Senko meets soldering iron

[WatterBoy]

I know there are glues out there you can use to repair senkos, but does anyone else use a soldering iron to repair their own senkos? If you haven't tried it yet, I would highly recommend it. I started doing this recently and have fixed about 4 dozen of my 5" and 7" Yamasenkos so far. And I have used several of the fixed senkos to successfully catch bass. I got the soldering iron free from my dad, and I figure I've already "made" about $50 worth of senkos by fixing ones that otherwise would have been unusable.

[geezer1]

Good post, Watterboy. I'll sure give it a try!

[WatterBoy]

Oh, and here are some details I should have put in the original message in case they are worth anything to anyone.

The soldering iron I have has two settings -- 15W and 30W. I've been using the 15W setting. I have no clue which is the better setting to use. I just started with 15-watt setting the first time and it worked, so I haven't changed.

I poke the iron into the hole until the plastic just starts to bubble out each side of the hole. Then I remove the iron and "scrunch" (technical term ) the senko together on each side of where the hole was. I usually get a little excess that oozes out and and forms sort of a plastic rim. The first few I did I was just leaving that and it caught fish just fine like that, but now I've started smoothing out the "rims" by running the iron back and forth over them quickly. I have also successfully repaired a couple that were just two senko pieces joined by barely a thread.

I really had no idea what I was doing when I started, so if I can figure it out, anyone can. By the way, this wasn't my idea. I read about it here on the forum boards in someone's post a few months back, and I just got around to trying it out recently after getting my hands on a soldering iron.

[Jrob78]

Sounds like a good idea. How hard is it to keep the Senko straight? Seems like you would have some baits with angles.

[WatterBoy]

Originally Posted by Jrob78

Sounds like a good idea. How hard is it to keep the Senko straight? Seems like you would have some baits with angles.

Keeping them straight hasn't been a problem at all that I've noticed, but I'm sure I've had a couple here or there that had "angles" in them.

I've saved them up into big piles of 12-15 to do at a time and found that I've gotten better (or at least quicker) at it with each batch that I've done.

I even tried repairing a Money Hound recently, but I haven't yet tried to re-rig that, so I don't know how well that fix worked. They pretty much get trashed after one or two fish attack them, so I'm hoping I can prolong their usable life as well!

[Jrob78]

You should experiment with "welding" different baits together to make something completely different.

[crankybait]

superglue works too... just a dab of superglue at the tear, then quickly run a lighter around it. real easy.

[Jrob78]

I've heard good things about Mend-It, too.

[WatterBoy]

Originally Posted by crankybait

superglue works too... just a dab of superglue at the tear, then quickly run a lighter around it. real easy.

I've never really had much luck with "just a dab of superglue". I usually end up with "dabs" of it where and don't want them and things stuck together that I didn't want stuck together. And the next time I want to use it, the lid is stuck/glued to the bottle, etc. Apparently I'm superglue-challenged, so I actually find the soldering to be much simpler.

[bassboogieman]

I do the same deal with a wood burning tool. Works just fine.

[cassidyta]

I have been doing that with all my plastics. Just don't inhale the fumes. I posted about gassing myself after about 20 baits

[basshunter21]

Originally Posted by cassidyta

I have been doing that with all my plastics. Just don't inhale the fumes. I posted about gassing myself after about 20 baits

haha thats funny. I'm gonna try this cuz I have a couple dozen senkos that are just laying around. Thanks for the idea man!

[cassidyta]

One last thing I will add. I carry a battery operated soldering iron in the boat that I picked up for about $20. It does wonders when you are short on the bait that is working that day. It doesn't have a great battery life, but it is worth it as an insurance plan.

[walkeraviator]

Radio shack sells a small butane powered soldeing iron/torch... used to use the hell out of one when doing RC Planes... i bet it would work great and is super portable...

[Mac2]

WatterBoy,

When your iron goes, you can pick up one under 5 bucks at Wal Mart Automotive.

Another touch you may add......I wrap a copper wire about the diameter of a pencil lead around the tip three times and let about a half to three quarters inch piece stick out the end.....when heated makes a great tool for repairing hook holes.....since it's wrapped around the point, will slide off when doing other applications. I use the fatter "barrel" of the iron for smothing out and also make a "base" for hands free soldering......cutting two flaps on opposing sides of a fair sized tin can and folding them out making a cradle for the iron....flaps are 3/4 x 3/4. I put about two inches of sand in the bottom for weight and also use the sand as a place to cool the iron when done for the day.

[WatterBoy]

Mac,

Nice -- thanks for all the tips!

Dean

[Justin2729]

i use a lighter to fix mine cant afford a iron! lol

[dave0943]

Great idea's. Senkos have become a staple for me up north here, especially when the bite is slow. I can't begin to count how many I've tossed out. I was looking at the Barlow
catalog at molds for them. Might try my hand at pouring my own. Thanks for info.
Dave

[Mac2]

About the Fumes.....

I've installed a box fan in my garage window just over the soldering iron.....I plugged the iron and fan into the same plug strip and the running fan exhausting the air is a reminder the iron is on as well. I now only use the on off switch on the strip.

[Jim80]

I use a lighter as well and do it on more than senko's . I throw all my used plastics into gallon sized ziplock bags and repair them at the end of the season, which wen the dies start to run leads to some funky looking baits .


Jim