Brent R Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 @ Ben Thought you might want to know about the Paasche VL sizes....... # 1......is .55mm # 3......is .73mm # 5......is 1.06 Are you using the bottles or the cup on your Paasche??? And are you thinning the clear coat are shooting it straight......I have a Iwata Revolution CR and Iwata HI LINE CH.....Think i will try using the CR......Do you think the auto clear is better than Dick Nite and D2T.......Spraying auto clear seems to be easier than using the others...... Take care....Brent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 @ Ben Thought you might want to know about the Paasche VL sizes....... # 1......is .55mm # 3......is .73mm # 5......is 1.06 Are you using the bottles or the cup on your Paasche??? And are you thinning the clear coat are shooting it straight......I have a Iwata Revolution CR and Iwata HI LINE CH.....Think i will try using the CR......Do you think the auto clear is better than Dick Nite and D2T.......Spraying auto clear seems to be easier than using the others...... Take care....Brent Thanks for the info on the Paasche nozzle sizes. I'm not thinning the auto clear. It's pretty thin as it is. Way thinner than DN and other top coats I've used and it sprays just fine without thinning. There may be advantages to thinning the auto clear, or certain conditions when it would help to thin it, but if there are I'm not aware of them. Like I've said before, this is my first time spraying it and I've only been using it for a couple weeks. I can't really say one is better than the other. Like EdL said in the post above you've got to figure out what's best for you. "Best" is a relative word and it always has a tendency to make me laugh when someone posts a question asking what is the "best" clear coat, paint, treble hook, etc. What is best for one person isn't even on the radar screen for someone else. I've used quite a few different clear coats in my short time building and painting lures, and every one of them has their good points and bad points. DN is a great clear coat that is both hard and durable, but the storage issues can be a pain in the butt. D2T gives a good, hard finish, but it pulls away from sharp corners and leaves thin spots. Etex is another good top coat that is clear and durable, but it takes an extended period of time to cure. The auto clear is gin clear and plenty hard enough to resist scratches and hook rash, but the vapors can lead to severe respiratory problems if proper safety precautions aren't used. Do you see where I'm going with this? Like I said I've been doing this for two years and I'm still trying new things. If there was only one "best" then we would all be using the same thing to build baits and it would get pretty boring around here. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent R Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 Thanks for the info on the Paasche nozzle sizes. I'm not thinning the auto clear. It's pretty thin as it is. Way thinner than DN and other top coats I've used and it sprays just fine without thinning. There may be advantages to thinning the auto clear, or certain conditions when it would help to thin it, but if there are I'm not aware of them. Like I've said before, this is my first time spraying it and I've only been using it for a couple weeks. I can't really say one is better than the other. Like EdL said in the post above you've got to figure out what's best for you. "Best" is a relative word and it always has a tendency to make me laugh when someone posts a question asking what is the "best" clear coat, paint, treble hook, etc. What is best for one person isn't even on the radar screen for someone else. I've used quite a few different clear coats in my short time building and painting lures, and every one of them has their good points and bad points. DN is a great clear coat that is both hard and durable, but the storage issues can be a pain in the butt. D2T gives a good, hard finish, but it pulls away from sharp corners and leaves thin spots. Etex is another good top coat that is clear and durable, but it takes an extended period of time to cure. The auto clear is gin clear and plenty hard enough to resist scratches and hook rash, but the vapors can lead to severe respiratory problems if proper safety precautions aren't used. Do you see where I'm going with this? Like I said I've been doing this for two years and I'm still trying new things. If there was only one "best" then we would all be using the same thing to build baits and it would get pretty boring around here. Ben I understand what your saying......Just trying to save some time and money.......Thanks for all your help and i'm sure you have also helped others.....You might have only been doing this 2 years...but that's 2 years more than i have......thanks again for everything... take care...Brent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 I understand what your saying......Just trying to save some time and money.......Thanks for all your help and i'm sure you have also helped others.....You might have only been doing this 2 years...but