quickdraw Posted June 4, 2012 Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 I've been using Areomarine 300/21 epoxy as my topcoat for a while now and it has proved itself. I use kitchen measuring spoons to mixt it and it doesn't seem to be very tempermental. It mixes without bubbles and is quite fluid. I actually put my plugs on the drying wheel and apply the epoxt while it is turning. I've used foam, bristle and acid brushes to apply it and they all work well. When i've peels some of of a plactic cup it was flexable yet strong. I' apply 2 coats as my plugs get beat-up by large Stripers. http://www.amazon.com/AeroMarine-300-Epoxy-Resin-Quart/dp/B0047R0HPK/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1338777022&sr=1-2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sallystrothers Posted June 4, 2012 Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 Is it more brittle like D2T or soft like Etex? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickdraw Posted June 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 (edited) Is it more brittle like D2T or soft like Etex? When I peeled some out of my plastic mix cup I could bend it in half before it finaly snapped. I tried to tear it and it stretched a little before tearing. Of course this was when it was only 1 day old but still fairly well cured in our hot/dry environmentment. I know that it is durable as I've had big Stripers trying to put my Owner 3/0 hooks into the wood on the plug and it has only scratched. Edited June 4, 2012 by quickdraw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted June 4, 2012 Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 Sounds like good stuff. Does it yellow over time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyo1954 Posted June 4, 2012 Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 Definitely worth a look. http://www.aeromarineproducts.com/ From the site: *Please note: Our epoxy is NOT UV resistant. It will yellow in sunlight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted June 4, 2012 Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 Thanks for the follow-up and info Gary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickdraw Posted June 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 Yeah, the product info says that it isn't UV resistant but I haven't seen any yellowing yet in the past several months of using it and I'm running these plug in the desert southwest where we have a little sunshine and the UV index is 10 every day. We'll see how it does over time. I just know that it doesn't have any of the problems that I'm ready people post about these other topcoats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted June 5, 2012 Report Share Posted June 5, 2012 If it works for you, that's all that's important. Other people can make up their own minds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickdraw Posted June 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2012 It works great for me and I was just sharing as I read threads everyday where people are having problems with other clearcoats. When it comes to being UV resistant most of the others including Envirotex Lite aren't UV resistant either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent R Posted June 5, 2012 Report Share Posted June 5, 2012 It works great for me and I was just sharing as I read threads everyday where people are having problems with other clearcoats. When it comes to being UV resistant most of the others including Envirotex Lite aren't UV resistant either. Take one of your baits and hang it in full sun light. Leave it there for a while and see what happens. You should know before long if its going to turn yellow....Just my Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickdraw Posted June 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2012 (edited) Edited June 5, 2012 by quickdraw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyo1954 Posted June 5, 2012 Report Share Posted June 5, 2012 It works great for me and I was just sharing as I read threads everyday where people are having problems with other clearcoats. When it comes to being UV resistant most of the others including Envirotex Lite aren't UV resistant either. Same with me quickdraw. If t works, Use it. I have a ton of baits top coated in polyurethane. Some of them have turned a beautiful golden hue you couldn't get in months of mixing. These are both balsa, both a couple of years old, both top coated with poly. The little guy was originally silver. Murphy's Law: When you want it to yellow, it won't. G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickdraw Posted June 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 I know that right out of the gate this epoxy is very clear and deep. It makes the paint underneath just POP!. I'm primarily painting trout imitations with a white pearl belly and silver or gold pearl shot as a first coat on the upper with various other colors shot over for deatailing. I can still see the gleam of the pearl shine through like glitter. I'm fairly new to airbrushing but I am focused on making a durable bait that will hold up to the abuse of these big fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 One of my most successful walking baits is a silver trout that has become a light golden color over time. It still catches fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickdraw Posted June 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 The hatchery trout down here on the Colorado River have a golden cast to them as compared to the trout I see up north. One part of me wants to paint for the traditional silver cast trout pattern but then I'm drawn back to what I see leaping out of the water around my boat while I'm trolling. If down the road this epoxy does yellow a bit then that would probably be a good thing. It amazing that one of the best performing color pattern has a dark purple back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickdraw Posted July 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2012 (edited) Well 4 months after starting to use this clearcoat and it has proven to be very durable. The earlier concern by a few was UV ( most manufacturers don't even post that info) . After 4 months of repeated use it hasn't yellowed at all. One of the uses for this epoxy is as a concrete coating and being used in that application is quite a bit different. Anyway I've gotten some serious hook rash on a few swimbaits from 20lb+ big fish and no tearing or chipping. It applies easily with a 30 minute work time and 4-5 hour set to touch time. No bubble issues, easy application, cost effective, stable storage, no fumes and it gives a very deep clear finish...what's not to like. I will stick with this clearcoat as it has proven it self. Edited July 22, 2012 by quickdraw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedarLakeMusky Posted July 22, 2012 Report Share Posted July 22, 2012 I noticed they make a 400/21 but I can't seem to find how it is different from the 300/21 on their website. I did notice that is costs