mark poulson

Try using their 4011 reducer. It's made to thin the paint without losing the film strength. I thin mine until it's like skim milk.

I would think the only thing that would make rattles stick is that water has gotten into the bait, and rusted them. Before you go through the trouble of unsticking the rattles, make sure that there are no leaks at the hook hangers, or the bill. You can use runny super glue to reseal and strengthen those attachment points. Then I would drill a small hole in the top of the bait, and use a wire to find the stuck rattles. Enlarge the hole enough to get the compromised rattles out, clean out any rust that you find, and put some sst balls in as replacement rattles. Then seal the hole with bondo, coated with runny super glue after it's been sanded back down to flush. Repaint or touch up as you like.

You might also increase the venting on the cavity that isn't pouring completely.

Any of the spray or dip acrylic finishes have to be kept separate from soft plastics. The softener in them softens the acrylics, too, at least all the ones I've tried, including concrete sealers.

I like runny super glue for balsa, because in penetrates into the wood on the first coat, so a two coat deal makes the softer balsa's surface much harder.

For weight sensitive lures, like suspending jerk baits, I use Rustoleum X2 Gloss Clear Acrylic in the rattle can. Two coats, 20 minutes apart, cured for 24 hours, and they're good to go. The finish doesn't like prolonged contact with soft plastics, so I keep those baits on the other side of my boat deck.

I use the #6 Indiana blade in brass from LPO.

I am a hobby pourer and so I buy a plastic that will work for most things right out of the jug. I typically order medium plastic, and then add 1 tbsp of hardener to a cup of plastic for swimbaits. If I were going to sell swimbaits, I'd explore other plastic formulas until I found one that worked without any additional hardener.

Find a 4" worm mold with the details and shape/thickness you want, and just cut them in half.

Does it react with soft plastics?

Try putting a piece of plywood down on your work table, so you don't have a cold surface when you set your pyrex cup down.

Runny super glue, two coats.

Don't waste your KBS on blade touch ups. Just use clear nail polish.

I found that each brand of plastisol's initial hardness is different. I would just add hardener a teaspoon at a time to 1/2 cup batches, until I found what works for me. Unfortunately, I've only been able to add hardener to the uncooked plastic before heating, so I do go through a little plastic before I get it right for whatever mold I'm using. I can usually use the plastic that's not right for something else. When I tried to add it to already cooked plastic, the heat set the hardener into a lump before I could get it mixed. Maybe there are some hardeners out there that won't do that, but I haven't found any.

I have a few hand pour molds that work just fine. For me, the key is how open the sprue hole is, so the cavities can fill quickly without the sprue cooling and shutting off. I have a friend who bought this hand pour mold from Lurecraft, and he just poured several dozen baits with no problems. https://www.lurecraft.com/7-1_4-Sink-O-4-CAV-ALUM/productinfo/5XK-SB725-4/

Here's how I ballasted my spybaits:

Man, I love to watch his videos. He makes things look doable! I'm pretty sure that's because he really knows what he's doing.

Or a wooden toothpick in superglue.

Off the subject, but do you need a license to drive aps?

Remember that the same long chain polymers that give a top coat gloss also make it stronger. More gloss equals more strength. Have you tried scuffing the gloss top coat with a Scotch Brite pad to knock down the shine? That way you get the strength of the gloss, but not as much shine.

Buy their Bloxygen and their thinner, too.

I read your post, and my monitor froze up!

Ted, I've used several different super glues on my powder coated swim jig and spinnerbait heads, and had no issues. I use Pro Tec powder paint. I bake my baits in my toaster oven for 30 minutes at 350, and then let them hang inside with the oven off and the door ajar until they're cool enough to touch. After I glue on the eyes, once the glue has set, I use a coat or two of clear nail polish to lock them in, depending on how smoothly they seat.