Makeup To Hide Pigmentation

Manufacture of "birds" step by step.

I will explain step by step, the manufacturing process I follow to make my own birds to fish for squid. As important is to have the appropriate tools and materials and sooooo much patience.

The material used for the body is polyurethane foam medium density, the low density is not consistent enough and high density is difficult to work for its hardness. It is a difficult material to get, is sold in large sheets and is quite expensive but makes a difference in outcome. Is also valid balsa wood, readily available at any hobby shop and much cheaper but has the problem of waterproofing.

First make a paper template with the silhouette of the lure I make and the tracing on a piece of polyurethane foam. Using a sharp cutter I abrading the piece to get the shape of the lure.

To give the final form use a modeling knife and fine sandpaper , special care must be taken to leave the body as symmetrical as possible to facilitate fututo balanced. It is the most important stage so be patient and work slowly to achieve the shape you want.

I must say that the outcome is never exactly what we are looking at first but with practice will improve gradually.

Depending on the size of the lure I put a "soul" of stainless steel or not, the wire will be much more resistant bait and hook and the crown will be better secured to prevent possible breakage or detachment if a large piece of fish.

To insert short a piece of stainless steel wire of 0.8 mm a little longer than the bait and I make a ring with the help of needle nose pliers. After very careful and calculating eye, through the body with the wire trying to make it as focused as possible, it costs quite get it right the first and if we try we can often leave the body like a sieve so there must be very careful and make the wire straight. Once you have retired the wire a few millimeters and I put a drop of cyanoacrylate on the side of the hill before leaving permanently in place.

Failure to wire, what I do is put a Emerillon of appropriate size, crush one of the rings with pliers and hit the hill with cyanoacrylate, to make the hole use a precision screwdriver star.


Once the modeling phase will give top two layers of pores to take either the coated fabric and paint, let dry 10 minutes between coats and 24 h the final.

may be given a coat of white paint if we want to pearl effect, in this case I chose not to give it as soon be filled with ink and color does not last long.

For use scrim fabric nylon fabric also known as Mardi Gras, readily available at any fabric store and with a ridiculous price for a few euros will have material for dozens of decoys. To crop using a earwigs and a razor blade for auction.

To begin cut out a piece of fabric that is very loose and prove the position I'm going to drop, you have to look good in that depending on face fabric and the sense that tissue put the result can be very different.

Once we clear the position of the fabric will a very fine line of cyanoacrylate on the back of the lure, must be very thin so it does not protrude through the fabric, wait a few seconds the glue to dry a bit before putting the fabric. Once placed have to press well, pulling and stretching it to fit the shape of the lure.

dry When we repeat the operation on one side, we extend a very thin layer of cyanoacrylate, eta time covering the entire surface of the side to paying special attention on the nose and tail, let it dry a few seconds and put the tensadola fabric and pushing it with your fingers.

The next step will Entel part of the belly, to extend it again glue up a little more than half of the lure and press well placed to make the fabric. When thoroughly dry it with some scissors those used in tying flies Trim all excess . To make it a little better will give the end of the fabric a little glue to harden once dry the review with a razor blade careful not to shave my toes.

repeat the operation on the other hand, in the latter part let the fabric to overlap a few millimeters, apply a thin layer of glue to the overlapping area to harden and finish off the razor's lowering the fabric binding all you need. Beware blade!

The result should be something similar to the picture.

Now is the paint, crown and I leave the details for the second part.