Ichthus

Thanks! So I can mold the two halves of the "blank" in two different halves of the same mold simultaneously?

Thanks! I appreciate it!

I'm new to pouring my own hard baits with alumilite product and have a few questions for you more experienced guys out there. 1. if im working on a 2 piece bait, could i put both pieces seperated, but in one mold? 2. what's the ideal ratio for microballoons/tungsten if you want a floating, suspending, sinking, and fast sinking lure? 3. what's the easiest way to balance these baits? 4. what is better? having two seperate pieces for a two piece bait or having one and just sawing it in half later? any feedback would be much appreciated.

I agree with mark. as he's the one who told me how to go about putting a matte finish on a bait. If I have a buddy who needs (wants) a matte finish, or I have a bait that I think would look great in a matte tone, I go over it with several coats of topcoat before I proceed to go at it with a scotch brite pad. another thing not mentioned here at TU yet is Turtle Wax polishing compound. i rub it on with a paper towel and it takes the shiny edge off a lot quicker. its a rust orange color in the container so you really gotta rub it in well after you apply and apply sparingly.

I havent realized any additional weight since its so thin. even after 4 coats when its thicker, there isnt any bouyancy change really.

I agree with barr minwax is suuuuuper thin. no need to really thin it. as far as yellowing goes, it doesnt start to have a noticable yellowing until the 4th or 5th coat.

florida strain, now that you bring up the wood vs plastic aspect of it that does make a lot of sense. i don't usually foil my lures but when I start to do that more often I'll be sure to keep not of the amber color that may occur. thanks, Josh

Sweet! Keep us posted!

Thanks for the tip mark!

I might just have to try this stuff out! I do have a UV light at home. Is there any topcoat that you guys know of that gives a "matte" finish?

I think Rayburnguy hit the nail on the head with that one!

i've never actually used the water based minwax only the oil-based minwax. the whole Idea kinda seems weird using a water-based sealant on something thats meant to be submerged in water. But, i guess you can't knock it til' you've tried it.

its already VERY glossy if you get the clear gloss option and available in water and oil based options. if you are sealing your paint in with it, i recommend pouring in a mason jar to keep fresh and dipping your lures. this gives an even coat. if your bait is large, you can use a cheap paintbrush and brush it on and either hang it up after or put it on a rotisserie rack. either way, it will settle evenly. I usually use a few coats which is fine because it dries to the touch in about an hour and is completely dry in 24 hours. hopefully I answered your question, Josh I use the oil-based clear gloss stuff. never had it soften up or deteriorate in any way in the water.

I just ran over to the hardware store to check. The version I use is indeed oil based but Matt is still correct because there is also a water based version which I've never used.

Dakota lakes tackle gives a great instructional on YouTube of how to do a largemouth/smallmouth I'm fairly sure. I also think I saw him paint a bluegill or maybe a perch. But to be honest, when I first painted one, I winged it and it turned out great. I just made some stencils and went to painting.

Steve, You can always get a pearl white and mix with dark red if you are lacking pearl powder or colors. I did this last week on a pair of bluegills that I wanted to give a purple shimmer that would only show at certain angles. I watered it down a lot and brushed it on with a paint brush but I'm sure it would spray well too.

If you're gonna go down the water-based route, you can check out the discussion I started on Minwax. I have sprayed that quite a few times out of my airbrush. It's relatively cheap too.