that's 2 years more than i have......thanks again for everything... take care...Brent You might want to try the auto clear if you don't mind getting set up properly to use it. First thing you'll need is an organic vapor respirator. Got mine at Lowe's. And keep in mind that you'll need to spray it where there is plenty of fresh air. I like the finish you get with it. It's slick to the touch which translates to lower drag in the water. It's as clear a finish as your going to get. And it cures to a hard shell which should cut down on hook rash. I haven't fished any of the baits I've sprayed with it yet, so I can't honestly tell you how it's going to hold up, but I have a feeling it will do just fine. It's not quite as expensive as some of the other clear coats and it's available locally so no shipping costs. The stuff I'm using was only about $36 a quart at O'Reilly's Auto Supply. There are other auto clears that are way more expensive and no doubt much better than the one I'm using, but I think this one will be just fine. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuskyGary Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 I assume after spraying you just hang the lure up? No need for a carosel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bass Man Posted July 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 I assume after spraying you just hang the lure up? No need for a carosel? I just hang up to dry, seven minutes between coats on the clear I am using. Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 I just hang up to dry, seven minutes between coats on the clear I am using. Patrick I've been doing some experimenting with this. I am in no way saying this is the way to do it, but I've been using a heat gun to flash off some of the solvents. Not enough to try and cure the coating, but trying to apply just enough heat to flash off some of the solvents and make it thicken up. This allows me to spray the successive coats without waiting between applications. And when I finish the baits are hung up to do the final curing. I have no idea if this is having an effect on the hardness or durability of the finished product as I haven't had a chance to test any of the baits I've done this way under real fishing conditions, but the coatings have been curing clear and hard. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitro98 Posted July 21, 2011 Report Share Posted July 21, 2011 Where are you guys spraying this stuff? I havent bit the bullet yet to do this bc Im limited on where I can spray. I was thinking the garage with fans but im reluctant because there is a door to my house in the garage and im fearful fumes may leak in. Anyone just spraying outdoors unsheltered? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted July 21, 2011 Report Share Posted July 21, 2011 Where are you guys spraying this stuff? I havent bit the bullet yet to do this bc Im limited on where I can spray. I was thinking the garage with fans but im reluctant because there is a door to my house in the garage and im fearful fumes may leak in. Anyone just spraying outdoors unsheltered? I'm spraying outside. I'm only building and spraying a couple baits a week at most though. If I were building them for sale and spraying a large number of baits at a time this wouldn't be practical. If your mass producing lures for sale then you'd need a place dedicated for spraying. The afternoon sun shines directly on the side of the house my deck is on and as hot as it's been this summer I just hang them up on the deck after spraying and they're dry to the touch in about an hour. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent R Posted July 21, 2011 Report Share Posted July 21, 2011 @ Ben Do you wear any kind of eye protection....i know you said you wear a respirator....in your pic you are wearing a beard......The guy at the paint store told me my beard had to go....even if i do wear it short........I've been wearing it for 15 years...its kinda a part of me.....Guess it has to go if i'm going to spray auto clear......Oh when you spray with the paasche do you spray with the bottle are the cup.....thanks for the help....take care Brent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted July 22, 2011 Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 @ Ben Do you wear any kind of eye protection....i know you said you wear a respirator....in your pic you are wearing a beard......The guy at the paint store told me my beard had to go....even if i do wear it short........I've been wearing it for 15 years...its kinda a part of me.....Guess it has to go if i'm going to spray auto clear......Oh when you spray with the paasche do you spray with the bottle are the cup.....thanks for the help....take care Brent I've reached the age where wearing glasses is a necessity. I've been using the metal cup when spraying with the Paasche. And yes, I've still got my beard. I started shaving when I was 14 and swore that when I graduated high school I wasn't going to shave anymore and I'm now 57 so I've had my beard for a while. I know I'm taking a risk, but by spraying outside with a breeze at my back I feel that risk is negligible. It's not something I'd suggest anyone else do, but it is my decision and I've made that decision knowing the dangers. And if I start smelling any fumes inside the respirator I'll rethink what I'm doing. Now don't think that just because I'm doing it that you'll try to get away with it. You already know what the proper way of doing things are. If you choose to do something else it's all on you bud. