Mesh scale pattern question

[F-16_MECH]

OK guys, this is the first question I have asked since joining the site. It seem that there a lot of ways out there to apply a scale pattern to the lure. I think I will try using the bridal veil mesh (tulle) first. I can see how you can get it wrapped around the top of the lure and get the paint on the top of the lure but how do you get the mesh to fit against the sides and bottom of the lure without overwrapping the mesh? Do you have to cut the mesh to fit the lure? I haven't even started painting the bodies I have made yet. It looks like I will have to make a drying wheel and I will probably have to wait until warmer weather to actually start painting due to temp conditions in my garage. But that's alright, it will give me time to turn out some more bodies this winter. I just wanted to know if there is a certain way to get the mesh stretched over the body to fully cover it without any overlap. Thanks again for y'alls patience...........

[fatfingers]

To apply the mesh without overlap, do one side at a time.

Apply the mesh to the first side and let the mesh go ahead and over lap a little.

Then use an Xacto knife and cut a line straight down the back of the bait (along the entire length of the top or "back" of the bait). Lift the excess mess off. Then cut a straight line down the belly and pull the excess off. In other words, cut along the belly in the center of the bait, from the nose to the tail.

Now you should have mesh over the side, and halfway across the back line and the belly line.

Next, put the mesh on the other side and let it overlap a little. Take your Xacto knife and carefully make a cut along the same line on the back. Remove the excess. Next make a cut along the belly on the same line as you cut when you applied the first hafl of the mesh.

If that doesn't make sense, or you don't understand for one reason or another, I will explain it a different way.

Also note that some guys just trim it off close to the belly line and back line and just paint over the edge where the mesh stops. In other words, the back will be painted over and the belly will be painted over so having mesh show through the foil there is unnecessary, really. Its a matter of preference.

[F-16_MECH]

Ok, I think I understand how to do that. Thanks FF, I'll give it a try on a practice plug.

[IamSpartacus]

I just tried foiling my first bait on what I considered a "practice plug." It was actually just something I had carved out in a a matter of like 15 minutes. I did it real quick and relatively sloppy, unfortunately the lure ended up with amazing action and I actually liked what I did with the paint. I only say unfortunately because now I'm upset I did it quick and sloppy, guess ya live and learn. Now I have something to emulate I guess...

[BobP]

Quick & dirty - I drape netting over the back and use clothes pins along the belly to hold it against the sides. If there's slack netting on the back, put a couple of pins there too. Shoot one side, dry it with a hair dryer, and flip it over and do the other side. I only shoot scales on the shoulders then remove the net and paint the back solid, shading it over the scales to complete the effect. You don't want to stretch the netting so tight that it deforms and remember that some paint on the body can be quite tender. A small benefit, you can reuse the netting for quite a few baits.

[woodieb8]

embroidery hoop from the fabric store workd wonders.

[ernel]

I'm with Bob. I rarely go beyond the shoulders of the lure. Clothes pins work grest.

[BJ Smith]

embroidery hoop from the fabric store workd wonders.

I think you will find tulle to be quite small for a scale pattern..... Mosquito netting and embroidery hoop (Walmart) ...... lots of control... fast, easy.... and looks great..........

[fatfingers]

I'm sorry for my above post. I misread the question. I thought you were asking how to get foil on the bait without overlapping and wrinkles.

[clamboni]

I'm sorry for my above post. I misread the question. I thought you were asking how to get foil on the bait without overlapping and wrinkles.

LOL.........I was reading that post and trying to figure out if you meant to be in this thread or if you just went crazy.

[RiverMan]

embroidery hoop from the fabric store workd wonders.

yep, what george said.....

[fatfingers]

If you try to put "scales" on your bait using netting, you'll find it to be VERY easy to do. Just make sure that when you drape the netting over the bait, you hold it tightly against the body.

Here's how I do my "scaling." .......

1. Place the bait in a vise by clamping the tail eyescrew. It allows the bait to be suspended by the tail in a horizontal position.

2. Drape the "veil" material or "netting" as I call it, over the bait and let it hang down beneath the bait. Position it carefully. Pay attention to how the holes in the netting line up against the sides and top of the bait.

3. Secure the netting tightly against the body by hanging clamps onto the netting. I pinch both loose pieces together beneath the bait and use refrigerator clamps to clamp them together. (Refrigerator clamps are those magnetic clamps like you see on a clipboard, but they're designed to hold notes, pictures, etc, on your frig.)

4. Spray from the tail forward. Mist the paint on. You can always add more, but you can't take it off after you put it on. Add layers of color till your happy with the results. Then, for Pete's sake stop. Don't be tempted to add more here or there (like I usually am). Less is more, usually, if you know what I mean.

If you're using black, as I almost always do, know that black is a powerful color on a bait and a little goes a long way to adding depth to the shoulders/top of the bait, so go easy with it.

5. Give it a minute or two and then remove the clamps. Finally carefully remove the netting, starting from the nose and working slowly toward the tail.

