drdmh

If it would work as advertised for me, it'd be all that I would use. So dang easy to dip and hang.

Sounds like you have the same process as me. I actually have better luck with wicked colors and the mcu. It's leading me to believe that it might be the white paint. I'll try switching that out and going from there. If I do thin a paint, it usually just with water. I use the reducer in the wicked paints. Also, might switch out mcu brands as well.

Well, I do a pretty quick dip and then let it drip above the container until it's slow enough to move to the hanging rack. On some paints, I can see it starting to affect the paint immediately. I know some of them are dry, because they've been hanging for a couple of weeks. When you say solvent-based coating, what are you referring to? Water is a solvent and therefore all my paints are useless when trying to use MCU.

I've had good luck using compressed air (air duster) after my bottle of bloxygen ran out before I could get a good seal on my mason jar. I love the finish that it has and you can beat the ease of use vs d2t. However, I can let a bait dry for weeks and still get cracks in everywhere, especially white and orange. I can't imagine any extra moisture being in the paint. It's like the paint is being pulled away from the lure. Anyone else run into these problems?

It helped to have a similar bait to compare it to. Also, $30 in new paint really brought it closer. I'll add in a little green and post the results. Thanks for the tips.

Well, I think I got it guys. I picked up a few new colors. This time I went with createx wicked paints. I've never sprayed them before but they turned out incredibly well. I stated with a white base. From their I sprayed the detail yellow over the shoulders head and belly. I left a bit of the dorsum white because I I went back with a pearl white to help with the purple. Once the purple was on, orange when on the ventral side. I made a small stencil out of masking tape. It might need some work but it allowed me to make the bait with the white stripe.

Here's my 2nd attempt.

Believe me, it's still fun. A little added pressure sometimes brings out your talent. I'm ok with doing repaints for guys. My day job of being a chiropractor sometimes calls for a couple hours away from people. The paint booth in the garage is my perfect wind down. Most of the crank baits and bucktails that I've done have been given to friends. They want to pay but I honestly have no idea what I'd charge anyway. That's probably the worst part in this whole venture. What does a guy charge for a repaint? In the end, I have fun figuring this stuff out and finding out how other guys have dealt with issues.

I am. Should I pick up something else? I never thought to brush the MCU on. I'll start with that.

It still is fun but now I've been referred by a buddy to a professional walleye angler that wants some repaints done. The color has been discontinued by Berkley and is now my duty to recreate. I tried to do a few test runs last night and use some blanks I had laying around. My first issue, purple and chartreuse don't like each other. Bait one had the whole covered in white base with one coat of chart all over. Purple on top ended up turning brown. At that point I started over. White base coat, chartreuse only on the sides. This one turned out much better. I think I'll bring that process with me for the actual baits. So, here's my question. With repaints, do you just scuff up the surface and clean with alcohol before you base coat?. They are flicker shads so I don't want to ruin the plastic. Also, for those of you that use MCU, how to you prep before you dip the bait? I've had numerous baits that look fantastic, turn to crap because they paint starts to "melt" away from the plastic as soon as I pull it out of the MCU. I'm sure I'll be asking more questions along the line. I just want to say thanks to everyone on all the other topics. This site has been amazing throughout this start up hobby.