consistant balsa body shapes.

[sniksoh 0]

ive decided to try some balsa poppers. carved up a couple bodies today and there is no consistancy between the two what so ever. just wondering if any one had some tips on makeing my balsa poppers look somewhat the same.

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

What?, and ruin the custom look on them. Similarity but inconsistency is what I like about hand shaped wood poppers. Seriously though, if you want consistency, the closest you can get is to start with stock that is the same size and turn them down to a cone shape on a mandrel held in a dremel or drill, but then for that shape, you may as well get tapered corks. I prefer the squarish look and start with a balsa or other wood stick that is near the size I want the height and width to be. Then I cut it about two inches long and cut a hook slot in the bottom. Then from one end, I measure the approximate length of the head based on the hook. On that end, which will be the rear of the popper, I slice the two top corners off from about midway between my head mark and the rear making the cut deeper and tapering down towards the rear. Then I do the same to the bottom trying to make sure I keep the hook slot centered between the cuts, the bottom cut will be less deep but all four cuts will leave you with elongated triangular shaped planes; keep slicing those edges until you have a rough taper. Then use and emory board to smooth out the cuts. Cut your face on a slight angle using a razor saw or similar. Leave the popping face flat but angled down and with a square profile - more surface area than a round bug. Finish lightly sanding to finished shape. Glue hook in; sometimes you have to use a different hook if you trimmed the body to much or not enough. After hook dries, seal the balsa with some thin CA glue and dab off the excess with a paper towel - the CA will soak in to the balsa and make a hard body that will not absorb water even if the finish and paint peel off. Fill the hook slot void with wood filler and sand smooth - the CA will pull some grain up on the wood that you want to smooth out before painting. Sometimes, I forget the CA and do the wood filler first. Don't think it matters much which order they're done in.

Oh, if you want consistent, you best sell your balsa and order some pre-formed hard foam bug heads from WAPSI. They are great heads and are consistent.

See the photos below, I don't think any of them are the same.

Kirk

The one on the bottom is a squarish popper. The other two are tapered bottle stopper corks.

 

The bottom one is balsa, the other is a tapered bottle stopper cork shaped with by sticking on a mandrel in my dremel and turning down on sandpaper.

 

All three of these are balsa turned on a mandrel/dremel and sandpaper.

[rockworm 0]

Unless your poppers are cylindrical, you might consider using a "miter box"-approach. You know, with slots to guide your blade for cutting the basic shape.

 

 

[Stippled Popper 0]

Unless your poppers are cylindrical, you might consider using a "miter box"-approach. You know, with slots to guide your blade for cutting the basic shape.

 

 

 

If the poppers are cylindrical, this might help. . .

 

Flyslinger's Foil Pencil Poppers

 

whether they are foil or not.

[catmanclark 0]

In my own opinion, practice makes perfect seems to be the "norm" for me.. I dont mess with drills dremels or other tools.. i just use the right sand paper/ emery paper for the appropriate stage i'm working on.. and mine end up coming out much like the ones you see in stores. yeah theres a very small difference in each but not really notciable once the hair/feathers are put on and it has a nice coat of paint and sealed shut.. I have learned that it all boils down to how well you seal it shut water tight, and how you form the head to gain the right pop/gurgle.. just my fyi

[catmanclark 0]

Define CA glue? Once my poppers crack from being hammered so many times, it also has the tendancy to sink.. i'm intrigured..

Thanks

[perchjerker 0]

I would like to add some comments about the procedures in the excellent tutorial.

 

First, if he would add 1/8" to the length of his balsa lock, and only drill 2" deep, the plug will stay in the block; eliminating the need to remove the brass cutter after each one. Once as many plugs as possible are cut, and left in the block; simply cut the bottom 1/8' off with the saw. VOILA'! the plugs all fall right out. Absolutely no need to remove the cutting tube from the drill until you have cut as many plugs as you want or need, and need to use the drill for something else.

 

Second, the late Tom Nixon, in his seminal book: "FLY TYING AND FLY FISHING FOR BASS AND PANFISH" has an engineers (he was an engineer!) drawing of a simple little jig for getting the 15* angle on the front of the bug, and will work for all sizes (diameters) of bugs (one size fits all). The jig shown is very neat, but works for only one size (diameter) bug.

 

Third, simply cut a square piece of foil and fold it round the body such that the two sides can be brought together and glued together along the bottom center line of the bug. Be sure to 'pinch' the foil tight against the body, and together, for the entire length of the hook groove. When the glue has set, simply cut this little vane of foil off almost flush with the bottom of the bug in one continuous cut (curved scissors are an asset for this cut). Simply burnish any little 'ridge' down flat with the handle end of the X-Acto knife.

 

Fourth, stick the butt end of the plug into an electric, or mechanical (hand crank), pencil sharpener to get a nice uniform taper all the way around the rear of the bug.

 

Fifth, if he would cut the basic block four inches long, plus the additional 1/8", and drill 4" plugs; by cutting the resultant 4 inch cylinder in half at a 15* angle, he would get two bodies for the price of one; and both with a sloped face!

 

Sixth, if the face slopes back from the bottom up, i.e., reverse of the normal position, or with a 'jutting jaw', and left flat, these things will dive like crazy.

 

perchjerker

[perchjerker 0]

catman:

 

A flat face will pop as well as a sloped face. They are just a little more difficult to lift off the water for the next cast.

 

CA stands for "cyanoacrylate", which translates to "Super Glue".

 

perchjerker

[Stippled Popper 0]

catman:

 

A flat face will pop as well as a sloped face. They are just a little more difficult to lift off the water for the next cast.

 

perchjerker

 

or flat face cupped or sloped face cupped

[catmanclark 0]

Super glue... got it thanks..

 

I usually make a flat face then leave a lip at the top of my flies so it does lift off easier, but when I pop it, it throws the water a bit more, sort of like the cupped, but leaving only 1/8 of the top.. Endless ideas

[perchjerker 0]

stippled:

 

They really "pop" when you put a pucker on their faces!

 

perchjerker

[Stippled Popper 0]

stippled:

 

They really "pop" when you put a pucker on their faces!

 

perchjerker

 

Believe it!

[bigfoot 0]

What type of mandrel are you using to turn the balsa on the dremel tool?

[Stippled Popper 0]

What type of mandrel are you using to turn the balsa on the dremel tool?

 

Bigfoot:

 

Look here:

 

Mandrel For Cork And Balsa

[bigfoot 0]

Thanks for the help Stippled Popper.