What Should I Seal Balsa Wood With Before Applying Acrylic?

[CajunBlade]

 

I am starting my first attempt making a balsa wood
bait.  I don’t have any airbrush
equipment and plan to just paint it with white acrylic.  I have a rotisserie motor which I can use to
turn the bait to help make an even application. 
Here is my question, what should I seal the balsa wood with before
applying the acrylic?

Peace and God Bless!!!

[mark poulson]

I use runny super glue, applied with my fingered covered by a plastic baggie.  I do two coats, sanding between.  The fumes are nasty, so I have a fan behind me blowing out my overhead garage door, so I'm upwind the whole time.  I also use a dust mask, which seems to keep anything that might reach my face from getting into my nose and lungs.  A true respirator is a smarter idea, I'm sure.

[BobP]

There are various options.  If you plan to topcoat the bait with a slow cure epoxy like Devcon Two Ton after painting, one option is to seal the bait with the same stuff, then lightly sand it to provide a little "tooth" for the paint layers.  Other options I use are Solarez UV cured polyester resin or multiple dips in propionate dissolved in acetone.

 

It depends too on what you plan to use as a topcoat.  Some topcoats work well with some sealers and paints, some don't.  Epoxy as a sealer works with everything.  If you choose a sealer that is solvent based, you have to be more careful about using particular solvent based topcoats with it, to avoid bad reactions.

[DaveG]

Waterproof PVA wood glue is another option

[mark poulson]

 

I am starting my first attempt making a balsa wood

bait.  I don’t have any airbrush

equipment and plan to just paint it with white acrylic.  I have a rotisserie motor which I can use to

turn the bait to help make an even application. 

Here is my question, what should I seal the balsa wood with before

applying the acrylic?

Peace and God Bless!!!

 

BobP is the most successful and experienced balsa builder I know, so I would listen to what he says.

 

For me, I use balsa only when I want a really buoyant, lively small lure.  It generally requires more skill and time than I have to make a successful balsa bait, so I only make small, simple ones that I know will work.

The thing that makes balsa such an outstanding lure material is how light and buoyant it is, so I don't want to use anything that will add more weight than is necessary.

I use the super glue because it is light, and makes the wood on the surface harder and more waterproof.  Plus, it is quick and easy, which is what I love!

[Skeeter]

I use polyurethane and then touch sand it before painting. The only exception is when I make a square bill. First I apply the polyurethane. Then I clearcoat the bare balsa with 2 coats of devcon. There have been a lot of good sugestions here and I believe that they all will work.

 

But hey, let's really look at this. I believe that the thought for most builders is to seal the wood so that water does not penetrate it. My first thought was that the paint should do that. But the problem that I had was that days or weeks after painting the color on the sides would start to fade. The reason was that the paint continues to be drawn into the balsa even after it has dried. Using polyurethane stops that. What I do is take a rag and wipe on a generous coat of polyurethane and let it dry for 24 hrs. I then touch sand it with a real fine grit sandpaper to make the bait smooth again. Then I shoot 2 coats of base coat and let that dry for 12 to 24 hrs. Then I paint the bait. 

 

Durability is the reason that I use 2 coats of devcon on square bills. People just plain abuse the hell out of those baits. Guys will pay a fair amount of money for one of my square bills. Then they go out and make some "Hail Mary" cast down a rip rap bank and slam the thing into a rock the size of a basketball. Then if the devcon cracks then they want to come back complaining that the clearcoat isn't worth a crap and they expected a whole lot more for their money. My first thought is that "dude.... you can't cast." Then I think ........ gee man, why don't you go buy a new corvette and roll it down that same bank with the rip rap. Afterwards, get a tow truck and pull it back up onto the road. Then call Chevrolette and complain that their clearcoat did not hold up and the paint came off. Then tell them that you expected a whole lot more for the 70K that you paid.

 

Bagley used clear lacquer to seal their baits for decades. Poes uses a super thick white basecoat. This not only sealed the bait but also took care of all of the body pits, cracks, and imperfections.

 

Skeeter

[mark poulson]

I use polyurethane and then touch sand it before painting. The only exception is when I make a square bill. First I apply the polyurethane. Then I clearcoat the bare balsa with 2 coats of devcon. There have been a lot of good sugestions here and I believe that they all will work.

 

But hey, let's really look at this. I believe that the thought for most builders is to seal the wood so that water does not penetrate it. My first thought was that the paint should do that. But the problem that I had was that days or weeks after painting the color on the sides would start to fade. The reason was that the paint continues to be drawn into the balsa even after it has dried. Using polyurethane stops that. What I do is take a rag and wipe on a generous coat of polyurethane and let it dry for 24 hrs. I then touch sand it with a real fine grit sandpaper to make the bait smooth again. Then I shoot 2 coats of base coat and let that dry for 12 to 24 hrs. Then I paint the bait. 

 

Durability is the reason that I use 2 coats of devcon on square bills. People just plain abuse the hell out of those baits. Guys will pay a fair amount of money for one of my square bills. Then they go out and make some "Hail Mary" cast down a rip rap bank and slam the thing into a rock the size of a basketball. Then if the devcon cracks then they want to come back complaining that the clearcoat isn't worth a crap and they expected a whole lot more for their money. My first thought is that "dude.... you can't cast." Then I think ........ gee man, why don't you go buy a new corvette and roll it down that same bank with the rip rap. Afterwards, get a tow truck and pull it back up onto the road. Then call Chevrolette and complain that their clearcoat did not hold up and the paint came off. Then tell them that you expected a whole lot more for the 70K that you paid.

 

Bagley used clear lacquer to seal their baits for decades. Poes uses a super thick white basecoat. This not only sealed the bait but also took care of all of the body pits, cracks, and imperfections.

 

Skeeter

 

Ain't customer service great!  That's the reason I don't sell baits anymore.

[Cougarftd]

The concrete sealers are the best for sealing wood...2-3 dips and let it dry and you are good to go...very little weight to the lure

[benton B]

1 coat of ca glue and 1 coat of epoxy, this is my method.   Like everything else with wood cranks, find a system that fits your style.

I prefer flex coat products for my sealer and clear coat but others prefer to use different products.  

[RayburnGuy]

1 coat of ca glue and 1 coat of epoxy, this is my method.   Like everything else with wood cranks, find a system that fits your style.

I prefer flex coat products for my sealer and clear coat but others prefer to use different products.  

 

I do the same thing. Only difference is I use BS slow cure epoxy instead of Flexcoat.

 

Ditto on finding something that works and fits your preferences.

 

IMO the CA glue not only helps seal the wood it also penetrates the wood to a small degree without adding a lot of weight and also gives it a sort of hard shell that toughens up the outer layer. On harder woods this isn't necessary, but for soft woods it helps protect against dents and dings.

 

Ben