DaveG

For kitchen foil mark around your bait with plenty of hangover to over the top and bottom apply the scale pattern, I assume you have no issues with this part so i`ll leave it there now apply a thin even film of 5 minute epoxy over one side of the bait wait 2-3 mins place the foil on the bait and apply light pressure with a sponge pressing light but evenly leave for an hour and do the other side, the top and bottom of the bait can be smoothed over with a blunt object tapping down anything thats sticks up. epoxy with etex so that the overlapping is well covered, paint top and bottom of the bait to cover the joins and finish the bait as needed with two final coats of etex, it gets easier with practise like everything else.

Have you tried Createx own brand of reducers? its what I use and get good results, I also use acrylics which I reduce down with window cleaner.

No need to weigh I started using these food measuring spoons used in cooking years ago, choose the spoon size depending on the amount of etex needed, pour equal amounts and stir for 5 mins, job done. http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NTAwWDUwMA==/z/hb0AAMXQM0FRd-gW/$(KGrHqQOKp0E-EhjCtzzBRd-gVz+4w~~60_1.GIF?set_id=8800005007

I started with a cheap Chinese brush that came with the compressor and I had issues with it from the start with clogging and splatter, I thought it must be something I was doing wrong..? I did a little research and went for the Iwata Hi Line with mac adjust valve, I bought it from from Ebay straight from Japan for half the price I would pay from an airbrush store, its been a revelation! sprays Createx paints and acrylics (which are less than half the cost of airbrush paints) that have been reduced with window cleaner, I shoot a cup warm water through between colors and have very few problems now.

I sometimes get inconsistent results with Envirotex and get the bubble problem which sometimes if raining outside can be a real pain, Iv been thinking about it a lot of late and I decided to try some Etex in the microwave, I normally warm the bottles in warm water for half an hour before mixing which seems to help. But this time I measured out the etex into a small cup and microwaved the two parts for 30 secs before mixing, I could feel the etex getting warm as I mixed it in the cup, I then waited 5 mins then applied to two baits, the results were very little bubbles and the baits are touch dry in 4 hours, so far im very happy and reckon Im onto something Happy new year everyone

An article you might find interesting... http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/showthread.php?t=85364

Yes learn to clean your airbrush and flush after each color, I blast a cup of warm water through after each color and never wait as the paint will be much harder to clean out if it starts to dry. As for the paints I too started with Createx but Im gradually using more artist acrylics thinned with window cleaner, still lots of experimenting to do and having fun while doing so.

To give yourself the best chance of a avoiding the obvious running downwards try and get it on a turner or by hand if its done manually, also warm the etex first by putting the bottles in hot water..not boiling though! leave for at least 30 mins this will thin the etex and create less bubbles, mix thoroughly and leave in a warm place for a while, this will depend on where you are because humidity affects the way etex behaves, 70-80 degrees is a good temp range. Check after 10-15 mins and it should now be starting to thicken, if not leave another 10 or so, then apply, it should have less chance of running if its thicker obviously, then keep an eye on it and turn every 5 mins if done manually, it should be ok to leave after a few hours if left in warm conditions of about 80 degrees.

Looking good J, each time you make these foiled baits you will think that you could have done something a bit better until you have all the little issues nailed down, good fun learning though and the hours fly by like minutes

To clean my airbrush after a session I just run a few cups of warm water through which is an Iwata Hi-Line, now and again I soak the whole brush in warm water for an hour, works for me.

I made one, I took an old plastic drinks bottle threw away the top, made a hole in the side of the bottle 2/3 rds way up just big enough to fit the front of my airbrush into with a snug fit, then made a filter in the top from 2 sheets of paper kitchen towel held over the top with elastic bands.

Thanks J, I guess if we can all help each other it will save time and money Dave

To show you some more pics have a look on my blog here http://greeniespiking.blogspot.co.uk/

JBlaze the epoxy will harden without any kind of exposure as its a chemical reaction, I use 5 minute epoxy on the back of the foil and apply it to the bait just as it sets, if you leave it any longer it can crack when you try to form it around the bait, im using the 5 minute stuff just because I bought some syringe packs cheaply but when they run out i`ll just use Etex.

Heres some foiled bait I made by pressing kitchen foil into mesh, I cut the foil out from the outline of the bait allowing for overlap, to keep the profile of the pressed foil I filled the back of the foil with epoxy, then stuck the foil onto the bait with double sided adhesive, next I flattened the top and bottom of the bait where the foil overlaps and epoxied the whole of the bait to hide the joins when painted. Yes its time consuming! then airbrush the bait as needed, then epoxy again, its time consuming but worth it, hope Iv explained it well?

"it's my opinion it catches more fishermen than it does fish" Absolutely right, plenty of fish were caught before these fancy finishes came onto the scene and I think a bait can look too realistic sometimes when fish will respond better to a more animated finish, a lures action is infinitely more important than the finish. Having said that I love experimenting with finishes and that is a hobby in itself

Waterproof PVA wood glue is another option

I would suggest weighting the lure more at the extremes than evenly, so some at the front as far as you can get, same at the back end with a tendency to sink head down.

I recently got myself a Iwata Hi Line airbrush, the difference from the cheap Chinese brush I got with the compressor is amazing, very very happy

Is this paint you describe definitely Createx Wicked Aluminum? I cant find it when I do an online search.