Dick Nite Clear

[MikePaintsBaits]

Hey Everyone

During My 2nd Dip , I'm Getting Some Wrinkles , I Think I know What My "Dumb Self"

May Be Doing ? I'm Re-Dipping My Baits about 4 Hours After The First Dip? Do I Need

To Let The First Coat Cure Longer.

Thanks A Bunch

Mike

[BobP]

In my experience, you need to wait at least 24 hrs, and longer if possible. Several days is not too much. Because of the chance of a bad Dick Nite to Dick Nite reaction, I usually only do a single dip on bass baits. One dip seems to give a fault-free coating with good durability. It would be ideal if the coating were a little thicker, yes, but realistically a thicker coating retaind its solvents longer while drying/curing, increasing the chance of a wrinkle or bubble. So like a lot of things, it's a balancing act.

[MikePaintsBaits]

Thanks Bob , Yep , Dumb Dumb Me . That Time Issue Was In My Head.

[mark poulson]

BobP,

Have you tried using a hair dryer to speed up the curing process, both between coats, and for the final coat?

It works for water bourne urethanes, but I've never used DN, so I don't know if it works for that coating, too.

[BobP]

Mark, a hair dryer will certainly speed dry DN but it already dries quickly - you can touch the surface within an hour and can gently handle it after 2-3 hours. That doesn't mean all the solvent has gassed out, and it's still pretty fragile until 24 hrs have passed. At that point, DN has the durability of a thin coating of typical polyurethane, i.e., not much. It only becomes tough and durable after moisture cure and that lasts at least a week. How long it takes for epoxy or a moisture cure poly to get to true final cure state is debatable. I've read that most epoxies continue to cure for about a week and some suggest DN might continue curing for as long as a month. All this is relative to temperature, humidity, and how hard and tough you as a builder think is "good enough". I fish epoxied lures (D2T) with no problems after 24 hours. I've mailed DN covered baits after 24 hrs, reasoning the recipient would not have a chance to throw them for 4-5 days, enough time for the moisture cure to reach good durability. I personally like at least 5 days cure time before I fish a DN bait. No problem for me - I have lots of crankbaits and giving one time to get really durable is not a big deal. That's reason #101 I like building them

[mark poulson]

Bob,

I just mentioned it because I'm really impatient when I build a new lure, and want to fish it the next day!

Now, bear in mind that I use SC 9000, and not DN.

I've actually found that, when I dip the lure, hitting it with a hair dryer on low after the finish appears dry, usually half an hour, and then again 15 minutes later, lets me redip after an hour with no wrinkling, instead of waiting a full two hours between dips. I typically dip three times.

And, if I hit it a couple more times after the last dip, the finish is really hard and I can fish it the next day. Of course, waiting two days makes it bullet proof.

I think the heat accelerates the curing.

Edited August 9, 2010 by mark poulson

[RiverMan]

You know maybe I have just been lucky but I typically let DN set for about an hour and then I put on another coat.........no problems at all.

Jed

[BobP]

Jed, Thanks for the info! I wondered if there was a short recoat time possible for DN and maybe you found it! A lot of solvent based coatings specify recoating "within a certain short time or longer than 24 hrs". Maybe the same applies to DN? My question is whether you brush or dip your DN?

[MikePaintsBaits]

Hey Guys ,

I've waited 2 days , 2nd coat re-dip no issues. For the few baits I've brushed DN on , I've

never had any wrinkles brushing the 2nd coat 2 hours later , I'm sure this is from the thinner coat being applied by the brush.