Scale Netting

[stratos201]

I bought some scale netting from stamina both fine and course. The course is a round pattern and the fine is more like triangles. Im looking for fine scale netting with a round pattern, does anyone know where to get it?

[RayburnGuy]

BobP said it best when he said that most of us use "found netting". This can be on the back of dish washing sponges, bug sponges, loofahs, bridal veil material, netting off of gym bags, bee keeper nets, and the list goes on and on. It's not just the size and shape of the scale pattern you'll want to take into account. The netting needs to be supple enough to wrap around your lures and fit tightly. If the netting can't be pulled tight without wrinkles then you won't get a good looking scale pattern. You can check fabric stores in your area to start with. And then start paying attention to anything that has netting on it. In no time you will have an assortment of scale material.

good luck,

RG

[504BASSMASTER]

Hello, do you have any pictures of the methods your speaking about. I would like to see your methods or something similar before I started attempting this myself

504 Bassmaster

[mark poulson]

I use a sheet of plywood that's leaned up against my shop wall, lying on the 8' side, for my painting and scaling "easel".

I'm a carpenter, so I have lots of plywood lying around in my garage, when I paint.

You could just buy a half sheet, 4'X4', and use it. I recomment 3/4" plywood, because it is heavy enough to lean from it's own weight, so you won't have to worry abot it falling over.

You could make do with a 30"X30" piece, screwed to something solid at a comfortable height for you to work, or even use that piece of plywood on a real artist's easel. I just use what I have.

I duct taped a24"X24" piece of closed cell foam onto the plywood.

I have a 24"X24" section of tulle scaling cloth that I bought from a fabric store attached to the top by duct tape, directly over the foam, so I can drape it down over the foam.

I put a series of 3" screws down the sides of the foam, to hang the lures from.

When I want to paint a scale pattern, I suspend the lure between two screws, one on each side, with opened paper clips in each end of the lure, and a strong rubber band attached to one clip.

I hook one clip on one screw, attach the lure to that clip, attach the clip with the rubber band to the other end of the lure, and stretch the rubber band until the lure is suspended between the two screws. If the lure is long, I pass the rubber band over one screw, and pull it down to another to get the tension I need.

I make sure the lure is tight to the face of the foam.

Then I drape the scale cloth down over the lure, and use plastic handled push pins to force the cloth down tight around the lure.

I can paint one side at a time this way.

I spray on the scale paint in light coats, and heat dry each coat well before I put on another.

Once I'm done with my scale pattern, I remove the push pins, and carefully and slowly peel the cloth off the lure, starting at the bottom and moving up.

I drape the cloth back over the back of the plywood, so it's out of the way, and hit the lure again with the hair dryer on high, to be sure the scaling is really dry and set before I reverse the lure on the hangers, and repeat the scaling on the other side.

This let's me scale each side of my swimbaits easily.

Typically, the backs of my baits don't need scaling, but I can rotate the lures so the back is facing away from the foam, and scale the back, too if I want to.

I do smaller cranks this way too.

Hope this helps.

Edited September 2, 2010 by mark poulson

[BobP]

504, painting scale effect is easy. Drape some netting over the top of the lure, secure it with some clothes pins along the bottom and top of the lure so the netting sits evenly on the lure surface where you want the effect. Spray over the netting with a color that contrasts with the underlying paint and voila' - scale effect. Carefully lift off the netting and set the paint with a hair dryer. Many of us use netting and home made painting templates for lure details (shad spots, gills, crawfish body patterns, bars, etc) so that we can get both sides of the lure identical. It's very hard to paint detail the same on two sides of a lure. Heck, it's difficult to paint small details on one side without screwing it up! Templates are your friend.

[stratos201]

Well I have the technique down, just wanted to know if anyone has bought any from Janns net craft, etc. Just looking for the smaller round pattern. I have tried the loofahs and the pattern from the ones I have are too large for the scales IM after. Will try a fabric store or contact Janns net craft and talk to them about their pattern. I use two small picture frames(wooden) and using a stapler to fasten the netting to the frame. I then put the lure to be painted between the two frames and clamp together. This forms a nice tight fit over the lure, plus holds it pretty steady. I do my painting and heat setting then take the two apart. works really well.

BobP said it best when he said that most of us use "found netting". This can be on the back of dish washing sponges, bug sponges, loofahs, bridal veil material, netting off of gym bags, bee keeper nets, and the list goes on and on. It's not just the size and shape of the scale pattern you'll want to take into account. The netting needs to be supple enough to wrap around your lures and fit tightly. If the netting can't be pulled tight without wrinkles then you won't get a good looking scale pattern. You can check fabric stores in your area to start with. And then start paying attention to anything that has netting on it. In no time you will have an assortment of scale material.

good luck,

RG