more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickdraw Posted July 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2012 I noticed they make a 400/21 but I can't seem to find how it is different from the 300/21 on their website. I did notice that is costs more. I believe that it is a harder coating but harder may also mean less pliable. When I've peeled some of the 300/21 out of my plastic mixing cup it it plexible and still tough. It will stretch slightly when pulled and you can tear it if you get right next to an edge but if you just grab it it will twist and bend many times before you can get it to start to come apart. My 3/0 Owner hooks on my swimbaits give it hell when a big fish is on and it just scratches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluetickhound Posted July 22, 2012 Report Share Posted July 22, 2012 I'm on board to give it a try. Will order tomorrow. I'll be interested to see how it compares to the ACC and how the humidity here in Georgia affects cure time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickdraw Posted July 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2012 (edited) I'm on board to give it a try. Will order tomorrow. I'll be interested to see how it compares to the ACC and how the humidity here in Georgia affects cure time. I can't tell you anything about humidity because I'm in the Mojave desert. I know it isn't very touchy though. I use kitchen measuring spoons to measure it, then just mix it for 3 minutes. I use acid brushes to apply to my swimbaits while they are turning on my rack. It self levels nicely and I've never seen a bubble. It always amazes me the depth and color when it's dry. Edited July 23, 2012 by quickdraw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted July 24, 2012 Report Share Posted July 24, 2012 Yellowing happens in very subtle stages. Four months probably isn't enough time to judge the propensity towards yellowing. Yellowing can take a while to even notice because you normally store the baits out of the light., Therefore, when you say 4 months that may mean as little as four hours in the direct sunlight. Over the years we've had a lot of discussions about yellowing. (If I had a dollar for everyone here who swore that D2T did not yellow, I'd be rich. ) From my view, yellowing is an undesirable trait because it distorts all the colors, not just the white or the lighter ones. If you're going to go to the trouble to mix the colors you want only to have them yellow later...well, I don't want that if I can avoid it. EX-74 is a clearcoat made by envirotex with UV protectors in it and I've had almost no color shifting using the stuff. You also have to remember that yellowing is only one of the problems you have from direct sunlight. Fading of some of pigments is another. The more brilliant colors tend to fade the most from direct sun. UV protection is important in that respect also. Much of what we do as builders is a matter of esthetics. That a bait will still catch fish doesn't mean that the yellowing hasn't defeated the purpose of putting all that time into one bait. Just my 2 cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickdraw Posted July 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2012 (edited) I understand what you're saying. 4 months for these baits means probably 60 hours in the sun being casted or trolled at the surface. My area has a daily UV index of 10. They also hang in my garage which has windows so although not in direct sunlight the garage is lit by sunlight. Most of what I have seen threads about here are topcoats without any UV stabilization or with various other problems that I don't have. I'm just sharing what I've found to work well. When I find something better I'll be happy to move on. Edited July 24, 2012 by quickdraw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent R Posted July 24, 2012 Report Share Posted July 24, 2012 I understand what you're saying. 4 months for these baits means probably 60 hours in the sun being casted or trolled at the surface. My area has a daily UV index of 10. They also hang in my garage which has windows so although not in direct sunlight the garage is lit by sunlight. Most of what I have seen threads about here are topcoats without any UV stabilization or with various other problems that I don't have. I'm just sharing what I've found to work well. When I find something better I'll be happy to move on. If you take one of your baits...maybe one your not going to use...and hang it outside in direct sunlight and leave it there for a few weeks...you can get a better idea of what is going to happen to it...That should be more sunlight than it will see while your fishing it......And if you want to use something that you don't have to worry about ....use automotive clear coat...just make sure your setup for it....just my Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickdraw Posted July 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2012 (edited) If you take one of your baits...maybe one your not going to use...and hang it outside in direct sunlight and leave it there for a few weeks...you can get a better idea of what is going to happen to it...That should be more sunlight than it will see while your fishing it......And if you want to use something that you don't have to worry about ....use automotive clear coat...just make sure your setup for it....just my Yeah I know, you said the same thing was said about 15 posts ago. I'm not the one concerned about it's UV rating, it seems to be others here. It's curious why everyone is so concerned about this topcoat not being UV stabilized where most others proclaimed to be good here are also not UV stabilized. Most don't say one way or the other which means that they aren't. This comany said it will yellow over time in respect to using it as a concrete sealer where it's in the sun everyday, all day. I could hang a bait outside for a month or so but it wouldn't matter because this seems to be the topic now, not a good topcoat without the problems most others are having. I'll revive this thread in a few years, maybe. Edited July 24, 2012 by quickdraw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickdraw Posted July 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2012 (edited) EX-74 is a clearcoat made by envirotex with UV protectors in it and I've had almost no color shifting using the stuff. Just my 2 cents. Have you used EX-74? I went over to their site and in reading the MSDS it was using statement like use in a well ventilated area and what to do if breathing stopped. I think I'll pass on that one. HEALTH HAZARD WARNING STATEMENTS: USE ONLY IN ADEQUATE VENTILATED AREAS. AVOID BREATHING VAPORS OR MIST. SKIN SENSITIZER. WILL CAUSE EYE AND MUCOUS MEMBRANE IRRITATION. WASH WITH SOAP AND WATER AFTER USE. INHALATION: Inhalation of high concentrations of vapors may cause irritation to the respiratory tract. May cause Central Nervous System (CNS) depression. Prolonged or repeated exposure of high concentrations of vapor may asthma or other allergic responses. Edited July 24, 2012 by quickdraw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
