OSScustom Posted February 11, 2012 Report Share Posted February 11, 2012 Just wondering what everyone is using for clearing diving bills. I have tried just about everything under the sun and I am looking for the most efficient method. Thanks in advance for any advice........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pizza Posted February 11, 2012 Report Share Posted February 11, 2012 (edited) You dont clear the bills themselves, just where they attach to the body when you coat the rest of the bait. People have their own preferences but devcon 2 ton epoxy, envirotex lite, dick nites are some choices people use. Edited February 11, 2012 by pizza Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted February 12, 2012 Report Share Posted February 12, 2012 I've tried several things and by far the best is to dip the lip in Dick Nite S81 moisture cured urethane. It will fill in scratches and make the lip look brand new, as long as the plastic isn't UV yellowed. If the lip is yellowed because it was originally coated with urethane, you can sand that off before topcoating the lip again. Of course, not many guys would maintain a supply of DN just to coat crankbait lips - too hard to store it! I've tried using epoxy but the result was crappy looking. Epoxy will also yellow from UV exposure, and that really shows up quickly on a clear lip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSScustom Posted February 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2012 Thanks for the tips. I am using diamond coat, as with DN very hard to store. I have tried UV varnish and other clears but, I will keep plugging away until I find the "perfect" solution, if there is one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted February 12, 2012 Report Share Posted February 12, 2012 You might want to stay away from auto clear on your lips. I sprayed the lip of a Mann's 30+. It did a beautiful job of hiding the scratches and was perfectly clear, but when I used the bait a few weeks later it seemed like it had made the leading edge of the lip "crumbly". (for lack of a better word) You could dig your fingernail into the edge of the lip and very small pieces of it would "crumble" into your hand. Not sure if this is something that would happen all the time or if it was just a fluke. I won't be using auto clear to clean up anymore lips though. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkie Posted February 13, 2012 Report Share Posted February 13, 2012 I paint a lot of the old non-clear wiggle warts (one-piece white/bone plastic mold). This requires a full body paint job and clear coat. D2T does the trick for me and makes for a seamless finish. I have recently begun clear coating clear bills as well (older, scuffed and worn baits) with great results. The blasting cabinet leaves a chalky look, which I lightly buff with steel wool and DA. Once the D2T hits it, it claers right up. I know some here don't like D2T, but for me and my customers, its durability is as good as there is and serves for both look and function. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
