mark poulson Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 Ed, I use the "Dual-cure polyester gloss resin". Under the Solarez name on the black plastic bottle it says "fast-clear-strong-UV cure", cures time: 3 minutes by sunlight or 30 mintes by MEKP catalyst. Here's the link: http://www.solarez.com/productsnew/gloss.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crzyjunyer Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 im using the same one as mark linked to. I really am pleased overall so far with it. Especially the working time over devcon and even the auto clear i was using. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 I dip or brush mine, and don't have any clouding or color dampening issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdL Posted February 9, 2013 Report Share Posted February 9, 2013 Thanks guys for the exact name of the products. I've read all the threads so far and as my brain cells are becoming more mature I'm remembering less (just ask my wife) and easily get confused. Guess I'd better get to builiding all the lure I want to try now before they put me away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedarLakeMusky Posted February 9, 2013 Report Share Posted February 9, 2013 I use the 18" GE black light bulb to cure the solarez. I also use the polyester gloss resin. I have my drying wheel built inside a box that is insulated with white styrofoam. I have the styrofoam in there for when I use Etex. I brush my lures and rotate them a bit before turning on the light. I have had better luck with a 30 sec on and 1 minute off cycle for 3-4 minutes. I seem to get a glossier finish. I notice that the nose and the tail of the lure do not cure as fast as the rest of the lure. I rotate my lures horizontally (I hook a spring to the line tie and a spring to the tail eye) pic below. The light doesn't hit those spots as well so I hang the lure for awhile from both ends to finish curing. I might add aluminum foil to the inside of my box to reflect the light better so it will hit all parts of my lure. It seems like guys are having good luck with dipping solarez so I might have to give that a try also. The real test will be this summer to see how it holds of to musky/pike teeth. If it doesn't I will go back to Etex as my topcoat but I will continue to use solarez as a seal coat. Sure is nice for that, brush it on, cure for 3-4 minutes, sand lightly and its ready for paint. This picture is when I was using a regular light bulb to heat the box when I was using etex. I re-wired with a black light now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent R Posted February 9, 2013 Report Share Posted February 9, 2013 I use the 18" GE black light bulb to cure the solarez. I also use the polyester gloss resin. I have my drying wheel built inside a box that is insulated with white styrofoam. I have the styrofoam in there for when I use Etex. I brush my lures and rotate them a bit before turning on the light. I have had better luck with a 30 sec on and 1 minute off cycle for 3-4 minutes. I seem to get a glossier finish. I notice that the nose and the tail of the lure do not cure as fast as the rest of the lure. I rotate my lures horizontally (I hook a spring to the line tie and a spring to the tail eye) pic below. The light doesn't hit those spots as well so I hang the lure for awhile from both ends to finish curing. I might add aluminum foil to the inside of my box to reflect the light better so it will hit all parts of my lure. It seems like guys are having good luck with dipping solarez so I might have to give that a try also. The real test will be this summer to see how it holds of to musky/pike teeth. If it doesn't I will go back to Etex as my topcoat but I will continue to use solarez as a seal coat. Sure is nice for that, brush it on, cure for 3-4 minutes, sand lightly and its ready for paint. This picture is when I was using a regular light bulb to heat the box when I was using etex. I re-wired with a black light now. IMAG0081.jpg How close to the black light are the baits when you cure with solarez????? Are you leaving the lures on the turner when you cure???? thanks Brent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedarLakeMusky Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 How close to the black light are the baits when you cure with solarez????? Are you leaving the lures on the turner when you cure???? thanks Brent I leave the lures rotating during the curing process. They are 5 inches away at the closest point and 10 inches away at the farthest point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Mac Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 Has anyone had issues with Solarez "orange peeling" createx or any other adverse effects to the drip-and-wait method? I haven't noticed this yet, but was just curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 Has anyone had issues with Solarez "orange peeling" createx or any other adverse effects to the drip-and-wait method? I haven't noticed this yet, but was just curious. Not so far, but it will cause solvent based sharpie colors to run, so I put a coat of clear Createx over them before I dip. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Mac Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 So has anyone tried a brand other than SolarEz? ...and affordable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
