BobP

Haz, The best freshwater hooks I have found are Gamakatsu 474 round bend trebles. They are very consistent in quality - sticky sharp (much sharper than VMC) and stay that way through considerable abuse. Guys have different opinions about what's important in a treble hook. Some look for thick wire and wide or in-turned gaps to hold fish after they bite. My opinion is let me get a tempered medium wire round bend hook in them securely and I won't have to worry much about all the rest. I use VMC short shank hooks where needed and I like the design of the VMC In-Line trebles. But I almost always use Gamakatsu on the baits I fish. BTW, I do think the VMC 8650 Permasteel saltwater hooks are superior to most brands because they are sharp out of the box. It gripes me to have to sharpen a saltwater hook because I know it will rust instantly after removing the anti-corrosion coating.

I agree w/Spoopa about prop as a topcoat. I know some guys do it but IMO there are more durable, more foolproof topcoats with better clarity. I like prop as an undercoat on balsa and don't care if it clouds as long as it's hard and smooth. Doing 6-8 dips as a topcoat, all the while worrying about cloudiness? Not me. It's not that I'm lazy (tho I am!) I just find that the fewer steps I have to do to make a crankbait, the fewer times I screw it up.

Epoxy makes a good sealant because it's waterproof, tough and levels out to hide small sanding lines etc. I sometimes use Devcon cut with acetone or lacquer thinner. It cures faster than ETEX. Epoxy undercoating is also pretty inert after it cures and will not react with solvent based coatings that you may use over it.

Dave, Some say VIRGIN lacquer thinner works OK. I tried "regular LT" and it didn't. Acetone dissolves it in about 24 hrs. 2nd advantage with acetone - it evaporates quickly after you dip the lure, cutting down on the wait time between dips. There may be some more volatile solvents that will do, maybe MEC?, but I tried acetone first and it works well.

My prop has a fairly clear bluish tint when dissolved. If yours is as thick as pancake syrup, it's too thick. Dilute it so it is only a bit thicker than water. Second question - I wouldn't use epoxy for anything except a coating or a glue. Lexan is a much better lip material.

Devcon doesn't contain solvent that reacts with other solvent based coatings and it won't penetrate through acrylic latex to the undercoating. That's both good and bad. Cured epoxy adheres OK to acrylic paint but that isn't a very strong anchor. Most of its strength lies in the epoxy encapsulation that surrounds the bait. That's why you can peel an epoxy coated bait pretty easily after you pierce the epoxy membrane. But it's not an indictment of epoxy as a topcoat. It's tough stuff and an epoxy finished bait can last for years without failure.

The 2009 SK catalog has Sexy Shad and Chartreuse Sexy Shad in the "series" crankbaits, but nothing with lollipop in the name. Maybe it's a variation that Menendez had custom painted, but maybe he just meant that bass like the color as much as kids like lollipops.

Epoxy doesn't dry like paint - it cures. Mixing the hardener and resin causes a chemical reaction that eventually hardens it. Heat does acclerate the cure time somewhat but it still takes hours and hours, so shooting it with a hair dryer won't help. With ETEX specifically, it's fairly thin stuff so when you brush it on, you need to clamp it on a lure rotator immediately and leave it for a few hours to prevent drips and sags. With a thicker, faster epoxy like Devcon 2 Ton, it cures fast enough that it's possible to manually rotate the lure head/tail every couple of minutes for the first 45-60 mins, then hang it to cure fully for 24 hrs. But that's still a chore:( BTW - check out today's post on "soft greasy ETEX". You need to mix it really well for 3-4 minutes. Other than a rare bad batch from the fatory, most bad epoxy finish is usually caused by inadequate mixing or measuring.

