Thad Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Well I've got a couple baits working now but my finish is not that smooth and it's the seal coat that is creating it. I've soaked and dipped in prop and I've used D2T to seal them. It just seems like no matter what I use or how much I sand I still can't get a good smooth, level surface to paint. What are some of your guys techniques to get those beautiful, smooth baits I see on here? I'm using balsa by the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted January 28, 2010 Report Share Posted January 28, 2010 Well I've got a couple baits working now but my finish is not that smooth and it's the seal coat that is creating it. I've soaked and dipped in prop and I've used D2T to seal them. It just seems like no matter what I use or how much I sand I still can't get a good smooth, level surface to paint. What are some of your guys techniques to get those beautiful, smooth baits I see on here? I'm using balsa by the way. I don't make balsa baits, but I've repainted quite a few. Once I'm down to the bare wood, I seal them with runny crazy glue, two coats, because it's strong and light. I wet sand with 400 grit between coats, and after the second coat. Once I have primed the lure, I wet sand it again, and that's it. I've been able to get smooth lures, ready to paint, with that method. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishwhittler Posted January 28, 2010 Report Share Posted January 28, 2010 Wet sanding before sealing will help. Also, try sealing with a thin sealer such as lacquer first, then sand and coat with epoxy. Hope this helps. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted January 28, 2010 Report Share Posted January 28, 2010 I've heard some commercial builders dip balsa baits in a thick "build coat" (e.g. flooring glue) to encapsulate any rough wood and so avoid the need to sand them. A more mundane approach is lots of sanding. After sanding raw balsa down to 400 grit, I dip 7-10 times in prop or brush on 2 coats of Devcon thinned with lacquer thinner, first coat sanded smooth, then a second coat to further smooth the surface and waterproof any spots that might now be unprotected. I lightly sand the 2nd epoxy coat to degloss the surface before painting. It's more work than hardwood baits but you end up with a very smooth durable balsa surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benton B Posted January 28, 2010 Report Share Posted January 28, 2010 2 coats of super glue with a light sanding on the rough spots. 1 coat of devcon and I now have a smooth surface for painting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
