Advice, which paint for hard plastic.

[Piscivorous Pike]

Short of it. I just ordered hard plastic unfinished bodies, copy of Magic Swimmer.

I just bought an airbrush tonight. My first.

I need to buy paint to make these look like yellow perch and Kokanee Salmon, green back, silver body.

What type of paint should I pick up from the craft store for these plastics? That recommedation I did not find on TU. How do you achiev the metalic gold and silvers of bait fish?

I learned a lot today from TU,e.g.,netting for scales, use combs or better yet a profile guage to make parr marks. From my icthylogical studies I believe the addition of a dark blue, light intensity parr mark is a trigger for Salmonoides on a silver minow lure. I can background that proven technique elsewhere, it works. Me, I am going after large char, rainbows and Northern Pike. I do not intend to make the facsimilie that detailed as I expect a lot of tooth damage.

You are all bad. I came to TU to make one copy of a soft jerk bait. Thats all. I now have a shelf full of RTV, DWP and POP molds, hand injectors, original vacuume method molds, original creation jerk baits, plastisol and bags of jerk baits and today I am getting into hard baits. Is this a desease? What is going to happen to my wallet?

I am embarrassed as I am only shooting for a resemblance the fish will understand. Probably the best I can do anyway. From the works I have seen today those lures are gorgeous and demonstrate great creativity and skill. TU members could fill a public craft and art exposition. I am looking for bait. I am not worthy to post in such a forum. Thanks for letting me.

[.dsaavedra.]

some popular airbrush paints:

Createx

Wildlife Colors

Polytranspar

AutoAir

House of Kolor

whether or not you will find these at your local craft store i can not tell you, however, they (and many more) are all available online.

you achieve the metallic look of baitfish by using metallic paints

[MikePaintsBaits]

Hey Pike

I use Auto Air / Createx Paint, I only paint plastic bait bodies, The paint Im using is a waterbase paint, so when I do mess up, I can wash it off & start over.

I do airbrush onto craft paper to see what my colors will look like, before I shoot my bait.

I shoot diff types of paints, Pearl, Metallic, Candy & Opaque's , Dont forget once you clearcoat your bait the colors will pop out.

Theres alot of very good painters here, which Im sure will chime in.

Enjoy.........Mike

[68KingFisher]

Chances are the only acrylic airbrush paint you'll find at a craft store would be Createx.....most of the other brands of acrylic paints they'll carry will not be made to spray thru your airbrush and while they may work for you, chances are good you'll have problems using them since their pigments aren't ground as fine as in paint made for airbrush use.

In addition to the list of paints DSV posted, there are a few other brands of acrylic airbrush paints available....Etac, AquaFlow, Golden, Comart, and Tamiya just to name a few more.....Also Createx manufactures their standard "Createx" acrylic, as well as Createx AutoAir and their new AutoAir Autoborne colors, and more recently Createx Wicked colors which they claim is a professional grade airbrush paint.....All these are good quality airbrush paints and have a wide variety of colors to choose from...even pearls and metalics.

[clamboni]

It's ok pike......I came here when I had a problem with pouring a spinnerbait mold........now I'm sever hundred dollars into lead baits, then started making hard baits, then the other day I just started pouring plastics.......no it never ends.

But my favorite perch patterns I've done were all with Createx. I sprayed the whole bait white, then pearl white. Lightly sprayed satin gold on the sides, left belly white. Transparent green shoulders. transparent green mixed very dark with black for the bars and back, then fluorescent orange spots for belly.

Edited October 14, 2009 by clamboni
added picture

[Piscivorous Pike]

It's ok pike......I came here when I had a problem with pouring a spinnerbait mold........now I'm sever hundred dollars into lead baits, then started making hard baits, then the other day I just started pouring plastics.......no it never ends.

But my favorite perch patterns I've done were all with Createx. I sprayed the whole bait white, then pearl white. Lightly sprayed satin gold on the sides, left belly white. Transparent green shoulders. transparent green mixed very dark with black for the bars and back, then fluorescent orange spots for belly.

Thank you, this is the help I need. I am going to use your formula for the perch pattern. It is perfect for my fish.

Looks like you use a template, spray the bars then go over the top with the same color.

There are some very good painters on TU. Hope the fish like my art.

[clamboni]

Looks like you use a template, spray the bars then go over the top with the same color.

Yes, I carved the template from a mild jug. One per size. Paint one side, clean it off and use the other side to do the other side of the bait.

[Piscivorous Pike]

Yes, I carved the template from a mild jug. One per size. Paint one side, clean it off and use the other side to do the other side of the bait.

I found createx at Michaels today. Still missing white, pearl white and trasparent dark blue for salmonoide parr marks.

I was looking for template material and then decided to cut up a milk jug-lol

Got an edge profile guage from Home Depot too, some more hooks from Sportsmans Warehouse, I should have checked, I got boxes of hooks it seems

now I have to go to work for the afternoon. No more play time today.

[Piscivorous Pike]

Here I am, hooky at work...

Base color or primer should be flat white. Can that be sprayed with a good quality spray like Kraylon plastic spray paint? That would be faster.

Airbrushes do put on a thinner coat which is important for weight and balance.

What do the pros think?

OH, BTW... should I clear coat them when done? Oh, Oh, I see Mike answered that already, in an above post.

Thanks again, TU, you realize how much time you save me by shortening the learning curve? And my next BIG trip is less than a month away.

These are copies of a unique wake bait that is match winning. Made in Japan and bare bones, ready to finish. I talked to some that use it and it may be a more pronounced wobble and as we know, subtle wobble the original has may be the real key, however, the original is now advertising a more sensitive wobble. Apparently looser hinges. It is interesting that other well known manufactureres have launched their versions of the same pattern. Looks like it was not a patentable feature as a few are cashing in on it, 3X the going rate for non-match winners having similiar shape and materials. I know it is the unique action that does it.