When I tried D2T (which I still use and like on many crankbaits), I coated the whole spoon with unthinned epoxy so there would be an unbroken coating. I didn't use metal primer because the acrylic paint didn't seem to adhere to it any better than to lightly sanded metal. It worked decently but I was painting mostly pearl white acrylic paint and didn't like the slightly yellowish tinge D2T gave it. The epoxy was also hard to get cured without having thickened areas at the holes for the split rings. All said and done, I wasn't happy. I switched to Dick Nite urethane. DN is, after all, formulated specifically for manufacturing spoons. Now I just shoot acrylic paint directly on the metal, dip the spoon in DN, and hang it to dry. Works great. The DN soaks into the paint. It's thin enough so all the excess neatly drips off the end of the spoon and there is no build-up around the split ring holes. Thin enough for spinnerbait blades. The DN is not yellowish and is tough after it moisture cures for about a week. Just another option:lol:

As far as I'm aware, there's only one way to apply it - brushing it on. ETEX experts say it's best to let it sit for 10-15 minutes after mixing before you begin brushing. Then it must be put on a lure turner for several hours. Most ETEX'ers also use multiple coats. It requires more work than some other epoxies but does render a very nice end product.

It's a matter of taste. DN is thinner and has more gloss. I think if you're looking for a topcoat similar to factory baits, DN is close. If you want a thick topcoat that hides any finish imperfections, D2T does that. As far as "pretty" goes, I dip in DN and it's every bit as smooth and blemish free as D2T so Im happy. I have unlimited time to apply whatever topcoat I want - I'm retired and don't sell baits - but I admit that dipping a bait and hanging it up to dry on a nail is a pleasure after mixing hundreds of batches of epoxy and curing them on a lure turner.

Critter, I can't vouch for the primer 'cause I don't use it, but if you're painting waterproof white PVC, is primer needed? DN does soak into acrylic paint layers. If it has a bad reaction with Krylon, it could wrinkle but I don't think that's likely if the Krylon and acrylic are fully dry before applying DN. About half the acrylics I use are sold by Wasco. Mostly Polytranspar but I don't pay attention to brands. I clear them with DN with no problem after flash drying the paint with a hair dryer. I suspect when there's a problem reported, it is more likely caused by a solvent based primer or wood treatment under the acrylic paint which has not completely out-gassed its solvent. When the paint wrinkles or bubbles, the last thing sprayed (the acrylic paint) is blamed - but that doesn't mean it was the culprit.

No, I don't think it helps. Epoxy has the best adhesion when nothing is added to it.

IMO, for wakebaits, the lip angle is most important. You want it almost vertical, about 85 degrees. When prototyping, I've built it with a lip I knew was longer than eventually would be needed, then taken along a pair of metal snips and shortened it progressively until I got the swim action I wanted. Take a look on line at commercial wakebaits (many of which undergo extensive testing) and you'll get an idea of the ball park size - the lip usually doesn't need to be very large unless you are trying to compensate for "less than optimal" segmentation or ballasting.

I second what KingFisher said. IMO, you want a compressor with at least 40 psi constant pressure to shoot airbrush acrylic paints. Airbrush compressors typically advertise max pressure, which is usually 15 psi less than constant when using an airbrush. Many guys opt for a tool compressor with an integral air storage tank, which can be bought for less than $100. Whichever you choose, you'll need a moisture trap and a pressure dial/regulator control. As far as airbrushes go, there are lots of choices. To me, it's mostly about the size of the tip. I use .2mm and .3mm tip Iwata airbrushes and like their high quality. If I could use only one, it would be a .3mm tip gravity feed airbrush with a small cup like the Iwata Revolution B. It sprays about any acrylic airbrush paint including thicker pearls and flakes. Don't forget to order the airbrush hose and any adapters needed to connect everything together.

I think more of us don't use automotive clearcoats because the most durable ones seem to be two part coatings that are relatively expensive, plus we'd have the challenge of mixing it in very small batches of and ounce or less for a batch of crankbaits, and lastly many are concerned about toxicity and for that reason spray only non-solvent paint and dip or brush on solvent based clearcoats. Anythng tough, waterproof and clear is in the running around here. But there seem to be limited options. You obviously have lots of experience in automotive clears and many of us would appreciate your comments about which ones you favor and how you use them. Many TUers have tried one part moisture cured polyurethane - dipped, brushed, or sprayed - and like it. But is is touchy to store without beginning to cure.