castncall Posted February 11, 2013 Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 Well I got mine Friday and finally got to try it tonight, and all I can say is wow! What is the down side? Mine cured in under 3 min in tanning bed, done 10 baits tonight ready to sell tomorrow! This stuff is awsome! Well I got mine Friday and finally got to try it tonight, and all I can say is wow! What is the down side? Mine cured in under 3 min in tanning bed, done 10 baits tonight ready to sell tomorrow! This stuff is awsome! Well I got mine Friday and finally got to try it tonight, and all I can say is wow! What is the down side? Mine cured in under 3 min in tanning bed, done 10 baits tonight ready to sell tomorrow! This stuff is awsome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglinarcher Posted February 11, 2013 Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 So has anyone tried a brand other than SolarEz? ...and affordable? Not yet, but soon. Before I got my Solarez, I had contacted another company and asked them specifically about this application. I told them that I was a hobby lure maker, not a big guy, so I did not expect them to go out of their way. Nevertheless, they must see potential themselves. They have asked for samples of my lures and they will test several of their UV cure and let me know if they meet the list of requirements I gave them, as well as the UV frequency and strength that performed best. I will be sending the lures off Tuesday. They want completed, ready to clear coat, lures. I will have my airbrush up and producing tomorrow. I don't want to name names yet, just in case they cannot find a suitable product at this time, but if it works, I will let you guys know. In the mean time, I am not seeing any down side to the Solarez. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atlasstone Posted February 16, 2013 Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 Well, I got my Solarez today and did alittle testing with it on some scrap PVC. As was mentioned earlier in this thread, my thinner coats turned out pretty good, but the coverage was not quite what i was looking for. When I used a little thicker coat, I got that waxy sort of milky look which seems pretty apparent on black. I was able to fix this with a little sanding with 1000 grit sandpaper and some finecut rubbing compiund. The finish also polishes up quite nicely to get the gloss look some are looking for. Considering the fact that I used an unsanded piece of PVC with a shot of spraypaint on it, I'm pretty happy with the end result. If you look, you can see the reflection of my lamp in the picture, The question about rubbing compound was posed earlier in the thread, so I thought these results might benefit. The presanding with the 1000 grit definately helped alot because I could see when it was level and smooth before polishing it. I'll try to get a before and after next time. I wasn't sure if it would work on this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted February 16, 2013 Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 Atlasstone, I only use one dip or brush coat, and let it drip before I cure it, and it never "milks up". It's probably a thinner coat than you're using. Maybe you could just use two thin coats and avoid having to polish it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted February 16, 2013 Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 What little I know about Solarez is from what I have read here. There has been talk about it having a wax in the formula. I'm just wondering if the wax acts as sort of a flux that migrates up through the Solarez to the surface? If so this could mean the wax left at the surface is the culprit for what some have described as a less glossy finish. By polishing the finish Atlasstone could be removing the wax as well as polishing the hardened surface resulting in a much glossier finish. I have no idea if this is indeed what is happening, but it seems possible to me. What do you guys think? Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crzyjunyer Posted February 16, 2013 Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 i used some today on some black backed lures and have not noticed any problems or coudyness. i have learned with it that thin layers are best. i brush mine and like to feel a lil "pull" on the brush but not too much. It seems to work best to me, not too thick and runs but thick enough to cover well and protect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atlasstone Posted February 17, 2013 Report Share Posted February 17, 2013 What little I know about Solarez is from what I have read here. There has been talk about it having a wax in the formula. I'm just wondering if the wax acts as sort of a flux that migrates up through the Solarez to the surface? If so this could mean the wax left at the surface is the culprit