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68KingFisher Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 In the for whats its worth dept, here are my thoughts......Shooting automotive clear is no big deal as long as you'll provide a little ventilation.....Just a box fan sitting in the window with you spraying near it is usually more then enough exhaust to deal with the small amounts of overspray you get when using an airbrush......Of course you should wear a good resperator rated for organic vapors just to be safe, but do you need a separate building from your home to shoot clear in....NO.....Do you need to wear a "shoot suit" and cover all exposed areas of your skin and goggles to protect your eyes?....NO....I don't think so....not for the small amounts were dealing with when clearing lures....unless your shooting alot of clear with a mini or full sized gun and then you'll want to take better precautions.....But do you need to be clean shaven to shoot some auto clear on your lures.....NO, I don't think so. I mean lets be real.....If your were gonna start a body and paint shop in your family garage and be painting full sized vehicles, then of course disregard everything I just said, and get yourself a paintbooth and all the safety gear, and don't think about exposing your family to the fumes by painting cars in the attached garage.....Otherwise take a few minor precautions and use some common sense, and some decent ventilation, and you guys will be fine spraying a little auto clear now and then thru your airbrush. Disclaimer:.......If your an idiot, then none of this applies to you, and you should seek out a professional that can paint and clearcoat your lures for you.....There are several on this website so feel free to seek them out and use their services! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverMan Posted July 31, 2011 Report Share Posted July 31, 2011 I wonder what's more toxic, applying epoxy with a brush or spraying an auto clear? lol. I know a guy that has sprayed auto clear for years and he looks like walking death! RM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bass Man Posted August 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 The mini hvlp touch-up gun works great with the automotive clear. Works great on the tags and can be turned down for the baits. I sprayed my first reel Today with it and it worked great for that also. How many coats, using automotive clear, should be put on a reel? I sprayed 3 coats on the one Today, but that was just experimenting. Thanks for all of the advice!! I've been doing some experimenting with this. I am in no way saying this is the way to do it, but I've been using a heat gun to flash off some of the solvents. Not enough to try and cure the coating, but trying to apply just enough heat to flash off some of the solvents and make it thicken up. This allows me to spray the successive coats without waiting between applications. And when I finish the baits are hung up to do the final curing. I have no idea if this is having an effect on the hardness or durability of the finished product as I haven't had a chance to test any of the baits I've done this way under real fishing conditions, but the coatings have been curing clear and hard. Ben Thanks Ben!! I will give that a try between flash times the next time I use it. How many coats are the best used on baits? Thanks, Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted August 1, 2011 Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 (edited) The mini hvlp touch-up gun works great with the automotive clear. Works great on the tags and can be turned down for the baits. I sprayed my first reel Today with it and it worked great for that also. How many coats, using automotive clear, should be put on a reel? I sprayed 3 coats on the one Today, but that was just experimenting. Thanks for all of the advice!! Thanks Ben!! I will give that a try between flash times the next time I use it. How many coats are the best used on baits? Thanks, Patrick Hey Patrick. I can't really tell you what the optimum number of coats would be as spraying auto clear is new to me as well. I only mix up 1 1/4 tablespoons at a time. (one tablespoon of resin and 1/4 tablespoon of activator) This is enough to allow me to put between six and eight coats on two bass size lures. (2 1/2 to 3 inches long) I also spray what I call two "coats" at a time. I spray the bait while turning it in my hand and make two revolutions of the bait while spraying. I might also mention that I'm spraying with an airbrush and this might not be possible with the mini HVLP gun as it has a much larger tip size and sprays a much larger volume than