swimbait storage box "how to"
swimbait storage box "how to"
i pulled this off of swimbaitcentral.com
there is a swimbait storage box that sells for about $20 in various shop around Cali and online. it a great design but slightly overpriced IMO. this basically tells you how to make one for about half the price. i have a couple of the originals and i just made a couple more based on these instructions. . .
Making a swimbait box
Materials:
Plano 3731 Utility Box
Threaded rod 10-24 (3 ft)
(2)T-nut Brad Hole, size 10-24 x 5/16
Size 1 or 3 snap swivels
1/4 in drill bit
something to cut the threaded rod (dremel)
Not wanting to spend 20 bucks on a box to store your swimbaits?
This will show you how to make one for less than $10 and very little time assuming you have the basic tools. Now you can store your swimbaits and not have the tails get tweaked which can ruin the action.
The first step I did was to cut the threaded rod into four 9 inch sections. I used a dremel. With the inch drill bit drill a hole through the side of the Plano 3731 near the top and as close to center as possible. Thread a T-nut onto one end of the threaded rod and put it into the hole you just drilled. Now mark the other side of the box with a marker so you get a hole in roughly the same position as on the other side. Drill out that side and insert the other T-nut. In order to keep the T-nuts from falling out some super glue should help to keep them in place. Just dont get any on the threads otherwise you will not be able to unscrew the bar if you need to add more hangers. Now all you need is something to hang the lures with. I accomplished this with snap swivels. The only thing is the hole on top of the swivel portion is to small and needs to be unwound in order to fit over the bar. One to two twists usually suffices. The box is able to hold 6-8 baits depending on size and baits to 11 inches long. Simple. Easy. Quick. Cheap.
ENJOY!
there is a swimbait storage box that sells for about $20 in various shop around Cali and online. it a great design but slightly overpriced IMO. this basically tells you how to make one for about half the price. i have a couple of the originals and i just made a couple more based on these instructions. . .
Making a swimbait box
Materials:
Plano 3731 Utility Box
Threaded rod 10-24 (3 ft)
(2)T-nut Brad Hole, size 10-24 x 5/16
Size 1 or 3 snap swivels
1/4 in drill bit
something to cut the threaded rod (dremel)
Not wanting to spend 20 bucks on a box to store your swimbaits?
This will show you how to make one for less than $10 and very little time assuming you have the basic tools. Now you can store your swimbaits and not have the tails get tweaked which can ruin the action.
The first step I did was to cut the threaded rod into four 9 inch sections. I used a dremel. With the inch drill bit drill a hole through the side of the Plano 3731 near the top and as close to center as possible. Thread a T-nut onto one end of the threaded rod and put it into the hole you just drilled. Now mark the other side of the box with a marker so you get a hole in roughly the same position as on the other side. Drill out that side and insert the other T-nut. In order to keep the T-nuts from falling out some super glue should help to keep them in place. Just dont get any on the threads otherwise you will not be able to unscrew the bar if you need to add more hangers. Now all you need is something to hang the lures with. I accomplished this with snap swivels. The only thing is the hole on top of the swivel portion is to small and needs to be unwound in order to fit over the bar. One to two twists usually suffices. The box is able to hold 6-8 baits depending on size and baits to 11 inches long. Simple. Easy. Quick. Cheap.
ENJOY!
Re: swimbait storage box "how to"
that's darn evil SoCal... LOL.. I love it
Cal, Managing Editor
"fish with mindfulness : beware the darkside"
"fish with mindfulness : beware the darkside"
Re: swimbait storage box "how to"
i thought you guys would like that. it's really easy to make too and it saves a little money. . . money that i can put towards that new box that Dave designedCal wrote:that's darn evil SoCal... LOL.. I love it
Re: swimbait storage box "how to"
yup... already talking with him about that
Cal, Managing Editor
"fish with mindfulness : beware the darkside"
"fish with mindfulness : beware the darkside"
Re: swimbait storage box "how to"
can you make a photo of it!? i'm very interested
- Mattman
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Re: swimbait storage box "how to"
For Muskie fishing I made my own box by doing the following...
• Get a milk crate
• Cut a piece of Plexiglas the same size as the interior bottom of the milk crate.
