Plugmaking basics

[SurfJockey]

Here's is a little information I have compiled to help some others get started making their own plugs.

After you have carved your plug from square stock, it's a good idea to leave the square ends on, to aid in drilling, so your belly and eye holes can be drilled on the proper axis, and so lip slots are straight when cutting (if using them).

Once you have carved your plug, you will then want to drill your throughhole (if you have not done before shaping).  The easist way to do this is to use a drill chuck armed with an 1/8" brad point drill bit attatched to your tailstock, and feed the bit into your spinning plug, flip and repeat.  Using this method, ensures that you will be left with a hole that is directly in the center of your plug.  You will most likely need to finish the hole with a longer bit in a hand drill.

Then you will want to drill your belly holes for hook(s), belly weights/tail weights (if using), and eyes. I like to use brad point bits, as they don't "walk" as much as standard point bits.  Forstner bits are also great for cutting clean holes.  You can recess your belly grommets if you want by using a larger bit first, about the size of your outside diameter on the grommet, then drill your smaller hole the size of the shaft on the grommet to meet your throughhole. The brad point bits give you a nice center hole, helping you put the smaller hole directly in the center of your larger one. I like to also recess the eye holes, by touching them with a ball rasp on my drill after hitting them with the brad point bits just enough to set them in the body. It gives them a nice look. After all your holes are drilled you will then need to seal the plug.

I have been sealing with a 60/40 mix of Spar urethane (60%) thinned with mineral spirits (40%). Mix well in a container that will fit your plugs. Soak for 30 mins to an hour, wipe off, and dry for a few days. You can't rush the drying time. I let them go at least 2 or 3 days before moving on.  Sealing your plugs is an important step.  This will help stop your plug from soaking up water and ruining your end finish, and can also mess up the way it swims by adding too much water weight.

After sealing is the time to put in your belly weights that will be covered.  You will want to epoxy in your weights with a good 2 part mix.  Once dry, you will have to use some wood putty to fill the holes after your weight is in.  Once dry, sand flush to hide and get ready to prime and paint now.

Rattle cans are a good way to start out.  You can also use an airbrush which is much better for detail work.
After priming and painting, you will then throughwire the plug. Insert your nose, tail and belly grommets, tailweight (if using), and catch your belly swivel when putting in your throughwire.  Finish by wrapping your wire around an allen key in a vise to give you your loop and wrap.  

Once your plug is assembled, you will want to use a topcoat to protect the finish agaist hook scratch and teethmarks (hopefully).  The most popular is Envirotex Lite 2 part epoxy (Etex). You can get this at A.C. Moore. Look in the paper as there are usually 50% off coupons. This must be mixed 1:1 measured as perfect as you can get, and mixed for a good 2 or 3 minutes until the product becomes clear again, and not hazy. Little cough medicine cups are great for this. Brush it on with an acid brush. Be sure to pull on the bristles first to make sure there are no loose pieces that can come off and end up on the plug. A hot breath of air will help remove bubbles after brushing them. You will want to keep turning the plug until it sets up to give you a drip free finish., or build a spinner with a rotisserie motor or something like that. If using more than one coat, you will want to lightly scuff and wipe with alcohol between coats. 2 coats should give you a good ,thick, glassy finish.

I'm just learning all this myself, but this should give anyone a head start on getting something in the water. Good luck to you!

Anyone else, feel free to add to this.

[ped579]

Really good stuff Jayson...I am hoping Santa brings me a brand new midi lathe.  I hope the wife reads this.   

[SurfJockey]

I'm hoping for the same thing Paul!  My lathe is on it's last legs!

I've been a good boy all year so hopefully there will be a new shiny Jet under the tree this year. 

Paul, have you had any progress with your throughdrilling?  If you want, I can pre-drill a few cedar blanks for you to turn.  Let me know.

[Hotrod]

 

[Kenny]

Great stuff Jason...truly the essence of fishing for me...Catching a fish is one thing....catching a fish on a home made plug/rig/bucktail is twice as rewarding I think...

Keep up the good work....bring one with you on the Islander tog trip....would like to see one up close 

[ped579]

Jason I have not really tried it yet.  I have been up to my eye balls with honey do's lately.

[Bucktail]

Great info there.  Nice job Jason.

[Jeffish]

Let's add:

When mixing your epoxy, whether it be the Envirotex or your epoxy adhesive, don't mix like a madman, and try not to fold it. These aren't cookies you're making!
Smooth and steady wins the race. Mix with a smooth and steady swirling motion, and do not fold! Folding the mix will put massive amounts of air bubbles.
When mixing the epoxy adhesive, make sure to use a plastic toothpick. The rough wooden surface will produce tiny air bubbles. All epoxy is different though, so read the directions it comes with.

