benjiwhite

All I use is wood for my lures and one coat of E-Tex is all that I apply.

I tie deerhair to 1/0-5/0 saltwater hooks with a leadhead to make bucktail jigs. My question is this...What is the best thread to use for this? With so many to choose from I am kinda lost. I have purchased some danville thread from ebay a couple of years ago and all it says on the spool is danville monocord. This seems to work really well. I also tried kevlar and it's pretty tough but cuts into the hair if you're not real careful. Any help is appreciated! Benji

If you're looking for a longer time to apply you can always get the epoxy that has longer curing time. I actually use E-Tex, but you really need a spinner to turn the lures for sereral hours as it usually takes overnight for the good hard finish you want if you choose E-Tex. Benji

Most everyone that I have read about uses Createx paint. I'm not sure what a right or wrong way is. I have never painted plastic blanks, but have always used Pactra enamel from Testors or enamel from jannsnetcraft. I paint cedar that is primed first with white and I prime by dipping the entire lure in the white paint. I have to wait a good day or two for the primer to harden up. I use the cheap harbor freight airbrushes, the trick when you use enamel is to thin it with acetone and all enamels aren't created equal. You have to find the right mix of enamel and acetone that sprays well without clogging. Also, I always run about 1/2 bottle of acetone through the airbrush after painting each color to clear the nozzle. I sometimes use spray cans to acheive different color contrast; but I like using the enamels and creating my own custom colors. Benji

I used to use sealer (BLO) Boiled Linseed Oil, but found that if you sand your lures really well I didn't need a sealer. I sand my lures while they are still on the lathe so they get really smooth. I also use eastern red cedar for the wood type. After I've predrilled all holes needed, then I'll dip in a primer, I use white, sometimes I may dip it twice (depends on how grainy the wood is) but the eastern red cedar is usually very smooth after sanding. After primer is dry then I airbrush. Etex is the last step for me and I guess I must be lucky or something, but other than the bubbles, I've had no problems with Etex. I have posted this before, but I use denatured alcohol to clean the painted lures and allow to dry. Then apply the Etex with a cheapo bristle brush from HF. Put on the spinner with a light bulb or sometimes two bulbs in place. For the first 4-5 minutes on the spinner I blow air from a heat gun on the lowest setting on the lures, then let them spin until dry(usually overnight). Sometimes the lures may take 24 hours to cure. I did do an oak lure once and found that it should have been sealed because the wood was so grainy. Benji

Don't know if this matters or not either, but I always mix etex with a wooden dowels or scrap of wood. I didn't see anyone else mention the factor of humidity . The light bulb is a good idea, just use the light bulb from the beginning of the curing stage. I also use a hot air gun for the first 4 or 5 minutes on the lowest setting while my lures are spinning. I usually 50/50 the mix and stir with the wooden dowel for about 3-4 minutes (and yes there are a lot of bubbles) but they will go away for the most part. I have heard of the breathe part to get rid of the bubbles and I'm sure it works...I just use the heat gun. Good luck... Oh yeah, I apply the etex with bristle brushes, they are cheap and I throw them away after use. You can get them at harbor freight http://www.harborfreight.com/36-piece-1-2-half-inch-horsehair-bristle-acid-shop-brushes-41338.html

I have had this happen a few times, I think humidity may play a role,but who knows. I will say this, I predrill my eye holes and glue in the eyes well in advance to applying E-tex. Also I add all my harware short of through -wire. When I apply the E-tex I completely cover the eyes with e-tex and am careful to only apply etex around grommets. Before start the spinner, I take a heat gun and apply the heat at the lowest setting to smooth everything out. Some say blowing your breath on the lure will get out bubbles too, heat gun works for me.

Personally, I like E-tex, it does take a little bit of time(brushing on with a bristle brush and then putting on sometype of slow turning spinner for a few hours to allow for drying), I've tried lots of clearcoats and E-tex dries nice and clear (and stays clear) and is hard as a rock.

you can also get empty glass paint bottles at craft stores like Michaels and ACMoore that won't break you. they fit my HF airbrush and I have several different makes of airbrushes. To me the HF are the easiest to use. I always keep a bottle of thinner set aside and run plenty throught the lines after each color. Benji

Thanks! Got the plans

I turn lures on a lathe using eastern red cedar. I then dip in a white paint and let dry for a couple days. After air brushing, I use pactra paints and some spray cans from Wally world. The best clearcoat I have used (and I have tried many!) is E-tex. You do need to brush it on with a small bristle brush and after coating I put the lures in a drying box I made that rotates. I usually take my heat gun and blow warm air on them for a few minutes. Hope this helps!

Cadman, May I have a copy of the fluid bed plans? bwhite7@nc.rr.com Thanks!!