[smcgill]

It has been rumered that you could use Aberdeen #6 hooks to repair mounts to the lift handles on USA's nw-2. Well I went to Bass Pro on Friday ( help had no clue on limited "Bachman" train by the way) the # 6 looked to small so #2 was picked up. Got home and yes #6 to small and the #2 I had to drill out with a # 55 drill.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

So even the #2 was too small? How is the outside diameter of the #2 compared to the stock USAT eyelet?

Regards, Greg

 

[Paul Norton]

That’s no rumour, the broken plastic cut bar loops on my GP-9s have been replaced with Red Wolf (Sprit Lake, USA) #6 fish hook loops. I bought 10 for a buck at Canadian Tire.

What diameter wire are you using for the cut bar? It should be 3/64”. When I bend my own cut bars, grab irons, railings, etc., I use the wire for suspended ceiling grids. It has a 3/64” diameter, comes in 4 foot lengths, cuts easily, bends well, solders well, paints well, and is a fraction of the cost of hobby store brass rod. You can buy it at Home Depot. Don’t try to find it on-line, their search function will drive you crazy.

I visited a Bass Pro Shop. They didn’t have a Berkley Grey Ghost Frenzy Popper or a Mepps #3 Black Fury, and their US$ prices were no better than Le Baron’s CDN$ prices here. On the plus side, the aquarium kept the boss and her sister amused while I looked around.

BTW: If you fish, that popper is a great bass lure for calm water close to shore. Toss as close to the shore as possible, let it sit a bit, a quick little tug to make it chug, and boom, bass on!

I add a worm hook and a Yum 3” red bloodline walleye grub to a Mepps #3 Black Fury similar to what they show on the bottom of page 10 of their catalog.

Black Fury

I have caught everything from sunfish to a 7 pound muskie on that rig. Absolutely the best bait in my tackle box.

 

[John Allman]

You probably could have used a 1X light wire aberdeen hook, or a 2X partridge hook. Both would have been about the right size. (the difference being in the bend radius and the kind of barb) I used to tie flies in college for money. It wasnt as much fun as it sounds, but I do have lots of hooks if someone wants some.

 

[Torby]

I think I'd take the part to the store and pick one that looks close. You might feel silly carrying a loco into Bass Pro Shops, but they're not going to think you're shoplifting it!

 

[Pete Thornton]

What happened to good old cotter pins (split pins) ?

http://www.westernwireprod.com/fastcontent/cotterpins.html

 

[Bruce Chandler]

I use these brass eye pins from MicroMark...they're a lot easier to work with than fish hooks.

You can get 144 for $4.80.

 

[Paul Norton]

Bruce how long are those and will a 3/64" rod pass through the eyelet?

I agree the fish hooks are tough to work with. I tried to cut the first one with my Dremel tool. It created a shower of sparks that sent our cat Ginger running. I ended up spending $20 on a pair of side cutters to cut the loops off.

 

[Bruce Chandler]

Paul,
They are .033 inch diameter brass, 1/2 inch long, 3/64 inch inside eye diameter.

 

[rkapuaala]

Thanks Bruce, I've been making my own, but for that price, I'm ordering them from Micro Mart and spending my time on something more creative

 

[GNSteamer]

If you stop by a specialty bead shop or even a Michael's craft store, you will find ring bending pliers used for forming wire earrings, hoops and rings. They are typically tapered and conical. The small or fine size works well for bending small radii in hand and grab rails as well as loops for coupler cut bars.

 

[rkapuaala]

That's what I use, but buying the eyelets is still a lot more economical than making them yourself