RiverMan

You don't need to sand between coats.....not necessary. If you can put the second coat on while the first is still tacky go ahead. If it cures up on you, clean the surface first with a paper towel then go to your paint or next coat of etex. I don't ever paint over a tacky surface but you probably could. RM

I have tried Target Coatings.........not nearly tough enough in my opinion for lures.Stick with etex, devcon, or DN. Jed

They are both good coatings. I think Devcon sets up faster now than it used to. As I recall, I used to easily coat 4-6 musky baits before it would begin to thicken up and now it is difficult to complete two. Jed

You could always spray on a coat of clear as Mark suggested, clear Rustoleum lacquer would work but I never liked to do this because lacquers will yellow faster than the etex. RM

If you touched the paint it is pretty hard to do anything about it other than washing off the paint and starting over again. If you put on a coat of etex and it fish-eyed on you, let it dry, wipe it clean with a paper towel and rubbing alcohol, and coat again. RM

You will get more action if you add joints and move them forward. Get the lure moving behind the head and it will transfer to the tail.

I thought about it at one time but sculpey is very heavy, sinks like a rock. Stick with wood, you will be better off in the long run. RM

Great looking lure! You did a really nice job. jed

I tried it and didn't like it. It is not nearly tough enough for any lure in my opinion. I have a gallon of it sitting in the back room and it is collecting dust. RM

If you are seeing bubbles in the cup try tightening the nut on the front of the AB and/or gently (and I mean gently) pushing the needle forward. Don't EVER force the needle forward into the nose cone piece, just snug it up. This will correct your problem. jed

Looks to be basswood which is my favorite to carve. Nice job.........keep up the good work. jed

That's why I asked how it compares to the UC Seal Coat which is also a water-based coating. I tried the Seal Coat, still have a gallon of it left and it is no where near tough enough, not even close. RM

You don't even need to glue in the screw eyes if you are putting epoxy over them. Use .092 screw eyes and you won't have any problems. RM

For those using the Target Coatings product, how does it compare to Seal Coat by UC Coatings? RM

Ok...........this is one of the earliest gliders I built and at that time I only used Devcon. This lure was built in 2004. As you can see, the clearcoat on this lure is still very clear and it has been fished alot! jed

Actually there is very little yellowing associated with the Devcon. In 2004 through 2006 or so I did literally hundreds of baits with Devcon and I periodically see them for sale on Ebay and they look just like the day I finished them. I have only seen yellowing on a couple of lures and it was very minor. I am sure there are guys on this board that have done hundreds of not thousands of lures with Devcon without a hitch. It is a very strong and durable clearcoat. Tonight I will try to remember to upload a couple pictures of lures I did five or more years ago with Devcon so that others can see just how clear it is after many years of use. RM

I have lures that are more than 5 years old with no visibile yellowing of the Devcon. However, I also have a couple that are about this same age with some visible yellowing along the belly of the lure where you can see it against the white paint. I have yet to see a lure so yellow that it distracted from the original quality of the paint job. Devcon is a good coating, don't be afraid to use it. RM

It is good to see the discussion on clearcoats is still alive and well on TU. For those that are fairly new to this site, this topic is nothing new and has been around forever. Everyone has their own favorite, me included. I like Etex, Devcon and to a lesser degree DN. I think Etex and Devcon are a much better suited clearcoat if you are building lures for toothy creatures because they go on so much thicker. DN is hard once fully cured but so is Etex or Devcon......they are all hard as a rock. Devcon will yellow some with time but I find it a bit easier to work with than Etex. I think DN is better suited for small lures and lures in which the action may be negatively affected by a heavy clear coat. The storage of DN is a major hassle and I find the odor to be offensive. Bottom line, for convenience and general use I think Devcon is hard to beat. For production use and particulary if you are building musky or pike lures then Etex is hard to beat........great coating and cheaper when buying in bulk. If you are building bass lures or have a lure that may be affected by a thick clear coat then DN may be the best for you. RM

In my opinion they are much different coatings. Although Devcon can be thinned it is generally a much thicker coating. Dick Nite works well but I find the issue with having to keep it air free a major hassle and have therefore quit using it. Devcon is hard to beat, easy to use and very durable. RM

The torch isn't your problem.............I use a torch all the time to remove bubbles. My guess is you are having one of two problems; 1. You may be turning the lure too fast or too slow which will cause the clear coat to pile up in some areas and thin out in others. 2. You are having a contamination problem. After you primer the lure, don't touch it with your bare hands. Oils on your hands will keep the etex from covering evenly.......it will brush on even but then as it dries it will migrate away from areas you have touched. 3. If you accidentally touch the lure after priming, clean it with rubbing alcohol and a clean paper towel........just dip it in the alcohol and then whipe it all clean. Wear latex gloves after that so you don't get any oil on the surface of the lure. Between coats, I will often clean the epoxy surface in this same manner before applying the second coat. RM

Those paint jobs look great! You did the right thing getting the Iwata. When you clean it be careful to not "force" the needle forward or you will flare the opening on the tiny cone at the front of the brush and ruin it. Just push the need forward until it stops, no further. You should be able to shoot createx paints straight from the bottle without thinning at about 40 PSI. Make sure you clean the brush before putting it away and rinse well between colors. I use just hot water between colors. Learn to listen to your brush............when the cone and needle are working properly the brush will sound like ssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...............when it gets something clogged in it the brush will sound like skkkkkklshhhhhhhhhhsskshhhhskkkshhhh. There will be a slight "scratchy" sound instead of a smooth sound. If this happens you can grab that screw at the opening at the back of the brush and pull it back which opens the brush up and try to spray it out. If that doesn't work, which generally it doesn't, then take the back off, pull the needle, clean the needle off, then spray clean water through the brush. If it is still clogged then you need to clean out the cone at the front. I use a tiny dental brush for doing this, you can buy one at most stores near the dental floss, toothbrushes, etc. Hold the cone up to the light and look through it to see if it is clogged. When you reassemble the brush go easy! Be very careful with the tip of the needle, don't force the needle and go slow. Enjoy! jed

Just trying to help..............I suggested the Iwata for you because the Paasche is a far inferior brush in my opinion and will only lead to many hours of frustration. I have owned two Paasche brushes and they aren't even close to an Iwata. Alot of the problems you are experiencing are because of the brush, not the paint or your technique. You can continue to fool around with the Paasche, change tips, pressure, paints, etc., and you may eventually get it to work or you can buy an Iwata, pour the createx in straight from the bottle and start painting. Jed

Ditch the Paasche, get an Iwata gravity feed, you won't be sorry. Jed