borderbasser Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 So for those of you who have used it, what is the verdict? I am thinking about getting some, but I am concerned about the shelf life since I really won't go through a bunch. Any special considerations for running through an airbrush like using retarder or thinner? While we are on the subject of paint, is there any other paint readily available that can be airbrushed that will stick well enough to get the bait dipped and sealed? I tried some Bastrix knock-offs yesterday and painted a scaled look over the back and shoulders with Createx grey. Problem was, when I dipped and rolled them horizontaly in my pan, it rubbed some of the paint off. If I can't find a reasonable priced paint that won't rub off while dipping horizontaly (to save on plastic), I think I'm just gonna buy these baits off the shelf. By the way, what I am using is a mold I made of a 6" money minnow with the split belly, painting the bait and then re-dipping horizontaly to seal. I am not dipping from scratch. Thanks guys for your input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Prager Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I think I have read in a previous post about using highlight powder and acetone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 That was me 152nd but it was laquer thinner. The neat thing about it is that you can mix the powders to get shades and colors. For example if you mix green with gold and lumina black you can get a nice smallie color. You have to play with the amounts a little to get what you want. www.novalures.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Prager Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 Does it have to be spayed, or can the bait be rolled onto the color? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 I used an airbrush to apply it. The only problem with it is that it is atomized in the air so you have to be careful about ventilation as well as the explosive nature of the thinner. I just did it for the sake of doing it; I don't plan on continuing with it. www.novalures.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borderbasser Posted March 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Thanks guys for the input on the hi-lite powder. Does anyone out there have any experience with running the LC paint in an airbrush? Is reducer or thinner necessary. Does anyone know what can be used to clean the gun besides the $4 per ounce thinner? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garneau Baits Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Boderbasser, I use it and it works great. I use 1 part paint to 2 parts thinner, no retarder at all i want it to dry quick. I use a airbrush with a .50 tip. I clean my brush with store bought lacquer thinner. I don't like the fact that their thinner is as much as the paint. Check out this swim bait and tube i did with the paint. Fish on, Ted Garneau Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallie Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Regarding cleaning the airbrush. Take a little of the paint and put it on the outside of glass. Try different solvents like lacquer thinner, acetone, mineral spirits and see what seems to break it down the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrano Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 The thinner is MEK that can be bought at Home Depot for $15.00 a gallon. Very strong stuff needs good ventilation and a mask to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longhorn Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 I ordered several bottles of the LC plastic paint thinking that I would be painting swim baits...I got several colors...the other day I opened a bottle of chartruese I had never used and it was coagulated...adding thinner didn't fix this condition...today I opened a blue that I had used once and it was in the same shape...it is not a very good product in my opinion...it may just be a container problem. I've sure wasted a lot of money on it. At $191.00 a gallon or $1054 a barrel there ought to be a better way....now the LC people are going to post and say it was my fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdomina Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 does your horizontal dip process for the swim tubes involve much cutting and trimming? If it's not too much trouble would you mind elaborating on that or shooting me a PM ? thanks , Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrano Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 I ordered several bottles of the LC plastic paint thinking that I would be painting swim baits...I got several colors...the other day I opened a bottle of chartruese I had never used and it was coagulated...adding thinner didn't fix this condition...today I opened a blue that I had used once and it was in the same shape...it is not a very good product in my opinion...it may just be a container problem. I've sure wasted a lot of money on it. At $191.00 a gallon or $1054 a barrel there ought to be a better way....now the LC people are going to post and say it was my fault. Buy it direct from the manufacturer for about $50.00 per gallon. Get the clear and you can make any color you want using the same coloring that you use for soft plastics. If you add enough MEK you should be able to revive the sludge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassn1 Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 MEK will eat the rubber seals out of your airbrush. I trashed one of my cheaper models with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrano Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 Use a better airbrush that does not have rubber seals. I have never had a problem with my air brush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garneau Baits Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 Bass1, you need to use a airbrush that has solvent resistant seals in it. I use the MAC tools airbrush--- it looks like the Iwata TR2 I have 2 of them and they work good for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whiz Jig Posted March 23, 2008 Report Share Posted March 23, 2008 I ordered several bottles of the LC plastic paint thinking that I would be painting swim baits...I got several colors...the other day I opened a bottle of chartruese I had never used and it was coagulated...adding thinner didn't fix this condition...today I opened a blue that I had used once and it was in the same shape...it is not a very good product in my opinion...it may just be a container problem. I've sure wasted a lot of money on it. At $191.00 a gallon or $1054 a barrel there ought to be a better way....now the LC people are going to post and say it was my fault. Same thing happened to me. I bought several colors plus thinner and clear. When I had the time to use them they were all coagulated. The thinner had almost evaporated. I used what was left on the black. It worked, but I could not get the others to thin. It was a waste. I think it is a container problem too. Buy it direct from the manufacturer for about $50.00 per gallon. Get the clear and you can make any color you want using the same coloring that you use for soft plastics. If you add enough MEK you should be able to revive the sludge. What is the contact information for the manufacturer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallie Posted March 29, 2008 Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 Cyrano - any word on the manufacturer? What has been your experience with the paint? In other words, if the guys buying from LC experience a limited shelf life in small bottles, why wouldn't a gallon go bad too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova Posted March 29, 2008 Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 Has anyone asked LC how they store it? What I mean is that they have to carry some stock so they must keep it in good condition somehow. I'm pretty sure they would pass that along to you guys. www.novalures.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MONKEYqpHUNTER Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 sounds like bad batchs of the paint i have a couple differnt bottles and i dont use them but one or two times a week i shake them up real good so the seperation goes back and it always works fine for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubeman Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 I talked to Kim last week and asked her to post if she gets a chance. Apparently if the bottle cap has any residue on it the seal may not be air tight and that stuff does evaporate quickly. On the other hand, try and buy it as cheap in those quantites anywhere else ? Its great paint, you just have to work within the parameters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earthworm77 Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 Longhorn and Whiz Jig, I also had that problem. I purchased a bottle in each color and only used the black. When I opend up the others, they were coagualted like jelly. These had not been opened since thay were bottled at the factory. Certainly not my fault and certainly a poor product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longhorn Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 Yes, the bigger problem is the un-opened product going bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted May 9, 2008 Report Share Posted May 9, 2008 Boderbasser,I use it and it works great. I use 1 part paint to 2 parts thinner, no retarder at all i want it to dry quick. I use a airbrush with a .50 tip. I clean my brush with store bought lacquer thinner. I don't like the fact that their thinner is as much as the paint. Check out this swim bait and tube i did with the paint. Fish on, Ted Garneau Those look good enough to eat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