I always love that part of the painting. Don't ask me why, but I do.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a21/vc1111/Muskyshots043.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a21/vc1111/Muskyshots044.jpg

With the above method you can also flip the bait over (belly up) , place it in the vice, and put smaller finer netting on to get smaller finer scales on the belly area of the bait.

[fatfingers]

By firmly securing the netting, you can acquire a great deal of control of where the paint goes and you can even apply the use of stencils to create isolated areas of scales.

[Spike-A-Pike]

FatFingers,

Your hardbaits always leave me weak in the knees... They just scream MUSKY!

Bruce

[Predator Bass Baits]

sweet fatfingers, so to get something like that you say start with all yellow or chartreuse ( like you have colored ) then shoot the orange then red then black being the last color ? ( you might have more colors I am just trying to get the idea of of it all ).

[woodieb8]

for cheep mesh scale. go to the dollar store for a buck get the fabric laundry bags. they work great.

[fatfingers]

Thanks, Spike. I appreciate the compliment.

Predator, You've pretty much got it.

I shoot the belly, then work my way up the sides with the color fades until I have the darkest orange on the shoulders of the bait.

Next I used a stencil to shoot the black stripes on the sides...then I stopped and draped the netting over the bait and shot silver over the black stripes (by using the same stencil again) and then I removed the stencil and shot black through the netting ONLY over the top/center of the back.

Next I used a stencil to shoot black gill plates.

Remove the stencil...lay netting over the black gill plates and shoot silver through the netting over the black gill plates...just near the outside edge of the gill plates.

If that doesn't make sense, let me know, and I'll explain it in other words.

Hope that helps.

[Vodkaman]

Fatfingers, your photography is outstanding!

[clamboni]

That's black over silver through the mesh?? Looks like the other way around.

[fatfingers]

That's black over silver through the mesh?? Looks like the other way around.

You're right. I stand corrected. I put the silver stripes on first and shot the black over the stripes and the back through the net.

(I was in a hurry to get down to the basement when I wrote that.)

Thanks, V-Man. I have a Sony digital. Its nice but its a battery eater!~

[clamboni]

You're right. I stand corrected. I put the silver stripes on first and shot the black over the stripes and the back through the net.

(I was in a hurry to get down to the basement when I wrote that.)

Thanks, V-Man. I have a Sony digital. Its nice but its a battery eater!~

I reread that like 5 times making sure that's what you said. Sweet bait, BTW. Is that a silver base under the chartreuse, too?

[fatfingers]

No, the all the paint was applied over Krylon Fusion white spray paint, which comes in a can from Walmart. It is what I use for a basecoat on all my baits.

I've had good luck with it as far as adhesion to just about every type of surface I've used it on. I've used over baits sealed with sanding sealer and baits sealed with epoxy. I feel that it probably has a better chance of adhering to epoxy because it supposedly fuses to plastic, but that's just a hunch.

The silver I used for the stripes is enamel and the color is called "chrome." If applied directly over the white Fusion as a base coat (which it was not for this lure, as I mentioned above), it looks so much like foiling that its hard to tell the difference, so it can be a very versatile color for a lot of different patterns where a reflective base is desired.

That's the nice thing about using both enamels and water-based paints; you have a wider palette to choose from, plus the enamels have different drying properties and once you cross over to using other than water-based materials, you have a whole world of different pearls available. Additionally, you have automotive clears, which can be used both to mix pearls and apply as a clearcoat between layers of paint.

As I've mentioned before, applying clearcoat between layers of paint is a way of protecting the paint you've already done, in the event that you screw up applying scales, fins, gills, stripes, and so on. Made a mistake? Just wipe it off and start over. In most instances, the automotive clear coat is so hard and strong, that paint thinner used to wipe off the botched paint won't cut through it. Thus, you can protect your base coats and other completed portions of the multi-step work.

I've often combined both water-based paints and enamels on the same bait, by simply using automotive clear between the two types of paint. I've had no problems at all in doing so and the baits have been torture tested by way of musky fishing, wihch includes racking the baits off structure while high-speed trolling, etc.

[KcDano]

When using mesh or netting to applie scales it is a good idea to run a flame across the material prior to spraying the scales. This will singe any loose fibers and produce a cleaner pattern. Someone mentioned painting from bottom to the top of a lure. For scales and details it isn't much of and issue. However, if you spray quick drying cleacoat with an airbrush, it is prudent to start from the top and finish at the bottom of the lure. By doing so you will constantly cover the overspray with wet paint that will melt the overspay into the finish. If you cleacoat or basecoat from the bottom up you risk the overspray lying on top of the finish and altering the appearance.

[Spike-A-Pike]

FatFingers,

I just double checked the Christmas tree, no packages from Ohio yet.

I hope "Santa" didn't screw up again...

I'll just keep looking out the window.

Bruce

[GOOGLY]

Thanks to everyone on this thread!! 10 minutes of reading has helped out a ton. First tried it last week and not that impressed, with all the tips should look like I want it to!

Rob