KelpKritter Posted June 12, 2009 Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 After receiving a sample of Dick Nites last week I was able to put two coats on my swimbait pieces over the past few days by dipping, which by the way, I liked alot and it seems to work really well. My question is how long will it take for the baits to reach a "full" cure. The instructions say they are stored within four hours at the company, but there is no mention of when the curing process is fully complete. Any thoughts. Thanks, DaveB. KelpKritter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted June 12, 2009 Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 I've not use DN yet, but I've read that other urethanes take 72-100 hours to cure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted June 12, 2009 Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 You can handle the baits in a few hours but how quickly full moisture cure takes depends on relative humidity and temperature. I suspect it continues for a few weeks (sort of like epoxy, which may reach 90% cure in 24 hrs but continues curing for a week). I try not to fish DN coated baits for a week but you can safely ship or store them after 24 hrs as long as they aren't subjected to extreme abrasion. It's mostly about hook rash. I've fished DN bass baits 2-3 days after coating with no problems but if it's a trolling bait, I would want to wait a couple of weeks (and extra coats of DN) before getting them wet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted June 12, 2009 Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 Bob, A tip I got here from a trolling guy is to T your trebles, and you cut hook rash down to almost zero. He fishes for walleye, and said, if he doesn't T his trebles, he will wear right thought a plastic lure in a few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KelpKritter Posted June 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 I was able to easily handle the baits after a few hours, just wanted to see if the experts had any thoughts on when to reassemble and/or fish the newly coated baits. On a side note I am looking forward to seeing how the top coat holds up to the fish. As of right now the best finish on my PVC swimbaits fishing for saltwater bass has been six coats of Rustoleum Clear. Both the DT2 and etex have chipped off after a number of fish being caught. I had one of the guys who is testing my baits, who incidentally has also fished the salt here in SoCal with a very prominent hardbait maker on many occasions and he told me the biggest problem the bait designer had with fishing his baits for our saltwater bass was the topcoat. After a day of fishing calicos at the islands the baits were clearly scratched and marred down into the paint. One more experiment soon to be in the books when I can get out on the water again! DaveB. KelpKritter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted June 13, 2009 Report Share Posted June 13, 2009 In my experience, DN is durable because it is both slick and tough. Epoxy is tough but has what I'd call a "micro-crystaline structure" that doesn't resist hook rash very well. The trade-off is that DN is a thinner coating while epoxy is thick. They both might wear down to the paint eventually, just in different manners. Nothing I've ever found will make a bait last forever - except never fishing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KelpKritter Posted June 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2009 I do not mind a bait getting abused, all that means is your getting bit The problem I am having is that both types of epoxy were coming off in big chips on the first day of fishing. I have a number of guys interested in purchasing my baits, but I am just not comfortable with the top coat yet. I will be testing the Dick Nite coated lures shortly. Keeping my fingers crossed! DaveB. KelpKritter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted June 13, 2009 Report Share Posted June 13, 2009 Sounds to me like there is something under your topcoat that isn't adhering. Have you tried an "adhesion promoter" like Bulldog before the acrylic paint? The DN may help somewhat because it seems to soak into and through underlying acrylic paint instead of just lying on top of it like epoxy. I have almost no experience painting PVC baits but I know that some TU'ers do and hopefully they'll help out here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lure--Prof Posted June 13, 2009 Report Share Posted June 13, 2009 (edited) BobP is correct enough--Full cure is actually a month, but if you didn't know better, you'd think it was about 2 days. I sometimes use some baits after a few days, but I always know that if I use one hard, and can feel a little Gamakatsu or Owner hook rash, (from unteed hooks) that I can come home and apply another coat. After curing for a month, you'll notice the difference in the hardness and scratch resistance, but lots and lots of bass teeth will eventually leave some light scratches. I caught a lot of nice fish on one lure last fall, and renewed it with one normal coat, not that it was necessary, but just because I could. BTW, I use 4 coats, brushing them on a day apart although recoating can be done faster. Brushing it normally results in a thinner coat than dipping. I also keep my Dicknite's water thin by using Bloxygen to replace the air in any container after use and then reseal the container airtight. I have complete confidence in selling a bait coated with Dicknite's topcoat, because I know how it performs. Dean Edited June 13, 2009 by Dean McClain additional info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jawjacker Posted June 13, 2009 Report Share Posted June 13, 2009 dean and bob are hitting the nail on the head it takes close to a month to fully cure as for your adhesion problem i can say that its not the topcoat it is an underlying problem of one of the layers of paint that is not bonding to the one below it every layer should "etch"itself to the one below it or it will seperate from itself but i can say that its not the dicknites topcoat as this is tough stuff i have been using something like it for close to 10 years and have never had a failure yet ......jawjacker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted June 13, 2009 Report Share Posted June 13, 2009 Hey Dean, I'd like to do further testing on the wear characteristics of DN, in regard to "finish renewal". Please send me that old torn up bait that you were using last fall. I have some little green friends who have signed on to help in the research. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverMan Posted June 13, 2009 Report Share Posted June 13, 2009 So far I like it too................. RM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
champlainbaits Posted June 14, 2009 Report Share Posted June 14, 2009 I had exactly the same problem and wouldn't sell my baits because of it. Now I use DN and never have any problems. I let mine cure for a couple days before final assembly and shipping and have not had any complaints yet. I also fish my lures all the time and so far DN holds up to hook rash, fish, docks and bridges as well or better than any commercial bait I have. That's something to consider...if you look at the baits you buy you'll be surprised at how fast they chip, peel, lose eyes etc. Anyway that was my long way of saying I think DN will be the end of your search for a clear coat. It was for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KelpKritter Posted June 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2009 Maybe this will help in the discussion. The original batch of baits was primed with a regular old sanding primer, painted and heat set with water based acrylics, and then top coated with D2T and/or etex. The newest batch of baits have been base coated with white Krylon Plastics paint. Hopefully this will start the process of a better finish on the PVC baits. Heat set water based acrylics, and then two dips in the DN's. We'll see what happens next. Thanks for all of the feedback and information to chew on. DaveB. KelpKritter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
