Jaxon2 Posted April 8, 2014 Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 Im new to tackle making and I'm wanting to put a clear coat on some blade baits and casting spoons I made. Im wanting to know what is recommended to use as a top coat for such? I searched the forum and seen devcon 2 ton and e-tex lite mentioned quite often for hard baits. With these epoxy's does it work to just paint on and let air dry or is there other equipment needed? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaw Posted April 8, 2014 Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 Haven't done many blades but with the epoxy you will have to rotate the blade to get a good smooth overall coverage because it is selfleveling and will sag if you don't etex will do the same ask in the wire baits forum they will have more info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted April 8, 2014 Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 (edited) There are a few problems with epoxy on blades, relative to other coatings. When it cures, it draws away from any sharp edge and leaves a weak thin coating there which will chip off very easily. It is also one of the thickest topcoats available and will tend to yellow slightly over time. Epoxy needs to be rotated during its initial cure period or it will sag. The best topcoat for spoons and blade baits I've ever used is Dick Nite S81 Moisture Cured Urethane. You coat a spoon, hang it up to dry and let any excess drip off the tail of the bait. It dries to the touch in a couple of hours, then it cures over several days to make the urethane very hard and durable. It is a thin coating, very glossy, and will not yellow like epoxy. BUT it is very difficult to store if you are using it in small batches over a period of months, without beginning to turn hard in the jar. There are methods to store it, including "tap the can" that help with that but if you choose this topcoat, you need to read up on its ins and outs. Still other choices exist: 2 part catalyzed auto clear coats, Solarez UV cured polyester resin, solvent based concrete sealers, and just plain old polyurethane finish (which is not as durable as Dick Nite but not as finicky, either). Even clear nail polish will work. One suggestion - many finishes come in both solvent based and water based versions nowadays. Solvent based versions withstand water submersion much better than water based. Edited April 8, 2014 by BobP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxon2 Posted April 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 Thanks for your responses! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