for what some have described as a less glossy finish. By polishing the finish Atlasstone could be removing the wax as well as polishing the hardened surface resulting in a much glossier finish. I have no idea if this is indeed what is happening, but it seems possible to me. What do you guys think? Ben The thinner coats did not have the milky effect I experienced with the thicker coat, but it did have the satin finish to it. I am personally looking at this as a feature rather than an issue though. I know I can use one product and get a satin finish with it, or I can polish it up and make it look like glass. If I put it on thick and sand it with the 1000 grit, then it shows me where any imperfections are and I can easily fix them. So far for me, the thicker coats level out better too. My attemps to polish out epoxy have failed, but this stuff works well. I'm assuming that if I fish it and get scratches or nicks, I can just buff them right out. For the volume (or lack thereof) that I do, I think this will work out great. I should also note that I am not adding the 1% MEKP that the directions call for so I'm not sure if that will have any effect or if it will just make it harder. I plan to test it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroutScout Posted February 17, 2013 Report Share Posted February 17, 2013 What kind of brush are you all using to apply the Solarrez? Can it be cleaned and used again? If yes, what is the solvent you use to clean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crzyjunyer Posted February 17, 2013 Report Share Posted February 17, 2013 im just using a pack of cheapo ($4/30) brushes from walmart. i have been just dipping it in acetone after im done and have used the same brush a few times now with no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cali's.rigs.and.lures Posted February 17, 2013 Report Share Posted February 17, 2013 love that i can buy this at the local surf shops for the same price as online yet no $22 shipping added on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted February 17, 2013 Report Share Posted February 17, 2013 I ordered a quart of Solarez a few weeks ago and when it arrived, 4-6 oz had leaked into the box. There have been several reports on TU of leaky bottles and non-delivery of shipments by Fedex due to leakage. I emailed Solarez and suggested they need to improve their packaging, and got an email back apologizing and advising that half of the cost of the product ($10) was being refunded. That was more than fair. Then a week later, I got another box containing about a pint of Solarez (lid taped so no product leaked) - which more than made up for the product I originally lost. Kudos to Solarez for going the extra mile in customer service. BTW, UV cured polyester resin seems to be widely used in printing and other manufacturing processes. I found a local company that formulates it for various customers and I may check them out in the future. Solarez seems well designed for lure coating in terms of viscosity, cure time, etc. If UV-PE turns out to be durable enough to adopt, there may be different formulations that address some of the concerns voiced so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglinarcher Posted February 19, 2013 Report Share Posted February 19, 2013 I got my batch of Solarez and my nail dryer a while back. Last week I finally got time to do some. I found that the smell is enjoyable, which means my wife hated it. OK, my window is now open when I use it and the fan is on. I dipped some, and let them drip until it stopped. The results are perfect for me. I brushed some, then let them drip until I got back to them. Perfect! I applied thin coats; it worked on all colors for me. I appled thick coats; it left a haze. I found that the lures really cleared up if you hit them for 15 seconds, then rest them for a couple of minutes, then did it for 15 seconds, let it rest for a minute, then go with 30 seconds on and off until cure complete. Personally, I am pleased with this stuff. Like BobP said, this stuff is available from other suppliers as well, in different formulations. I have another company test theirs out now. Only time will tell, but this stuff is very promising. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted February 19, 2013 Report Share Posted February 19, 2013 Bass100 was the guy who first suggested using Solarez. He gets my vote for MVB (Most Valuable Builder) for 2012! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXT.WARDXx Posted February 19, 2013 Report Share Posted February 19, 2013 Has anyone tried any other brand of uv top coat than the solarez? Also is there any places you can get it other than from the website so you can get cheaper shipping or from a store? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Moose Baits Posted February 20, 2013 Report Share Posted February 20, 2013 I have been talking with another brand. I am going to order a pint to try and will do a side by side with Solarez and post the results. It will be a couple of weeks and we will see which is the better product and deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
