Making your own

[Anthony Robinson]

So i've been looking into GT popping for a while now, set myself up with a custom calstar GT stick and a saltiga Z 6000GT (thanks to hon su and matt)

i'm just wondering does any one make their own poppers.

I have access to a wood lathe, so i'm think of experimenting with making my own. basing my shapes on many of the successful poppers on the market

Obviously stainless steel wire would need to be inserted down the centre of the popper and quality rings and hooks attached but could possibly save a packet i reckon $$$, plus the satisfaction of catching fish on home made lures

any thoughts, advice would be greatly appreciated
also any one got any ideas on where i can get the stainless steel wire shafts ??

cheers anthony

[Mark Stotesbury]

a few poppers i made the other day .you can use TIG welding rods 304L is cheaper than 316L. remember to soak your poppers in a diluted epoxy so you get the wood soaking up the epoxy plus pour some down the centre hole to get a good seal on the wood .have fun

[Travis Heaps]

+1 for stainless welding rods for the through wire.

[Anthony Robinson]

thanks guys some good advice, i imagine i can get welding rods from bunning or the like or is there more specific suppliers around ??

is there any need to put lead weights in the lure to make sure it swims belly down, or does the weight of the hooks serve this function

cheers anthony

[Angus Hulme]

Hi Anthony,
 
I am also a keen lure maker, and after extensive searching, I have come to the conclusion that I can only get the TIG and MIG wire from dedicated welding suppliers. Bog-standard hardware shops and places like Bunnings don't seem to carry it. Other members here may have differing experiences though.

I was under the impression that most poppers only have lead on the tail end, and this serves to help with how they cast. Stickbaits (well mine anyway!) tend to have weight at front and back, so the front end is more inclined to duck and dive and get it's nose under water.  I don't add weights in the belly of any of my lures, because once hooks are added, my lures seem to swim belly down without a problem.

You may also be interested in the following thread:

http://www.gtpopping.com/forum/index.php?topic=1063.msg10651#msg10651

Cheers
Angus

PS. Mark, those lures of yours look brilliant. Clearly you have a good handle on the use of a lathe. BTW, what do you dilute your epoxy with? I have always just used the 2 part epoxy in it's standard thick form.

[Anthony Robinson]

thanks for the advice angus,

your lures look awesome, where abouts did you get the holographic tape from

can you use any types of paint as long as the lure is sealed afterwards with a 2 part epoxy type product

i'm thinking a cratf shop may have some usefull bits and peices to give my my lures some flashie finishes etc.

thanks for all the advice guys

cheers anthony

[Laurent Thiriet]

hi
taking fishes with home made poppers is the best think for me

[Angus Hulme]

Laurent, they are some crazy looking lure patterns and shapes there..... , but the results obviously speak for themselves, great work.

where abouts did you get the holographic tape from  

Hi Anthony, the holographic tape is a product called WTP (http://www.wtp-inc.com/), purchased from my local tackle shop here in Brisbane. I am currently trying to find more economical sources of holographic material, but for small numbers of lures, WTP works OK.

can you use any types of paint as long as the lure is sealed afterwards with a 2 part epoxy type product

I am still experimenting with paint myself, and have tons to learn, but I have found that if I seal the bare timber first with the 2 part epoxy, sand it to a smooth finish, then apply paint, the best finish is obtained. I then seal the paint with a clear resin finish. The final clear coat I use is very hit-and-miss, (actually more miss-and-miss ) and I'd love to know what the professionals use, however, they don't generally like divulging their secrets! 

I use Createx paint shot through an airbrush, but I have heard of many other people using auto paints and finishes. Because I am just working on the back deck at my home, I like the Createx paint because it's water based and is far easier to clean up without the use of severe solvents etc.

Regarding craft shops, I have looked around my local craft shops, and they do have some interesting products and finishes. From my experience, none are suited to outdoor use, and their durability is atrocious.

Hope that helps mate.

Cheers
Angus

[Nathan Cefai]

Nice Job Laurent!!