Solarez Update

[mark poulson]

I have been puzzled at how many here have experienced hazing when they use Solarez.

I just got an email answer from a top coat tech rep. that may answer that, at least in part.

While it is in answer to a question about their ultra gloss acrylic concrete sealer, part of it may apply to Solarez, or any top coat.

This is from the SealBest Concrete Coating rep.:

 

This sealer is water-based making it environmentally-friendly; however, it has a few provisions that need to be followed for the optimum result.  It does not yellow or change the color of the concrete.  Drying time varies, due to the amount of direct sunlight available to the area and the air temperature.  This product should not be applied if the temperature is expected to fall below 60 degrees through the overnight of the day of application.  Temperatures colder than 60 degrees at night and dew that appears this time of year, can cause the product to blush, or turn white upon curing.  Blushing does not go away unless the product is removed.  Also heavy or dense application may cause blushing as well.  Blushing does not mean the area is not sealed and protected, but it is noticeable.  Thank you for your interest.

 

So I'm reading that to mean any water still in the paint, or condensation from cold air, before it's top coated can cause hazing (blushing), as well as lower temperatures in general.

I heat set the crap out of my paints, and use a U.V. light nail box to cure them, so maybe that's why I don't see anything but the tiniest hint of hazing.

And I live in SoCal, where it seldom gets really cold.

The nail box is warm inside when the lights are on, since it has four U.V. bulbs and reflective sides.

For those of you in colder climates, maybe heating you baits before you dip them, and then using a U.V. nail box for curing, would cut down on, or eliminate hazing.

Just an idea.  Solarez is sooo easy to use and fast, I'd hate for it not to work as well for you as it does for me.

Edited October 21, 2013 by mark poulson

[nedyarb]

I've pretty much stopped using solarez. The only thing I use it for now is applying a lite coat of glitter. In my opinion it is way to brittle. I noticed a couple of lures I had used it on we're getting cracks on the sides and belly. So I held one straight out in front of me and dropped it on my garage floor, and it cracked! These were balsa baits. I've gone back to using bob smith on wood and gst on plastic kos

[mark poulson]

Maybe it's because I build with PVC, but I don't get cracking.  It will chip if it hits the rocks, but, so far, no cracking.

[A-Mac]

I've stopped using it for clear coats as well.  However, its pretty awesome being able to filling in 20 ballast holes in only a few minutes and have them sun cured in 10min.

[Anglinarcher]

The case of the missing foam .............. the latest mystery about lure making?  LOL

 

I make lures with Alumilite White on the bottom and as a thin outer layer and an expanding foam for a top core.  I discovered that if I dipped the lure in Solarez and just let it drip off the extra before curing, ..... Well almost a year later the foam is dissolving away in my lures.  The ones with other top coats, or the ones that I just painted Solarez on and then cured were fine.

 

I suspect the dipped ones had uncured solvent that eventually ate the foam from inside the lures.