A good idea is to make a "holder" for your plugs. This is what I've come up with. (see attached photos)

All it consists of are small pony clamps, a piece of plywood, and a 2x4. 2x4 screwed onto the edge of the plywood, and the small pony clamps screwed into the edge of the plywood that has the 2x4. The sticks you see are small paint brushes. The small diameter of the sticks makes it a perfect fit inside the through holes.

[BigAl13]

Well at least jason didn't give up painting secrets ( we need them for howd he do that factor.) The easiest way to drill the center hole is as follows. Most lathes have a wheel which when you turn it moves the spindle in and out.after I'm done spinning my plug I take the head off the lathe and put on a jacobs drill chuck bought from home depot and drill the hole

[Jeffish]

The best painting secret if you're using an air brush is..KEEP THE AIR ON!!!!!!!!!!!

[BigAl13]

That is a good one

[Brewdaddy]

Well Jason...That sounds like fun...I have tied my own flies for years and what a rewarding thing when you can catch a fish on something you created!!...Only problem with this for me is...I (think)I just learned how to Snell a 4O hook with 80# leader!!  The other issue I have is I have been bad all year and am sure Santa (AKA the wife) will not buy me a lathe!!  But maybe I can buy one and tell her I found it in the trash and I fixed it....with the box and manual!!!  Great Job, cant wait to see it on the tog trip!!

[tothelimit]

WOW! Fantastic post. Though I am not into making plugs I can appreciate the time and work that you guys put into them. Keep the articles coming!

[ChrisL]

To make the thru-drilling a bit easier, Lowes (and I'm sure other retailers) sell Hitachi bits that are 12in long. The longer bit will allow for drilling one complete hole in one shot. 
I picked one up today and I'm gonna try it this weekend.  Might be a little long, but you can always cut 2 or 3 inches off the back end. 

[ped579]

Chris I have one and you have to watch as it will skew off center.  It is actually flexing at the chuck.  Once it goes off course it will continue to follow that line.  I have a feeling  you will have to cut it down to the length of each plug length you will be making.  Or at least to the length of the longest plug.

I think if you make a gig to fit the square stock and drill through first  it would be easier. 

[SurfJockey]

It's hard to to a complete throughdrill with a long bit unless you have a large lathe.  Figure a 10 inch blank, plus the 12" bit.  You'd need a max distance of about 22" between your spur center and spindle.  Most midi lathes have a working distance of 14" or so between your points.  You can always buy a bed extension to do it the way you're talking about though.  I use the same Hitachi bit in a hand drill, after starting my throughhole on the lathe, only getting about 3 1/2 inches in from each side. 

[ChrisL]

Did I forget to mention, I'll be working on a lathe with an almost 6ft bed?

[ped579]

 

[BigAl13]

Drilling the hole is a pain no matter what.I'm lucky enough to have a drill press so what I did was take 3 pieces of 1/2" ply the same size as the table I trace the table and holes on the ply, then cut that out and drill the holes and I make jigs out of the ply for each type of plug 1 for the through hole 1 for the belly swivel hole and 1 for the eyes

[Jeffish]

Through drilling isn't as hard as it seems. This is how I do it.

The lathe will do most, if not all of the work for you. When you put your block of wood on the lathe, regardless on if it's off center, it will correct itself when you carve it. The holes that are punctured in the wood from the tail/head stock can be used as a reference point. I take an MT-2 drill chuck I got from Harbor Freight, along with a standard size 1/8" drill bit to drill my through holes. I put my chuck in the tail stock, and push the bit into the spinning wood, rather then push the wood into a spinning bit. I line the holes up, and put slight pressure on the drill bit, and then turn the lathe on, and push. I repeat for the other side, and then I take the standard size bit out, and put the long bit in. It's probably a good idea to get different lengths of 1/8" drill bits. I'll take my long bit in the chuck, and push it as far into the through hole as possible, to eliminate the bend in the long bit. Keep in mind, 1/8" is very skinny, and if you put too much pressure on it, it will bend and snap. Too little pressure and the tip will wobble causing it to walk. When you shove the long bit into the hole you drilled with the standard size bit, it takes the wobble out, and you can just drill as far in as you need to.

Also, keep in mind, if you're using .062" wire with .152" nose grommets, you'll probably have to drill the nose out to fit the doubled wire and the nose grommet. I use a 3/16" bit, and drill about 2 inches in.

I hope this helps, and I'll post up some pictures on how I do it when I get a chance.