Turning Devon Minnows

[Ross-L]

Hi guys looking for some advice as a complete novice.

I do a lot of salmon fishing and one of the methods involves a small wooden lure called a Devon minnow, I'd really like to try making my own as the old timers I used to buy them off of down the river no longer fish and it could be fun experimenting with size/shapes.
BUT I don't have a clue how to turn them, I bought a cheap little hobby lathe which doesn't look like its up to much but should be fine for these as they're about an inch or smaller(I'm using 16mm beach dowel).
The shaping is easy from my first attempt the issues I'm running into is the hole down the middle, doing it after is hard because it has to be perfect down the middle and I don't have a clue how id be able to turn it if i do the hole first.
I see they have a method for turning pens which looks good but relies on having a metal tube down the centre, these need to float so cant have that.

If you guys can give any advice id really appreciate it, ill attack a few pictures before as an example.

Ross

 

[profchris]

I'd have thought they'd still float, or at least float semi-submerged, with an aluminium tube down the middle.

Charity shops will sell you a fistful of tubular metal knitting needles for pennies, so it would be easy to try it out - tape the right length cutoff to a scrap of wood and throw it in the sink!

 

[Ross-L]

I'd have thought they'd still float, or at least float semi-submerged, with an aluminium tube down the middle.

Charity shops will sell you a fistful of tubular metal knitting needles for pennies, so it would be easy to try it out - tape the right length cutoff to a scrap of wood and throw it in the sink!

Thanks for the suggestion, yes it probably would but then you have to consider the hook etc so it would probably not sit as high in the water as it swings round in the river resulting in snagging the bottom.

 

[Woody2Shoes]

The ones I used to use - decades ago when the wild salmon were not so heavily under pressure - were made of metal (brass or aluminium I seem to remember). I'm guessing wooden ones might not 'swim' right, but maybe you can add some extra weight near the swivel. I'd make one out of metal if it were me.

 

[Ross-L]

The ones I used to use - decades ago when the wild salmon were not so heavily under pressure - were made of metal (brass or aluminium I seem to remember). I'm guessing wooden ones might not 'swim' right, but maybe you can add some extra weight near the swivel. I'd make one out of metal if it were me.

Yeah there are 2 types of devon, weighted or floating.

Weighted like you say are made of either metal or are wooden with a copper lining which are fished just like a regular spinner.

Floating involves setting up like you would be fishing the worm ( main line to swivel with 8 inches of line to a lead and 3 ft of line the the devon) which you cast out and let the river current bring round with the lead bouncing along the bottom.

 

[gregmcateer]

Drill hole first. If you want a tube in, glue one in.
If not, don't - both are turn-able.
I'll assume no knowledge, so don't be offended as I don't know what you know already.
Tube or not, at the head stock, (motor) end, either use what's called a light pull drive

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/31182333...7779&msclkid=0a901475740a1016bcf574f272d9fa9a
Or turn your own out of a piece of hardwood so it is a tight fit in the hole you've drilled.
At the tailstock end, use a normal revolving centre, (the spikey pointy bit).

This ensures you hole is dead centre.

Careful you don't over tighten the tail stock, or you could split the work piece. If not quite tight enough, so it doesn't spun properly just tighten the tail stock a bit at a time.

Hope that helps, but ask if not sure.

 

[Ross-L]

Drill hole first. If you want a tube in, glue one in.
If not, don't - both are turn-able.
I'll assume no knowledge, so don't be offended as I don't know what you know already.
Tube or not, at the head stock, (motor) end, either use what's called a light pull drive

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/31182333...7779&msclkid=0a901475740a1016bcf574f272d9fa9a
Or turn your own out of a piece of hardwood so it is a tight fit in the hole you've drilled.
At the tailstock end, use a normal revolving centre, (the spikey pointy bit).

This ensures you hole is dead centre.

Careful you don't over tighten the tail stock, or you could split the work piece. If not quite tight enough, so it doesn't spun properly just tighten the tail stock a bit at a time.

Hope that helps, but ask if not sure.

Thanks for making it simple, I only know what Ive seen on youtube in my search so no offense taken.
I'll look over everything you said tonight.

Ross

 

[gregmcateer]

No problem, Ross.
I've learned loads from the likes of people on here, so always good to ask.
I forgot to say if you make your own friction drive, you can either turn the Morse taper to suit your machine, or make one to go on the chuck - then just turn down the business end to suit your workpiece centre hole.

 

[Jester129]

Please don't attack the minnows, they've done nothing to you! Now, if you attach them I'll be a whole lot happier.

 

[pops92]

Can I ask the size of the hole you are putting through it please? And are you allowed leeway on the size. It's a thought I have but need to know hole size.

 

[Ross-L]

Can I ask the size of the hole you are putting through it please? And are you allowed leeway on the size. It's a thought I have but need to know hole size.

4mm

 

[Ross-L]

No problem, Ross.
I've learned loads from the likes of people on here, so always good to ask.
I forgot to say if you make your own friction drive, you can either turn the Morse taper to suit your machine, or make one to go on the chuck - then just turn down the business end to suit your workpiece centre hole.

The light pull drive looks perfect for the job but my little cheap chinese lathe uses a drill chuck and I cant see any that would be suitable, so I may just have to make one like you suggest.

 

[gregmcateer]

Ah, gotcha. Though that would be easy to make - just a bit of hardwood gripped in the chuck, turn a parallel spigot say 2 or 3 cm long, push on the pre drilled work piece and bring up tailstock for support