Kev, I guess you have nothing to lose but I've seldom heard of a broken reel foot being satisfactorily repaired. Can you depend on it to stay pegged in the future? Personally, I'd buy a new 5500 and save the broken one for parts.

Clemmy, since the point is to avoid moisture laden air in the storage container, I also thought CO2 might work since it is a dry gas and readily available. Someone replied that the O2 in CO2 would cause the DN to begin curing. I don't know whether that's true or not. Right now I'm introducing a little Bloxygen into my dipping container before sealing it. It's a mix of argon and nitrogen gas that is heavier than air so will sit on top of the DN's surface. It seems to be working OK but costs about $12 per rattle can and can be hard to get, so I don't consider it "ideal". I think argon/nitrogen is the same gas used by welders to shield welds from O2 during the welding process. Bester, I don't use DN over lacquer but see no reason why it won't work like any other solvent based polyurethane. Once the lacquer is dry, it should behave OK. One way to find out.....

I'd sand again. First, a smooth surface makes for a smooth finish. Second, a sanded surface makes for better finish adhesion. Nail polish? Sure, why not - but it has to be more expensive than paint! And it's pretty thick; you might want to thin it down just a little with solvent and use an artist's brush to apply it, to get a finish without brush strokes.

Water temp makes a big difference but I don't think other environmental factors have much effect (except fishing it in fresh vs salt water). I'd bet the reason some sink slowly is more often variability in manufacture or user specifics. If the user changes the trebles or split rings, or uses a type or size line different than a "control sample", he changes the outcome. To me, a jerkbait that suspends in room temperature water is probably best. I'm going to fish other, non-suspending baits in warmer water. In cool or cold water, I can add weight, change from mono to heavier fluoro, or to a thinner diameter mono. There aren't so many options when trying to get a sinker to suspend. But in real-world fishing, you're right on. Unless you're pausing the bait for 30 seconds or more between jerks, it ain't gonna matter all that much and dissecting all this is like talking about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin - which is one of our favorite pastimes here on TU

I think suspending jerkbait afficionados take as granted that their jerkbait may need to be adjusted with Suspenstrips, etc "on the day" depending on water temp, type and size of line used and "whatever". Yes, a bait that suspends at exactly 7 ft in 50 degree water will eventually sink to that depth because the water above 7 ft will usually be warmer, in which the lure is relatively less buoyant. But that's not useful in a practical sense. If you float test a bait and ballast it so it suspends in a bucket of 50 deg water, that's as close as you can get it in practical terms. You'll fish it on a floating superline, mono, or sinking fluorocarbon, so adjustment will probably be required anyway to get a true motionless suspend.

It isn't logical to me that a .3mm tip airbrush spraying at 35 lb psi with Createx paint would sputter. I often spray unthinned Createx with smaller tips than that, with no problem. Have you tried it without thinning? Have you tried thinning it with plain water (as recommended by Createx)? Maybe the particular Windex you're using isn't compatible with Createx. I assume you're using a moisture trap and an oil trap if your compressor is oil lubricated, and that your system isn't blowing water or oil into the brush.

I use a square tip artist's brush (?blending brush?). If temps are below 75 degrees, I mix in a 3-4 drops of denatured alcohol. IMO, a brush with fine bristles helps. It smoothes on the epoxy better and the bristles break small bubbles as you apply the epoxy. I got a set of 6 brushes, different sizes, from a hobby center for less than $8 and have been using them for more than 2 yrs. Unless you apply epoxy with your fingers, how else are you gonna get it done?

McMaster-Carr sells both polycarbonate and circuitboard at good prices. Also a good selection of wire. Check them out at mcmaster.com Their G-10 circuitboard is an ugly (IMO) yellow. The G-11 is a more pleasant light green, but costs more.

The only walking bait I made is the Japanese Balsa Pro design provided by Blackjack a couple of years ago. It was ballasted at 1/3 the distance from the tail. I made mine from paulownia, between balsa and basswood in density, and it works very well. The critical step in ballasting a walking bait is to float test it to determine the ballast weight needed so it sits in the water the way YOU want it. Different guys prefer different float attitudes. I like 45 degrees, but that's just me:drool: