Preparing Crankbaits before painting ?

[walleye4]

What do I need to do to prep an old crankbait for repainting? I have the lips and eyes taped up already. How should I clean the bait before I start painting. Should I use thinner on a towel? Or can I just use hot soapy water.

After I get them all painted up and ready for a clear coat, do I just use a paint brush to apply the epoxy?

Thanks in advance,

[Polecat]

Made of Wood or Plastic? If wood-a little sanding with 320 grit sand paper. Remove any loose paint chips. Wipe off with rag and alcohol. Dry real good - couple of hours at warm temperature. You may want to consider sealing with shellac or thinned Devcon. If you do this, touch up with fine grain wet sand paper after the sealer has cured. Damp wood will bubble up paint when in the sun or hot environment.

[hazmail]

Try a bit of lighter fluid, on a clean rag (bed sheet), don't use old 'T Shirts' etc, I have just found that the antiperspirant residue has silicone, aluminum oxides, oils etc, in it - L/Fluid cleans away pig fat and should not effect w/b acrylic. pete

[rlcam]

If they are plastic you can just hit with a very fine sand paper(like mentioned above)and use Krylon Fusion for base coat or put a different color base after the Fusion.After that start to paint.I have been doing alot of repaints lately but I use rattle cans,but I think some guys that airbrush use Fusion also.I have been using Clear Glaze for a top coat,it looks great but don't know how tuff it is yet.Keep reading,all this I learned from this board.

[jim45498]

This is how I prepare my wood baits for a repaint.

Don't call me crazy just because I'm old. First I tape the bill and take the wood bait outside. I take a small torch and start at the tail of the wood lure and set it on fire. Yep, that is what I said. I set it on fire. I let the tail section burn a few seconds and wipe it with a rag. Then I do another section of it and just let it burn the paint for a few seconds and wipe again. Be careful not to get the hot paint on your hands. (you don't want to have to burn that off too.) When I get close to the plastic bill, I am very, very careful not to let the plastic bill get hot. I usually just scrape and sand when I get to this point. If you do it right it will be clean and ready for sealing.

DO NOT try this with a plastic bait!!!!

Just be careful..I hope this helps.

[cheesehead]

Jim.

instead of burning the paint of with a torch you could also use a hot air gun.

Walleye,

I use flux brushes or applying epoxy top coatings.

[MR KNOW IT ALL KIND OF]

SCUFF WASH PAINT!! That simple..

[walleye4]

Great info guys! I think that the cranks I am going to repaint are all plastic. I am repainting Shad Raps, Berkley Frenzys, Hot-n-Tots, and other walleye cranks. The paint I got to just learn this process is Laquer from Jann's Netcraft. I got white for the base coat and clear for the last coat. What should I thin this paint too? Also, isn't Laquer water based? Wondering what I can use for a quicker and easier cleanup and for when changing colors. I think I want to try that Devcon though since most of the fish I will be after with these cranks have TEETH!

What grain of sandpaper should I use to clean these up with? Would a dremel tool work if I were to use like a green scratch pad bit?

Thanks again and keep the info coming.

[jflures]

Yes, you can use the green scatch pad. be sure to use a slow speed so you dont make a low spot. I see your from Nebraska, where you fishing Big Mac? All the baits you mentioned are the best baits there for sure.

[walleye4]

Don't make it that far west. Mainly just fishing the kearney area lakes and I go to Kansas alot.

Thanks,

[cheesehead]

I would avoid power sanding for re-paints. it's way to easy to ruin a bait this way.

[walleye4]

I used sandpaper and then used the dremel with a rougher bit to get where I couldn't with the paper. Seemed to work pretty good I thought. I hope to prime them tomorrow.

Thanks,