what I'm spraying with the airbrush. So far the baits seem to be holding up pretty well. Since I don't build baits for sale I don't worry about time or materials as much as someone who builds them for sale and is trying to get every pennies worth out of his operation. I know this doesn't give you a specific answer, but as of right now it's the best I can do. Keep us posted on what works best for you. Ben Edited August 1, 2011 by RayburnGuy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bass Man Posted August 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 Hey Patrick. I can't really tell you what the optimum number of coats would be as spraying auto clear is new to me as well. I only mix up 1 1/4 tablespoons at a time. (one tablespoon of resin and 1/4 tablespoon of activator) This is enough to allow me to put between six and eight coats on two bass size lures. (2 1/2 to 3 inches long) I also spray what I call two "coats" at a time. I spray the bait while turning it in my hand and make two revolutions of the bait while spraying. I might also mention that I'm spraying with an airbrush and this might not be possible with the mini HVLP gun as it has a much larger tip size and sprays a much larger volume than what I'm spraying with the airbrush. So far the baits seem to be holding up pretty well. Since I don't build baits for sale I don't worry about time or materials as much as someone who builds them for sale and is trying to get every pennies worth out of his operation. I know this doesn't give you a specific answer, but as of right now it's the best I can do. Keep us posted on what works best for you. Ben Thanks Ben!! I will keep eperimenting with different layers of coats and let yall know what works best for me. I can turn the pressue down and the paint flow down on the mini hvlp, but it still may be a little too much for baits. I will still give it a try and see how it goes. Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justbass Posted August 3, 2011 Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 Thanks Ben!! I will keep eperimenting with different layers of coats and let yall know what works best for me. I can turn the pressue down and the paint flow down on the mini hvlp, but it still may be a little too much for baits. I will still give it a try and see how it goes. Patrick just to say hi to everyone here.i've been reading alot on here and really liked the idea of spraying auto clear and i purchased the one rayburn guy posted and i really liked the way it worked and i applied two heavy wet coats and it came out beautiful.for me it works great.one day i will post one i think is worthy but for now i'm just admiring all of your work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted August 3, 2011 Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 just to say hi to everyone here.i've been reading alot on here and really liked the idea of spraying auto clear and i purchased the one rayburn guy posted and i really liked the way it worked and i applied two heavy wet coats and it came out beautiful.for me it works great.one day i will post one i think is worthy but for now i'm just admiring all of your work. Welcome to TU justbass. Glad the auto clear is working for you. Looking forward to seeing some of your work. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bass Man Posted August 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 just to say hi to everyone here.i've been reading alot on here and really liked the idea of spraying auto clear and i purchased the one rayburn guy posted and i really liked the way it worked and i applied two heavy wet coats and it came out beautiful.for me it works great.one day i will post one i think is worthy but for now i'm just admiring all of your work. Welcome to TU and Thanks for sharing that with us. I also look forward to seeing your work. Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justbass Posted August 8, 2011 Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 Welcome to TU and Thanks for sharing that with us. I also look forward to seeing your work. Patrick just posted three pictures in the gallery of two cranks and a trap i painted and shot with the auto clear.these are the second batch of paints i've done so i'm still learning and trying to figure out all the little quirks of airbrushing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkustel Posted August 11, 2011 Report Share Posted August 11, 2011 Clear coats are like religions it seems. Building lures off and on for fifteen years its just incredible how many failures I've made due to struggling with clear coats. Its the final aesthetic and the only protection that lure has against the elements. I've given up on ideas of bulletproof finishes. Good enough will have to do...nothing is impervious to a hard impact or repeated wearing of razor sharp trebles and we know the ones that do better than others. I've been prepping to get a little more production oriented wanting to be able to move batches of 15-30 rather large lures at a time. Some are jointed lures. I've tried this process with epoxy and man what a pain