defish Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 I'm getting started airbrushing jerkbaits/stickbaits like #9 Rapalas, etc. and am trying to pick a clearcoat. These baits are small and I'm afraid that a heavier epoxy Devcon 2 Ton, or Envirotex will deaden their action. Is one of these epoxies somewhat lighter than the other, or isn't this going to be a problem? If I should use something lighter, should I look at using a urethane? Thanks. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeeter Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 Yes, you should use urethane. It is definitely the best choice. Skeeter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crankpaint Posted January 27, 2012 Report Share Posted January 27, 2012 or thin the epoxy so its not so thick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
defish Posted January 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2012 Thanks for the replies. These both sound like good options. I forgot to mention before that these baits will mostly be painted with bright fluorescent paints and be used for walleyes with some visits from large pike. So the clearcoat needs to have a combination of clarity and toughness for the bright colors to shine through and for standing up to the toothy critters. Thanks. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeeter Posted January 27, 2012 Report Share Posted January 27, 2012 (edited) My friend. Everyone on here wants a clear, thin, UV protected, clearcoat that can take take the bite of a great white shark. Sad to say... it does not exist. Maybe someone on here knows something that I don't. But, Devcon and Dick Nite will add weight. Urethane will crush from the first bite of a toothy critter. If the baits can take the weight, I would use Devcon. Skeeter Edited January 27, 2012 by Skeeter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted January 27, 2012 Report Share Posted January 27, 2012 Skeeter said it all. Toothy critters will have their way. One of the nice features of urethane is that you can recoat easily. I would check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted January 27, 2012 Report Share Posted January 27, 2012 There is no perfect clearcoat, like Skeeter says. There are 3 popular ones: epoxy, moisture cured urethane (Dick Nite, etc), and 2 part automotive clearcoats. All are tough and waterproof but there are differences. Dick Nite is ideal where a thin topcoat is wanted. It's hard to store and hard to use multiple coats but is probably the closest to a factory finish. If tooth-proof resilience is your priority, epoxy is still the state of the art. You can build a perfect looking topcoat as thick as you want with it. Automotive clears are sprayed with lots of breathing protection. You can build a thick hard coating with them too. I suppose durability varies with the brand, but generally, you want a "high solids" 2 part auto clear. All finishes eventually yellow and become brittle as they age. Epoxy usually does itt faster than other topcoats but it can be years before that happens. Epoxy is brushed; Dick Nite can be dipped or brushed; Auto clears are sprayed. If you are concerned about "adding weight" you should take that into consideration when you design your bait. I don't think the weight of the topcoat has a big effect on anything other than a suspending bait. On a "standard" 2 1/4" bass bait, the paint and an epoxy topcoat will add only .02-.03 oz of weight. Epoxy's density is only slightly greater than water, and its weight is offset to a large degree by the volume the epoxy displaces in the water. Check the user-supplied tutorials. There is at least one in there about achieving a perfect epoxy finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
defish Posted January 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2012 Thanks for the input guys! I didn't want to paint a bunch of lures and screw them up with the wrong clear. Looking at all your recommendations as a whole, I was probably over-thinking the weight of the clearcoat thing and it looks like a moderate coat of D2T or Envirotex Lite is the way to go. Thanks again. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
