Snax Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Hey everyone, Check out this product if you want to seal your wood baits before priming and painting. It's called CPES (Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer) and is specially formulated to penetrate deeply into the wood. Here's the link to their website... CPES™-Wood based epoxy products to repair and resist wood rot. I've used it and love it!!! (And NO I don't sell it and they are not a sponsor of mine) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Nice stuff for sure. I bought some around 4 years ago for a boat rehab project. I have also used it on several baits since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VMAXX Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Thanks Mike:yay: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepsessions Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 great product! I've been using CPES for the last 4 or 5 years on decks/siding and probably the last year on baits. It is made locally here in the bay area by Smith&Co. It's not the cheapest but it is a great product and really saturates. One thing it does not do is level out the grain like devcon. one note of caution....make sure your outdoors when you apply it! it's nasty stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snax Posted October 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 It absolutely must be used in a well ventilated area as the solvents that carry the epoxy resins are highly toxic and reek strongly! It supposedly carries deeper into wood than any other product like it and it doesn't cure like a rock but retains a wood-like flexibility which is what you want in a lure. I've only had the chance to apply it to a few lures so far but I'm really impressed with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steel Pulse Posted October 14, 2008 Report Share Posted October 14, 2008 Terrible stink for sure. I get the same results with sys 3 clear coat. Heat up plug in oven say 225 for 20 min then apply. Wipe off excess after 10 min and let dry. Both work great, especially on soft woods. I think the epoxy sealed plug is a tad harder, durable, than the CPES. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepsessions Posted October 14, 2008 Report Share Posted October 14, 2008 It would be interesting to do a sample,cut it in half,and then actually see the penetration. When I do dry rot repair with this product I drill numerous deep holes in and around the rot and then use a big syringe to inject and saturate the wood until it won't take anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snax Posted October 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2008 Here's a link to the CPES tests... Rot Doctor-Wood based epoxy products to repair and resist wood rot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepsessions Posted October 14, 2008 Report Share Posted October 14, 2008 nice find....there's no question that it saturates ALOT more than the competitors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snax Posted October 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2008 nice find....there's no question that it saturates ALOT more than the competitors. I figure this will be ideal for the guys needing to seal the hinge pin holes in their swimbaits. It also acts as a great primer/adhesion promotor for whatever top coats you use. If you let the wood dry fully after treating it then just apply a very thin coat of the CPES again and let it tack up before painting your colors. It supposedly will glue your top coats to the wood! Even without re-coating it gives very good adhesion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepsessions Posted October 14, 2008 Report Share Posted October 14, 2008 It supposedly will glue your top coats to the wood! Even without re-coating it gives very good adhesion. It is a great adhesion promoter! "Hot coating" does work with a second coat,but be leary it is not transparent enough to work over foil and will amber. One note of caution...I've jumped the gun with this product and not let "large" areas not dry long enough even after the 24 hour period which resulted in bubbling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snax Posted October 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2008 I usually will let the treated wood sit for a minimum of 3 days just to be on the safe side. So far so good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallard Posted October 15, 2008 Report Share Posted October 15, 2008 How do you apply it? Spray on, brush on, dip or soak? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snax Posted October 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2008 How do you apply it? Spray on, brush on, dip or soak? I brush it on but you can probably dip it if you wish. I prefer brushing as it's not cheap and I want to use it wisely. You'll notice that it soaks in and covers really well. It's not meant to flow out and give you a smooth finish. That is what a regular epoxy is for. This is purely to penetrate and protect the wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jameso321 Posted October 15, 2008 Report Share Posted October 15, 2008 (edited) Poor mans CPES, Take and mix etex. Add Denatured alcohol; lately I have been doing about 55% etex and 45% alcohol. I started with 66% etex and 33% alcohol, but I like the thinner better. Heat the plugs if you wish. One minute in microwave is what I do. I have never microwaved plugs with body weights though, lol. Take two 16 ounce solo beer/party cups. Poor the solution all over the plug inside and out from cup to cup until it is 100% covered (takes about 30 seconds) Primer in 24-48 hours depending on weather and temp. Cheap, Easy Wear gloves, eye protection etc. Ventilation is recommended when using D. Alcohol. -=-=-=-=-=- Some guys use Toluene instead of D. Alcohol. CPES itself is a combination of solvents and epoxy, not 100% sure which. -=-=- Another good read related to this - http://www.epoxyproducts.com/penetrating4u.html Mods can kill link if violates forums rules etc. Edited October 15, 2008 by jameso321 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted October 15, 2008 Report Share Posted October 15, 2008 You can preheat plugs w/ballast weights in a conventional oven, or in a toaster oven, on low. I wonder when the quest for water protection becomes a matter of diminishing returns. After all, there is no such thing as a perfect "bullet proof" lure. If you make one, I gauantee you'll lose it! To me, it's like the "perfect baitcaster". The Steez is amazing, but all the baitcasters today are sooooooo much better than the reels of twenty years ago that you can't really go wrong. Same with lures. Even though some old shapes and materials might have been "better", the sealers and paints and epoxies we use today are so much better than the stuff that was used twenty years ago that any system we use today whose components are compatible, so they don't fail because they don't like each other, is far superior. The methods and materials recommended on this site work great. I understand trying to make things simpler and faster and more fool proof, but, at a certain point, we can wind up spending more time testing than lure making. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepsessions Posted October 15, 2008 Report Share Posted October 15, 2008 I can see why Snax is on the search for the deepest penetrating sealer since he is hunting Muskies! The more penetration the less likely water will absorb... no question. CPES absorbs so much it CAN play with the natural bouyancy so keep that in mind and run a few test samples. CPES uses solvents as a vehicle to transport "natural resins" and to evaporate any water that is still in the wood...the thin epoxy is mixed in to stop any fungus from continuing to grow. Another product they make that is superior is their Epoxy Filler. Zero shrinkage and it's sandable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.JPG)