bluetickhound Posted July 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 Glad to do it! That's what TU is all about! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluetickhound Posted July 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 (edited) Ok troops! I am ready to go out on the limb and reccommend ACC as a good alternative to the big 3 of topcoats, thise being D2T, etex and DN S81. I would encourage you to try dipping the ACC (provided you have several lures you wish to topcoat at one sitting as this will be a fairly expensive proposition!!) as i feel i get better coverage than with brushing. Brushing is very much viable but it can be a little tricky. As i have previously said, have the lure(s) ready to go on the turner because ACC is fairly thin and will flow for a while after application...again, as a medium for making your own eyes (or fake ice cubes to freak your wife/kids/friends out with!!!) it is absolutely perfect, just know going in that as a topcoat there is a slight learning curve. BTH P.S. Forgot to mention... No subequent problems with second coats... Not sure what the problem was the first time that happened, but surface contamination was most likely the culprit... Edited July 19, 2012 by bluetickhound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salty's Posted July 20, 2012 Report Share Posted July 20, 2012 I got some to play with on displays. It brushes pretty thick, I did not thin at all, used a chip brush and hung. Wiped twice on the bottom and still thick on the recessed eyes. 12 hours later it's tacky. Clear, no bubbles even fast mixing and having a bazillion bubbles in the mixing cup, they all broke when applied and today the lure looks nice and shiny, surface is still "tacky" though. Kinda like envirotex when it doesn't get mixed right. I'll see how it looks tomorrow. These were two junk lures so I'll give it the hammer test when it's hard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markinorf Posted July 27, 2012 Report Share Posted July 27, 2012 (edited) Im a sucker for trying new topcoats. I weighed the bottles before using. The ratio for weight was the same as for D2T. 1.2 to 1 A-B. I will mix up a small batch only for a couple of baits (like 3.6ga -3gb) , no more, and get back to the thread with the results. Edited July 27, 2012 by markinorf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluetickhound Posted July 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2012 I'm hopeful you'll have the same good reaults i have had. It'll be nice to get a second (or third... Or fourth!!) opinion!! Karl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markinorf Posted July 29, 2012 Report Share Posted July 29, 2012 (edited) I took 3 unpainted Featherlite casted plugs and put Papilo and Jonestones foil on the sides with Loctite 22. I didnt even wait minutes before I mixed up the ACC, 4.8g A to 4g B using a jewelers scale. I noticed rite away that I was dealing with a West System 105-207 knockoff. It is almost identical to this clearcoat. The pot life is the same, the smell and viscousity, all of it. So, I let the batch rest for almost 20 minutes after mixing. This works very well for West, and the same thing happened for ACC. I say that cause I did one bait rite away after mixing, and had to touch it up for fisheyes way more often than the last 2 that were applied after a 20 minute batch rest. By that time the viscousity was like D2T and held its "position" without a lot of self leveling while on the turner. My goal was to encapsluate with one coat. It seemed like West Systems, and is much more expensive. Hall Em In lures uses West, and it has above average durability and is flexible. I stopped using West becuase of fisheyes, but it has excellent durability. Hopefully ACC will prove to be just as good. The fisheyes occured mostly on the unfoiled areas. Im gonna take a couple of old painted baits that need be restored, and try it on solid painted surfaces with solvent based paint. So far, so good. Pot life is very long, wich is a plus for doing many lures. Edited July 29, 2012 by markinorf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markinorf Posted July 29, 2012 Report Share Posted July 29, 2012 Left em turning over nite. Very good results. Looks like the full cure will take maybe 2 days. Not tacky after 12hrs. And NO micobubbles (like D2T). It laid perfectly over the foiled areas, wich is all I care about with this technique. So, the fisheyes were probably my fault for not laying a primer coat down before starting, and touching the unfoiled areas. I meant to say in the last reply that the ACC is LESS expensive than 105-207. Still, the comparison to West systems is really apparent, exept for the crazy mix ratio West uses. Letting the batch cure for 15 minutes made the ACC esier to brush on while holding the plug, then sticking it on the turner. NO BUBBLES! XCLLNT. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Mac Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 hooray! I might have to get some myself. I'm curious, is the conditions you are dipping in humid? Reason I ask, I have to leave the dehumidifier running for a few hours before I dip with DN (seemed to eliminate bubbles for me). Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnart Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 Ok I don't have a turner, with Devcon I just hang em and fiip them and typically have no problem. How do you think this will work with this stuff. IM TOTALLY EXCITED ABOUT NO BUBBLES! Please tell me something good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt M Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 I don't have a turner and started using ACC based on this feed. I hang them and turn them every fifteen minutes for an hour and the final finish is great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markinorf Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 I have an 3rpm turner that can handle 8 plugs at a time. The turner is a velcro lined octagonal block mounted on a 1in spindle. The hangers are 6in long square dowels with velcro wrapped around them. I say that, cuase my approach is to mix up enough for 4 at a time. After mixing, I wait for for it to settle down and thicken a little- I hold the plugs and slather em up, while rotating them by hand. When Im feeling confident about the level and seeing no thin spots, I smash em down onto the velcro turner. This ACC is very good quality stuff. Takes a long time to cure compared to D2T, but has the same build thickness to go for one app. A huge plus compared to the thinner etex. As thick as D2T (if you wait 15min after mixing), and flexible when cured. No bubbles!!! No babysitting.My occasional fisheyes were my fault for not prepping. I use a jewelers scale and mix it 1.2 to 1, just like D2T. I weighed the bottles...they were NOT the same weight per volume. No lollypops using the scale! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhahn427 Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 ok ........ you got me curious ....... had to buy some ........... will start with using it for Alabama rigs ........ then some lures .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Mac Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 ok ........ you got me curious ....... had to buy some ........... will start with using it for Alabama rigs ........ then some lures .... Haha... good call. For some reason, I don't mind screwing up one of my a-rigs in a trial. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Mac Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 Anybody noticed if this clear will yellow over time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 http://www.alumilite.com/MSDS/Amazing%20Clear%20Cast.pdf In reading the info on ACC, it says to avoid exposure to moisture and temps above 130. I bet some storage bins get that hot on a bass boat. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Glenn Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 bobv, I would guess that they do get that hot. I know some of the ceiling fans we used to install, that had thermostats on them, wouldn't turn on until it got up to 140 in an attic. I know that doesn't have anything to do with a boat, but it does show how hot temps get in weird places. Musky Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt M Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 I keep my tackle in a plastic tackle box on a top shelf in my garage. The temps easily break 100 degrees in August in SE Louisiana. I have ony made three batches of lures using ACC in the past two months. I have had no issues with yellowing or bubbling of the clear coat. The specs sheet that came with the ACC states that it contains "UV Stabilizers." On an unrelated issue, I did add glitter to the ACC prior to brushing it on and it added a pretty cool effect to the finish on the lure. I hope the bass feel the same way. Matt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markinorf Posted September 15, 2012 Report Share Posted September 15, 2012 hooray! I might have to get some myself. I'm curious, is the conditions you are dipping in humid? Reason I ask, I have to leave the dehumidifier running for a few hours before I dip with DN (seemed to eliminate bubbles for me). Thanks. Hey A-Mac. Been away for awhile. I live in the steam bathed east coast, and the ACC is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. I have been able to ramp up the number of baits I do at a time, to 8. I have 8 positions on my turner, so.. The humidy is not a factor. I still strictly adhere to the 1.2 to 1 rule with a jewelers scale. I do this so I can pour directly into the same cup, weighing 8.4 grams A to 7 grams B for 8 plugs. I stir for at least 3 minutes and then let it sit for 10-15m. I work very fast, so brushing on 8 4in plugs only takes another 10-15 minutes. Well within the working time. I think ACC is so good that I will keep posting this thread as I see the long term effects happen. My fishing season is just gettin underway, and Ive just been building baits for my me and friends with ACC. We will all be testing this stuff out over the next 6 months as the sea trout move in to their wintering holes. I destroyed some test plugs, and isnt wasnt easy to do. I also left some on the dashboard (direct