in the butt. Use devcon and your mixing batches and going through brushes left and right. I've used e=tex and its easier to get through a batch, problem is you end up with a ton of it on the floor. Cures rather soft. Need multiple coats to get any real thickness. Dick Nites, heard its great if you can store it...can't seem to get any. Whats left, the auto clear. Been real hesitant due to the hazards. Got rigged up with the respirator, goggles, gloves, tyvek suit...shot out an open garage door assisted with a large fan to pull fumes away. Shot three heavy coats on 15 or so lures in about 30 minutes using the Paasche VL #3 tip and the stuff was effortless. Used a PPG product. Not a hint of a run, quick setting between coats and a deep super clear finished product. Definitely the most trouble free experience I've had in terms of application and definitely a factory looking finish. Cleaned up real meticulous to eliminate any fumes lingering around...it is nasty stuff that lets you know if you spilled anywhere. Letting the lures cure outside in a box to keep the fumes out of the shop until they cure. Manufacturer docs say 7 days to full cure. I'm thinking they should be good enough to fish in about 3 days, I'll probably give these about 5 so that I can make an accurate assessment of its durability. Whats your guys take on the "safe to fish" time?? Is the cure temp dependent or one of those air/moisture deals? Its the typical auto clear forumula with them lovely isocyanates. JK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justbass Posted August 12, 2011 Report Share Posted August 12, 2011 i have fished mine after a day and a half and didn't have any problems what so ever.when i first put it in the water i kept checking it after a couples cast with my hands to see if anything was going on and it was fine.so i guess if you are letting them sit for a couple days then i don't believe you will have any problems.i do like the shine and i have just finished clearing four more baits and i put four coats on them,the reason i did this is because i put some flake in the second coat.after the fourth coat or as i was appling it u really had to look close to see where you were spraying because the shine was in full swing.for me this is the best way to get a good shiny finish,and also the fastest way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted August 13, 2011 Report Share Posted August 13, 2011 My wife drives her car like a demolition derby champ and the body shop guys always tell me to let the new finish harden for 2 weeks before washing it so it will fully harden and the surface of the clearcoat will not get scratched up. Translating that to lures, yeah you could fish them a day after clearcoating and the the urethane should hold up and prevent any water intrusion, which is a main function of the clearcoat. But the lure is more prone to scratches and hook rash. So it's Player's Choice, depending on how desperate you are to fish the lure versus how much you care about maintaining its gloss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwbassin Posted August 25, 2011 Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 (edited) I'm using Dupont Select Clear 2K 498-00 and the mid-temp activator. They make different activators to be used at different temperature ranges. It is mixed at a 4 to 1 ratio. (4 parts resin to 1 part activator) I think that most quality airbrushes that are manufactured these days have teflon packing so you probably don't need to worry about that. But to answer your question, yes, teflon is better than a rubber o-ring as it's more resistant to harsh chemicals. As far as nozzle size don't get a Paasche #3 nozzle confused with a .3 millimeter nozzle. Paasche has their own way of sizing nozzles and I'm not exactly sure how they size them, but a #3 nozzle is fairly large in comparison to a .3mm nozzle. I'm usually only clearing a couple baits at a time and a #3 nozzle in the Paasche VL is quite adequate in my opinion. Using a #5 nozzle would create quite a bit more overspray and you would just be wasting product and I don't see that you would save much, if any, time when spraying a few baits. Again that's just my opinion. If I were building baits for sale and spraying hundreds of them at a time I would probably go with one of the HVLP mini-guns that have been discussed earlier in this thread. hope this answers your questions, Ben RayburnGuy, I got to looking on the web about the clear you are using and was going to give it a try. I found this sepc. sheet and wanted you to have it. didnt know if you already had it or not. Just scroll down to the 498 link. http://pc.dupont.com/dpc/en/US/html/visitor/b/nsn/s/product/nason.html When I do try it I will get back with you. Edited August 25, 2011 by mwbassin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted August 25, 2011 Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 Thanks MW. Look forward to hearing what you think about the clear. I just started using it not long ago myself and am always open to hearing new info. good luck, Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
