robalo01 Posted June 21, 2014 Report Share Posted June 21, 2014 Ok, Need some opinions. What is your favorite dipable clear coat? Assume coating wooden bass lures painted with acrylics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nedyarb Posted June 22, 2014 Report Share Posted June 22, 2014 Gst Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robalo01 Posted June 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2014 Get??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nedyarb Posted June 22, 2014 Report Share Posted June 22, 2014 Gst....concrete sealer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted June 22, 2014 Report Share Posted June 22, 2014 (edited) My favorite dippable is Dick Nite S81 moisture cured urethane. One dip, hang it to dry and for the excess to drip off the tail of the bait. Dry to the touch in a couple of hours and the moisture cure happens over several days. It's tough, very glossy, and the closest thing to a factory topcoat I've used. Downside - keeping it from starting to cure hard in the storage container is almost impossible if you're dipping lures in it. Even when I decant it into 2 jars and use Bloxygen finish preserver in the jars to prevent moisture contamination, I've never gotten a quart of DN S81 to last more than about 6 months before forming a skin. The next time I get some, I'm gonna use the "tap the can" method to decant enough for a few lures, brush it on quickly, and then hang them to cure. If we're talking just general ease of use, Solarez UV cured polyester is hard to beat. It goes from application to full hardness in a few minutes of exposure to UV light. Downside - it has less gloss than most topcoats. Mine seems too thick to dip lures and I had sheeting and wax migration into a white blush, but some other guys dip and report no problems. I brush it on, rotate it for a few minutes to level out, then cure it in sunlight for 30 mins. Those are the truly tough topcoats I have used. If just dipping is super important to you and you want no hassles and a good cosmetic appearance, dipping lures in an exterior grade solvent based urethane multiple times may be the best option, though it will not be as durable as the other options and will take multiple dips plus extended drying times. Concrete sealer - solvent based GST and similar products are enjoying a following right now. The extended hardening time and need for multiple coats turns me off. JMHO Edited June 22, 2014 by BobP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nedyarb Posted June 22, 2014 Report Share Posted June 22, 2014 Yes GST takes up to two weeks to cure. However if you dip it one day. Then dip it again the next it shortens the cure time. In my opinion the storage issues with dick nites turns me off. The last time I tried it I got about 20 lures dipped before it hardened. Even with bloxygen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robalo01 Posted June 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2014 Anybody know what Stanford Lures uses? It looks pretty thin. I think they say that they use 5-6 coats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravenlures Posted June 23, 2014 Report Share Posted June 23, 2014 Any thoughts on GARCO I liked it but have not tried it on small wood baits, I use etex on my musky baits. Wayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted June 26, 2014 Report Share Posted June 26, 2014 Wayne, If you're talking about Garco moisture cured urethane, I've tried it and found it begins to harden in storage even faster than Dick Nite S81. It is also a slightly darker amber color and a little higher viscosity than Dick Nite. That said, the price is almost half of Dick Nite and the results look very similar to me. Next time around, I plan on using the "tap the can" method of storage for MCU so that maybe, just maybe, I can use most of it before it goes south. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravenlures Posted June 26, 2014 Report Share Posted June 26, 2014 I have a small amount that is still good but most of the can got hard because I had a leak in the seal. I am thinking about getting some or using spar varnish on top water musky lures. Its a jitterbug type and I dont want to weigh it down with etex, I just sprayed on some etex and will see tomorrow how it is, but have to ware a mask, I would rather dip. Anybody use the hardner on cedar and then sand, I just put to much into making it look good the grain on cedar sucks. I wish there was a product like etex that you could just open dip and close with the same results of etex. Wayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass100 Posted June 27, 2014 Report Share Posted June 27, 2014 I have been using Garco for the last 2 months on baits that need a thin application. There was a learning curve but now that I have it down I am in love with it. I have had no storage problems at all when using bloxygen. The fumes are strong but the finish is amazing. The down side is the cure time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robalo01 Posted June 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2014 Anybody have a link for the GST? Is it available at Home Depot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robalo01 Posted June 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2014 What about Eagle Supreme? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krash7172 Posted June 28, 2014 Report Share Posted June 28, 2014 +1 for Dick Nite and tapping the can. I wait to do batches of 10 lures and discard what was tapped. If you want to do just 1 lure, I would try something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Moreau Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 Dick Nites is probably my favorite finished product but the storage issues are too much for me to take so i do not buy it anymore. If they were ever fixed I would use it again. GST I havent tried but i tried a similar Concrete sealer and I really like it. The drawback is plastic/rubber worms and such react to it and pretty much disolve the top coat where they touch. I use Automotive clear... It is the clearest most glossy clear out of them all IMHO but it has its drawbacks too. Gotta spray it and very very toxic. Its not nearly as hard or tuff as DN either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jawjacker Posted July 1, 2014 Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 Ok I am going to chime in on this....I don't post very often but I have built lures for 20 years and have been tought by the best builders in the country......if you are going to use MCU.....you will have to do large batches of baits to keep from loosing the topcoat.......it does have a long dry time but it will cure to the toughest finish you will get......I know someone will disagree with me but that is what I have found to be the best way to build baits and make them last...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krash7172 Posted July 1, 2014 Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 I'm making salt water spoons and use 3 coats of MCU. 10 lures = 30 dips. It takes nearly a month to fully harden but it is tough as nails. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saltshaker Posted July 1, 2014 Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 Best MCU I've ever used...and that includes DN. http://www.kbs-coatings.com/DiamondFinish-Clear.html Super easy to use, super hard and super glossy. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted July 1, 2014 Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 Best MCU I've ever used...and that includes DN. http://www.kbs-coatings.com/DiamondFinish-Clear.html Super easy to use, super hard and super glossy. Are there any storage issues with this, like with DN? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saltshaker Posted July 1, 2014 Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 Mark, I've never had any storage issues, but, a quart only lasts me a couple months. I kept one can for a little over 3 months with no problems. Like someone already noted...unless you do a good number of baits, MCU is prolly not your best option. The KBS is so badazz that I use it as a clear coat for my Etex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted July 1, 2014 Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 Saltshaker, I looked at the webpage and it doesn't say that KBS is a moisture cured urethane. Can you verify? The reason I ask is because MCU's are universally hard to store without hardening and that is almost the only reason guys don't use them more often. I'm hoping that it ISN'T a MCU! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted July 1, 2014 Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 Bob, Look at the bottom of this page: http://www.kbs-coatings.com/DiamondFinish-Clear-Directions.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saltshaker Posted July 1, 2014 Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 Bob, I understood the rep to say it was, but, I don't remember asking that particular question. He mentioned it in conversation. I did the scratch test with a drywall screw on a lure I cleared with DN and I did the same when I started using KBS. I let 'em both sit about a week and the KBS was much harder to scratch to the paint than the DN. That, along with it's glossy finish and ease of use, sold me. I'm not trying to sell this to anyone else,...just sayin' it works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted July 2, 2014 Report Share Posted July 2, 2014 According to a KBS reply to a query in their user's forum, it is in fact a moisture cured urethane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Posted July 2, 2014 Report Share Posted July 2, 2014 Saltshaker..how are you using it?..dipping,spraying?..I've heard great things about this stuff but had no Idea it was a MCU....Nathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
