Building a Wooden Pikie lure

[Surf Hunter]

OK, so i am currently working on a few smaller pikies to act as finger mullet clones, i figured I would take some pics of the process and show you guys how i do it. You can probably see why i don't sell my lures, there are so many steps involved, i would have to charge a bazillion bucks a plug.

This is a work in progress and will post more as I finish these guys.

First, place hunk O buoyant wood (Alaskan Yellow Cedar (my favorite), Western Red, cypress etc) on lathe.



Grab roughing gouge and rough out wood.


Next I use a small skew chisel and get the final shape I am looking for.



After that, it is sand, sand, sand and even more sanding all while still chucked on the lathe.

When I think it is smooth enough for aircraft work, I'll take the piece to the band saw and cut off the tab ends, then mark center of the plug for the lip and cut the lip slot.



Once the lip slot is cut, i remove the center from the lathe and add a drill chuck and a sanding drum to for the slope on the nose.



I think this is bout right...



Next on the agenda is the offset drilling for the through wire, if this had been a popper or something that the wire runs in the center, I would have through drilled before I even started roughing out the piece.
Again, All done on the lathe.



Now that it is drilled, it is over to the drill press, I use my handy dandy Laser level to mark center and mark the spot for the belly hook and the nose weight.



Once marked, I'll drill out the belly hook hole and the nose weight.



Next, I'll swap out the bit to a forstner bit for the eyeballs of the plug and drill them:

[Surf Hunter]

Now, they are ready to seal to prevent the lures from being water logged:



And hang dry to dry:



OK, next step is poring lead in the nose weight hole.


After the lead cools, I then fill in the hole with wood filler, you can also use epoxy etc, then once dry sand smooth and get ready to prime.



Next is prep for prime and paint, I'll add to the thread as I wrap up these guys.

[Joey805]

Wow! Great pics! I love seeing how you make these things!

[ODH33]

awesome Tom!

[Sinker]

SWEET

[jephs422]

Now if I only knew what a Pikie was, LOL j/k...Great looking so far, I can't wait to see it finished.

On a side note, you should really sell them. If you price them for a gazillion dollars.........you only have to sell one

[Surf Hunter]

Thanks guys, I'll keep adding to this thread as progress continues. About the pikie, they were made by Creek Chub Lure Company, the way I like to make them they are a very shallow diving plug with a wiggle action you just have to see to believe. I like to work larger ones for stripers with the nose down and the butt pretty much breaking the surface on a slooooow retrieve.
Anyhoo, gotta go sand the wood filler and get back to work on these guys.

[Anotherbite]

Great pics Tom!!

[beacondawg]

Hell you don't have to sell one like jeph suggested. just rent it and retire.

[Ding A Ling]

Very cool, I say auction one off sealed bid with the option to refuse any bid. Definitely looking forward to plug making 101.