mark poulson

This link might help: http://www.tackletour.com/autopsyhudd.html

I use the through hole/aluminum cap method for all my crankbait rattles. I used to use bondo to seal over the aluminum disc because it was easy to sand flush, but I found that the bondo would actually pop off when the rattle balls hit the aluminum, because it was too soft. The aluminum would still be in place, but it's center would be bulged from the rattle balls. Now I add a couple of drops of the thicker super glue, set it with the accelerator, and then add some more to get it up just past flush. Once it's cured out, I use a file to smooth it down to flush with the lure body. The super glue is much harder/stronger/more rigid, so it doesn't pop off, and the aluminum caps don't bend out anymore.

I think you've got the right idea. There's too much detail for any kind of a hand pour, and your way seems like the only way to do production.

Frank makes it look so easy! Of course, he's been doing it for a little while.

Would spraying the mold with PAM help it fill better? I find it does with my POP molds.

In the past I've brushed D2T onto problem areas and let it cure, before I coated the whole bait. I think the smaller amount of epoxy didn't pull itself off the sharper edges, like a big amount over the entire bait would. I used D2T to coat the inside faces of my jointed swimbait sections, and lapped it out onto the faces 1/4"+-. Once it had cured overnight, I could put the lure together, put it on my lure turner, and coat the faces with Etex. The 1/4" overlap gave the two epoxies a good bond, and I never had a pull away at a joint edge.

Thanks Ted. I have always baked my jigs, but I wondered what it actually did to the powder paint.

I have never waited that long, but I do hit the primer with a hair dryer as it's curing. I only did very light coats on plastic baits, because it has so much pigment/solids in it that it obscures the finer details. After trying it on plastic baits, I actually prefer just to dip my plastic baits quickly in clean acetone, and then paint directly onto them with my Createx paints. Even if I use Wicked White as a base coat, it isn't as thick as the X2 Primer, so more of the scale details show.

What does baking actually do to powder coat paint to make it so much stronger? Does it "kick over" like plastisol does at 350?

Brian, I haven't tried the glue. I just pour one onto the other. But I just pour for myself and my buddies. I have no idea what would work for production.

I've read here about a bonder/glue that can be used to make "cold" laminates stick, but I've never tried it. I just pour the first part, let it cool a little, and then pour the second over it at 335 degrees+-. The hot plastic seems to stick well enough for me. It's not an exact thing for me, because I'm only pouring for me. I always heat and color both my colors first, and then reheat to pour. I'll line up five 2 cavity silicone swimbait molds, pour the first part in each, and then heat my second color and pour them.

I only buy from Glonation. That's where I got the powder, too. This is what I bought: https://www.glonation.com/glow-in-the-dark-products/neutral-glow-powders.html This is available now, but I haven't used it so far: https://www.glonation.com/glow-in-the-dark-products/triple-glow-powders.html

Dink Master, Those are the ones, and they are out of stock, too. I emailed Paycheck to see if they stopped making them, and haven't heard back. They aren't listed on their site anymore. I ordered some of the Decoy stops instead from your site. Thanks.

That is a great idea! It's on my project list for today!!! I'm going to use wire wrap, and coat with super glue. Just try not to get the hooks too hot, or they will lose their temper and soften.

I only wet sand with 400 grit if I see any rough spots. Otherwise, I just paint directly on the primer.

I've had all my glo paint dry out after a year+-. I have several jars of glo powder that are five+- years old and are still good. I won't buy the paint anymore. I mix some of the powder into a jar of Createx trans. base, and it sprays on fine with my air brush. I also add the glo power to clear nail polish, and it works great for cranks and blades.

I bake my clay masters, and then spray them with clear acrylic to seal them. The silicone doesn't stick to them, and I can save and reused them multiple times.

I use it, and it works fine for both plastic and PVC blanks. I used it on a balsa bait, too, after I seal the balsa with super glue. The Createx paints I use bond to it just fine, once it's cured. I typically do two coats, waiting 15 minutes between coats, and then let them cure for 24 hours. I spray outside, because it has fumes, and put the wind at my back. I could spray inside with a respirator, but it's easy to just step outside to do it. I bring them inside to cure when it's cold in the garage. I use the X2 Gloss Clear for a top coat, two coats, and follow the same steps. Works for me.

I did a search for crackle paint in the Hardbaits Gallery. I found this as the earliest mention of it here: I think that's around the time when I began fooling around with crackle paint, too. I know it was because of someone's post here.

Curt, The site loads really slowly on my computer, and no other sites are slow. It happens when I choose a forum, and when I change threads. Once I'm on a thread there's no problem. Mark

Thanks.

Adding vents to my mold's tails helped.

I used white Elmers glue, and sprayed it on with my Badger siphon brush over a heat set base color. I then sprayed the top color over the glue, and immediately began to hit it with the hair dryer. Spraying gave a more random, even pattern, and the size of the pattern was contolled+- by how thick the glue was applied. I love Michael Orensteen's video! Thanks for sharing the link.

I think it was originally to give a finer grained contrasting paint scheme over the entire bait, which helped break up it's silhouette so the fish didn't get as good a look at it. I did it because I like how it looked.

Would putting them in a vacuum chamber, like the ones used to pull gases out of soft plastics, help speed the process, or is it just that the chemicals continue to create gas as the resin cures over time?