sunlite) and they got real soft at 125d. Dont do it with a good one, is all I can say about that. Will see is they yellow over time. I dont care a wit about that for my personal stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted September 15, 2012 Report Share Posted September 15, 2012 Hey A-Mac. Been away for awhile. I live in the steam bathed east coast, and the ACC is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. I have been able to ramp up the number of baits I do at a time, to 8. I have 8 positions on my turner, so.. The humidy is not a factor. I still strictly adhere to the 1.2 to 1 rule with a jewelers scale. I do this so I can pour directly into the same cup, weighing 8.4 grams A to 7 grams B for 8 plugs. I stir for at least 3 minutes and then let it sit for 10-15m. I work very fast, so brushing on 8 4in plugs only takes another 10-15 minutes. Well within the working time. I think ACC is so good that I will keep posting this thread as I see the long term effects happen. My fishing season is just gettin underway, and Ive just been building baits for my me and friends with ACC. We will all be testing this stuff out over the next 6 months as the sea trout move in to their wintering holes. I destroyed some test plugs, and isnt wasnt easy to do. I also left some on the dashboard (direct sunlite) and they got real soft at 125d. Dont do it with a good one, is all I can say about that. Will see is they yellow over time. I dont care a wit about that for my personal stuff. One concern I have is baits in a hot tackle box banging around. If heat softens this finish wouldn't it get damaged on a hot summer day in your boat storage while your running around the lake? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markinorf Posted September 15, 2012 Report Share Posted September 15, 2012 I did fish a little last month and the ones in the tackle bag and flip flop were a-ok. Some were hanging in direct sunlite for several hours, and they were ok as well. They got banged around for sure. I could tell the heat was soaking in to the ones hanging in the sun, and they were easier to impress my thumbnail into, but I swear this stuff seems to almost heal itself a little bit. I heard someone else say this about ACC. Whatever the recipe is, its resilient and tuff. That dashboard test in direct sunlite seemed like way more punishment than I would ever do on the water. I used an infrared thermometer and anything above125f was about it. It wasnt like the finish melted away or anyhting, it just got way softer. After they cooled, it was good to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markinorf Posted September 15, 2012 Report Share Posted September 15, 2012 I looked at the specs and 80D is pretty darn hard (I use to calibrate hardness testers) it should be a great clear for toothy fish I was thinking of trying the older clear casting resin for a clear but I am glad I didn't it would probably make a good pre-paint sealer for wood also the 24 hour cure time is'nt bad at all I use E-tex and let it cure for 36- 48 hours .I was wondering about how long does it take to stop flowing so you can take it off of the drying wheel 3hrs is the minimum for me. Handle them lightly by 6, and full cure 24-36. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted September 21, 2012 Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 I don't build lures for toothy critters, but I have built successful PVC salt water swimbaits that I top coated with a waterproof urethane. They held up fine, but did scratch from the teeth. It seems to me that a clear that's tough, but not hard, would be a perfect top coat for PVC lures, which are harder than wood, but totally waterproof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markinorf Posted September 23, 2012 Report Share Posted September 23, 2012 Amen. Its got give. Wont break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markinorf Posted October 9, 2012 Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 We had an awesome day on the water throwing just 3 different slow sinkers with ACC. Hook rash on 2 of em was getting thru pretty quickly. One of the plugs had inline (VMC) trebles up front, and did very well. The finish (ACC) didnt shatter, but needed repair. We were catchin sea trout, and the tooth marks were not a factor. Although, they will crunch down on a finger, if given the chance! The plugs were built with PVC, -foil,-D2T,-paint,-clear,-one coat of ACC,. The D2T was undamaged, and I think was cushioned by the ACC like a laminate. MO- its all a tradeoff of hardness and flexibilty. I still like this stuff, but if I go with 2 coats, I dont think it will help. I'll stick with inline hooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silo1688 Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Hey everyone, ACC is awesome. I painted this over all my my expensive topwater lures so the paint job remain looking good. I also added colored and hologram glitter to the ACC prior to painting it on. I did not have any problems with painting it on. Will take about 24-26 hours to fully cure. --George. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