So far my cost per each works out to $10 and the commercial is $18. It is not actually the money saving but that is good but I can put on my custom patterns that I know work. I do not relish experimenting, first wasting valuable fishing time, wasting money on patterns that are not proven productive in the waters I fish.

Edited October 14, 2009 by Piscivorous Pike
found Mike's post

[MikePaintsBaits]

Edited October 14, 2009 by MikePaintsBaits
Double Message

[MikePaintsBaits]

Pike, Slow Ur Apple Cart Down, Take Ur Time.....Laughing.....Mike

[clamboni]

Krylon fusion is fine to basecoat with. But it's really nto faster. Yes, it does coat faster but you need to let it cure a little before you spray the createx over it, or you may end up with adhesion issues. Just sand the bait and wpray with Createx and it'll be fine. Dry with hair dryer between coats, it dries in seconds if your coats aren't too heavy.

[Piscivorous Pike]

Krylon fusion is fine to basecoat with. But it's really nto faster. Yes, it does coat faster but you need to let it cure a little before you spray the createx over it, or you may end up with adhesion issues. Just sand the bait and wpray with Createx and it'll be fine. Dry with hair dryer between coats, it dries in seconds if your coats aren't too heavy.

I was thinking about roughening the surface to take the base coat. I usually use laquer thinner with a shot of carb cleaner containing xylene in it as it will craze the plastic and then it easily takes paint.

Ever try a chemical wash to craze the plastic?

[Piscivorous Pike]

Any answer to chemical crazing the surface?

I cannot get clear Createx here.

What can I use for final clear coat, could it be a regular aerosol paint, enamal, laquer, polyurethane, etc.?

[Army Doc]

Devcon 2T for the clearcoat. You can find it in most auto parts stores, and most hardware stores. Just get some cheap brushes from Michaels that they use for kids paint and mix and brush on. Be sure to turn the lure to ensure a good even coat, even though if you put it on thin enough to cover but not thick enough to sag, after turning for a couple minutes, you can just hang it and let dry. Go to Radio Shack and get some Alligator clips to hold your baits with. Cut about a 6 inch section and attach the clip on the end. That will help you hold the bait without handling it. And, I started just like you a few months ago. I personally do not like Createx. I started using Polytranspar and won't go back to using Createx after using these for a couple months now. They have tons of colors, even flip flop. You can get them at: WASCO -- Wildlife Artist Supply Company

And yes, your wallet will be a little lighter, but your livewell/stringer/rod a bit heavier!!!

Chris

[Piscivorous Pike]

Devcon 2T for the clearcoat. You can find it in most auto parts stores, and most hardware stores. Just get some cheap brushes from Michaels that they use for kids paint and mix and brush on. Be sure to turn the lure to ensure a good even coat, even though if you put it on thin enough to cover but not thick enough to sag, after turning for a couple minutes, you can just hang it and let dry. Go to Radio Shack and get some Alligator clips to hold your baits with. Cut about a 6 inch section and attach the clip on the end. That will help you hold the bait without handling it. And, I started just like you a few months ago. I personally do not like Createx. I started using Polytranspar and won't go back to using Createx after using these for a couple months now. They have tons of colors, even flip flop. You can get them at: WASCO -- Wildlife Artist Supply Company

And yes, your wallet will be a little lighter, but your livewell/stringer/rod a bit heavier!!!

Chris

I certainly will do as you say here. Thank you for the WASCO tip.

I am a dabbler in electronices too, got plenty of Alligator clips, or a close sub species of them.

Funny story I posted on a flashlight forum, (I design and build very powerful flashlights, imagine a little Mag C cell with the output of a police patrol car!). I think with the awareness of the needs of the "rain forest" we all now know a Caiman is a South American Alligator. I read the directions to an electronic device that was obviously English translated from Chinese. They warned me:

"Rad cayman clip is positive, black cayman clip is negative".

Chris, I believe I will be using Caiman clips!! Wonder where they got their Chinese to English dictionary?

Edited October 16, 2009 by Piscivorous Pike

[Piscivorous Pike]

You all taught me a lot but I need some more help on parr marks. The perch above has crisp lines and is done with a template close to the lure.

How do you get a parr mark that fades out more on the edges? I tried to pull the template away from the lure more and that seems to be the trick. Trying to airbush a parr mark by hand is a lost cause for those not so artistically talented.

This week was no joy. I went through four 12V compressors, each malfunctioned or broke, used three varieties. Two air tanks developed a multitude of leaks.

A couple of poor hoses too. Went through two, now on third air brush. Poor quality is all.

I took it all back to Harbor Freight and exchanged it for a compressor and a better brush that has pressure control and internal mixing.

- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

and

- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

I noticed this brush is sold by a multitude of companies and I saw photos of TU experts using like.

I have been practicing on pvc pipe instead of lures. I bought Createx and DN lure coating off the TU link. Used windex as a cleaner, see you guys are good teachers. Last week I knew nothing about this stuff.

I built two and will publish pictures a painting rack that hangs horizontally eight to twelve lures. This is something I can give back to TU as soon as I prove it with real lures.

I can drape the scale cloth over the top rung and then I use tongue depressors on both side top and bottom of the round lure held in place by clothes pins or clamps. I get full body scales except for the very top and very bottom line for all the lures I hung on the rack!! I got veil Tulle, two sizes.

I want a wild looking perch with scales and vertical parr marks that fade to the surrounding color, no crisp line.

HELP!

Edited October 20, 2009 by Piscivorous Pike