gorilla glue clear for eyes? You have plenty of time to tweak eyes and won’t stick to your fingers like instant super glue. If do more than just glueing eyes on then yeah UV resin. What resin are you using? Not all are the same and I have some that’s tacky afterwards no matter what like Solarez which I hate. Bone dry is great but thin. Been wanting to get some alumilite but haven’t yet. I usually just set my jigs outside in the sun when using UV resin. Have a UV flashlight but would have to hold it on them for awhile. Probably need bigger setup but the sun is free and I don’t do enough to justify better lighting.
Micanopy thanked you for this post
I bought cheap resin off Amazon. Two bottles $20. It says low odor and hard. Says new formula.
I use the flashlight to freeze the resin, and form things and the Sun to finish. It takes care of the tacky feeling.
Found some materials at Dollar General. Rainbow parachute cord and bright yellow nylon mason’s string.
Maybe they will bite this one……S10CHEVY LIKED above post
Camera wiggled out of focus for this picture, but UV light can still show the extent of this effect I am getting. Seems so easy now. Couple of observations here, the effect follows the brow lines on the recessed eye sockets from the mold. So smaller eyes allow more of that effect to be viewed. I like bigger eyes, but they do cover up some of the best parts.
Best aspect of the effect starts at the top of the jig head, as paint can run down and take some of the lower paint with it, but lower than about halfway down, the liquified edge of silver thickens, and the effect stops, with just a silver coating continuing downward and onto hook shank. Pot luck on the resultant heads as each is a complete unknown going into the oven.
My personal preference is definitely the UV reflective green head, in that it reminds me of lizard skin. Like reptile. Even if it doesn’t catch as many fish as say blue, I can feel confident knowing that the fish never seen nothing like this before.
I applied the 3mm eyes to a Bat Jig head and by maneuvering them forward or more centered, obtained either a minnow look or a sea turtle. No kidding..... a turtle.
The color is similar to watermelon pumpkin the B.A.S.S. Masters use for jigs. At speed it is hard to imagine crappie noticing the detail. Dirty water, cloudy, algae, etc the detail that can be seen is in the UV realm or not at all. I imagine they would see similar to photo.
So with this paint effect I can explore a little bit further. I have ideas. Told my friend that I don’t lose jigs, maybe one a month. Salad bowls round here. That makes it OK to put in the extra attention.
I see where Jim’s Jungle Jigs is making these available to others. To be sure a man could buy them from him, and never miss the steep learning curve associated with learning the process. It was frustrating very easily.
I am thinking about which soft plastic to pair up with the lizard skin. I want a reptile look. Any suggestions ?
Maybe they will bite this one……
Feathers......a lot to learn about feathers. Seems the ones I have on hand are not exactly what is useful. Maybe someone can point me to a good supplier of useful feathers.
BTW- I discovered something very important about UV resin. I got some in my eye and it burned like gasoline. A drop must have been on the table to[ and got on my finger, then I wiped at my eye. Ouch.
I gifted an entire box of jigs so now I have room to make more. Oh joy.
My UV light lacks the power to cure the resin properly. I am thinking about getting something else. The Sun finishes the cure perfectly, but I need to have something to halt the droplets from falling off. Something quick.
Maybe they will bite this one……
Feathers......a lot to learn about feathers. Seems the ones I have on hand are not exactly what is useful. Maybe someone can point me to a good supplier of useful feathers.
BTW- I discovered something very important about UV resin. I got some in my eye and it burned like gasoline. A drop must have been on the table to[ and got on my finger, then I wiped at my eye. Ouch.
I gifted an entire box of jigs so now I have room to make more. Oh joy.
My UV light lacks the power to cure the resin properly. I am thinking about getting something else. The Sun finishes the cure perfectly, but I need to have something to halt the droplets from falling off. Something quick.
Maybe they will bite this one……