Trap modification

[traditionalhunter]

I have some trap modification questions.  

I live in Ohio and there is a law that the trap inside diameter jaw spread does not exceed and certain amount.  What this leads to is a #2 is the largest (to my knowledge, correct me if I am wrong) unmodified trap we can use for land trapping.  I have heard that the coyote trappers are using #3 traps with laminated jaws.  Can someone help me with the laminated jaw process.  I have not seen a trap with laminated jaws.  I understand what it is, just haven't seen one.  

when you weld the laminate on, do you weld the whole seam of the laminate and trap jaw?  Will this warp the trap/trap jaws?  Does this make the trap closing speed any slower?  What other recommendations do you have for modified coyote traps?  And finally, what is a good trap to modify?  Would a Victor #3 be worth modification or do I need to buy a better brand of trap?

Thanks
TH

[wormbobskey]

I live in southern Ohio and use mostly #3 double longsprings for fox and coyote trapping. The law says the the trap can not have an inside jaw spread greater than 5.625 or 5 5/8ths. Victor #3 dls's are within these guild lines and makes an excellent canine trap. I have used a couple of different materials for laminations, but the one I like best is old #2 victor square jaws. I just straighten them out and use vise-grips to form the steel to the #3 jaws.They don't increase the jaws by much, but help to strengthen the whole trap. I also base-plate and center swivel all of my canine traps. Offsets, IMHO, work great for coyotes in #3's, but are not very nice to red or gray fox and tend to break the bones. 90% of my #3's are rigged up with drags as I do a lot of my canine trapping on edges and have not had any problems with finding them after a catch is made. I posted on here before about the need to modify #3's and was told by Asa that it wasn't nessacary, but I just love to tinker with my traps. I'm sure there are guys on here that can also give you information on modifying your traps. Later, Worm.