If you want to make your own popper blanks, you can make "plug cutters" very easily out of spent bullet casings. Start by drilling out the primer with a 3/32 inch drill bit. (do this from the inside of the shell). Then, slip a 3/32 inch bolt through the hole so that the threads of the bolt come out the back of the shell. Now, tighten down a couple of nuts to hold it it place. You now have simple plug cutter that you can use in a drill or drill press to make popper blanks out of foam or balsa wood. I have a complete set of these ranging in size from 22 caliber up to 50 caliber and it takes me about 5 seconds per plug. For freshwater, I usually use about a 45 caliber sized plug and then mount it on the needle in my variable speed Dremel to turn it done to the size and shape I want. I use different colored foam flip flops depending on what I am making. If I want to add some additional color, I string the shaped popper bodies on a piece of thin piano wire and hit them with a spritz of spray paint. Again, it takes me less than a minute to paint 10-12 popper bodies. For added durability, I sometimes give them a coat of epoxy. This makes them almost indestructable and allows me to add 3D eyes and more color changes if I want to mix a bit of very fine sparkles to the epoxy. I hope this gives you some more ideas to try out.

Jim Smith