• Drill lots of small holes in the Plex for water drainage.
• Get a couple lengths of square PVC down spout.
• Cut the down spout long enough to hang your longest baits inside.
• Using PVC cement glue the lengths of down spout into a square block.
• Notch the tops of the down spouts to make hook hangers.
• Glue the block of down spouts down to the piece of plex inside the milk crate.
I'm a big fan of Lakewood boxes... http://www.lakewoodproducts.com/musky.htm
B&B also makes a nice box... http://www.bbbaitbox.com/
_________________
Matt Davis
Better to have and not need than to need and not have.
Otterods - High performance hand crafted fishing rods
• Get a milk crate
• Cut a piece of Plexiglas the same size as the interior bottom of the milk crate.
• Drill lots of small holes in the Plex for water drainage.
• Get a couple lengths of square PVC down spout.
• Cut the down spout long enough to hang your longest baits inside.
• Using PVC cement glue the lengths of down spout into a square block.
• Notch the tops of the down spouts to make hook hangers.
• Glue the block of down spouts down to the piece of plex inside the milk crate.
I'm a big fan of Lakewood boxes... http://www.lakewoodproducts.com/musky.htm
B&B also makes a nice box... http://www.bbbaitbox.com/
_________________
Matt Davis
Better to have and not need than to need and not have.
Otterods - High performance hand crafted fishing rods
Matt Davis
Otterods-High performance fishing rods
Otterods-High performance fishing rods
Re: swimbait storage box "how to"
Mattman,
that sounds like a nice homemade design as well. do you have any pics? how much do the parts run? also, i hadn't seen the B&B boxes before. those look nice too. i am waiting on a new Lakewood box
MontaKen,
i couldn't find the charger for my digi so i couldn't take any pics of the boxes i've made but here is a pic of the original that it is modelled after. it will basically look like this. . .
that sounds like a nice homemade design as well. do you have any pics? how much do the parts run? also, i hadn't seen the B&B boxes before. those look nice too. i am waiting on a new Lakewood box
MontaKen,
i couldn't find the charger for my digi so i couldn't take any pics of the boxes i've made but here is a pic of the original that it is modelled after. it will basically look like this. . .
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- originalbigbaitbox
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- Mattman
- TT Gear Crew
- Posts: 2914
- Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2005 5:26 am
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- Contact:
Re: swimbait storage box "how to"
SoCal_LMB wrote:Mattman,
that sounds like a nice homemade design as well. do you have any pics? how much do the parts run?
Sorry for the delay...
I couldn't tell you how much this was. Had the milk crate. Had some scrap acrylic for the bottom. The 2 down spouts were probably $8 each. Maybe $12. I don't really recall.
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t288 ... C01636.jpg
_________________
Matt Davis
Better to have and not need than to need and not have.
Otterods - High performance hand crafted fishing rods
Matt Davis
Otterods-High performance fishing rods
Otterods-High performance fishing rods
Re: swimbait storage box "how to"
Sorry guys but there's just something wrong with a thousand bucks worth of swimb8s in a milk crate or a five dollar plastic box.
Re: swimbait storage box "how to"
mhood wrote:Sorry guys but there's just something wrong with a thousand bucks worth of swimb8s in a milk crate or a five dollar plastic box.
Cal, Managing Editor
"fish with mindfulness : beware the darkside"
"fish with mindfulness : beware the darkside"
Re: swimbait storage box "how to"
Very innovative SoCal. Wish they made some Falcon FTO swimbait boxes although I wouldnt be filling them up any time soon.
- Mattman
- TT Gear Crew
- Posts: 2914
- Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2005 5:26 am
- Location: Fergus Falls, MN - Otterods - Hand Crafted High Performance Fishing Rods
- Contact:
Re: swimbait storage box "how to"
mhood wrote:Sorry guys but there's just something wrong with a thousand bucks worth of swimb8s in a milk crate or a five dollar plastic box.
I totally agree. But, its a great starter box until you can graduate to a Lakewood box.
_________________
Matt Davis
Better to have and not need than to need and not have.
Otterods - High performance hand crafted fishing rods
Matt Davis
Otterods-High performance fishing rods
Otterods-High performance fishing rods