Snoopy Posted November 26, 2014 Report Share Posted November 26, 2014 (edited) I am new to airbrushing. The question I have is. Is there a certain temp that you should not spay your baits? I live in Alabama where the temp will be 30 degree's today 60 tomorrow tornadoes the next day and then snow the next 3 days... Any help would be appreciated.. Edited November 26, 2014 by Snoopy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imagine_studios Posted December 1, 2014 Report Share Posted December 1, 2014 I'm in the same boat, living in Northeast Ohio. The painting is what keeps holding me up since I can only do it pretty much outdoors. The Createx site had the following to say about painting conditions. I have a feeling most other paints are similar. CONDITIONS 70º F or higher in a dry, dust-free environment. When painting in humid or colder conditions, allow for extended drying time. Use of air flow decreases drying time and is recommended as the primary means to dry paint. Air source should be free of contaminates, especially oil and water. Heat is best used to cure paint after paint dries. Refer to curing section for more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassguy Posted December 1, 2014 Report Share Posted December 1, 2014 A small heater works wonders if you have an area in which to paint. I generally crank up the small heater in my shop. Granted, I live in California but it does get really cold where I live. Oh, one more thing, if you are using automotive paint or other flammable types a heater shouldn't on while painting. I know that sounds quite obvious but there are people out there that clean there guns while loaded and their guns are loaded too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass100 Posted December 1, 2014 Report Share Posted December 1, 2014 I live in Northeast PA and in the winter time my paint area is in-between 50 and 55 degrees and I have no problems. I paint with createx and wildlife colors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imagine_studios Posted December 1, 2014 Report Share Posted December 1, 2014 Great news bass100! Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoopy Posted December 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2014 Thank you all !!! Right now im using Createx and Wicked Colors but I don't have a heater yet im just taking it slow and piecing things together... I do have a small building im working in shared with things we don't want in the house But I do have a lot of time to let things cure so thank you all for the info.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
token12 Posted December 2, 2014 Report Share Posted December 2, 2014 Thank you all !!! Right now im using Createx and Wicked Colors but I don't have a heater yet im just taking it slow and piecing things together... I do have a small building im working in shared with things we don't want in the house But I do have a lot of time to let things cure so thank you all for the info.. Or you could use a hair dryer to cure the paint between coats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted December 2, 2014 Report Share Posted December 2, 2014 You can spray water based airbrush paint at any temp as long as it doesn't freeze. I use a hair dryer to dry mine between colors, regardless of the temperature. I dry it on LOW initially until the water sheen is gone, then turn it on HIGH and blast it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imagine_studios Posted December 2, 2014 Report Share Posted December 2, 2014 Now we're talking! I've been reluctant to try painting in the cold, but it sounds like maybe it won't be as much of an issue as I thought. It really puts a kink in the plans if you live in a cold state and hope to get the majority of your lure building done over the winter. All of my paints and lures are stored in a heated area until time to paint, so that seems like it might help as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goolies Posted December 2, 2014 Report Share Posted December 2, 2014 I also live in NE Ohio and do most of my lure building and painting during the winter. I have a small electric heater on my workbench in the garage. I store my createx and airbrush inside and bring it out into the garage when I'm going to use them. Same with spray can primers. I use a hair dryer and heat gun between coats to help with drying and curing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoopy Posted December 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2014 I store my paints in the house also and have a heat gun that I will start curing my baits with as for the heater I will be getting one soon... I have a toaster over but i don't want to tear it up trying to heat that building Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAWGFAN Posted December 2, 2014 Report Share Posted December 2, 2014 You may find that a hair dryer is a little more forgiving for heat setting paints. The heat gun can cure the paint too fast, causing it to bubble. It also can cause plastic baits to crack. I've experienced both issues. I'm not saying you can't use it, but just take it slow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 2, 2014 Report Share Posted December 2, 2014 Heating your lure with the hair dryer before you begin painting also helps the paint underneath dry more quickly, and more completely, so you don't wind up with trapped moisture under your paint job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted December 2, 2014 Report Share Posted December 2, 2014 I use a heat gun to cure my paints and have no problems. There is a little bit of a learning curve as with anything new, but the heat gun will get hot enough to actually heat set paint if you take it slow. It only took me 4 or 5 plastic baits blown up to look like bloated guppies before I learned to hold the heat gun a little farther away. One thing you haven't mentioned is what top coat you plan on using. Top coats can be a little more fickle than water based paints when it comes to temperature. It would probably pay off to check out the specs of whatever top coat you plan on using and see what the lowest temperature they recommend for applying their product. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoopy Posted December 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Not sure yet on the top coat I saw on you tube where a guy used varathane polyurethane but im not sure what the specs are I haven't looked yet then there is the two part epoxy.. Im still painting the crankbaits still learning the brush , compressor playing with stencils really still learning but I want to make sure I do things correct I know I will mess up over and over but with what ive been reading on this forum will really help a lot..... Thanks to you ALL !!! Thank you for your knowledge !! And I want to apologize ahead time but I will be asking a lot questions ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 If you use a top coat that relies on a chemical reaction, like epoxy, the cold will slow it down. I would take the baits inside to coat them with epoxy. It has almost no odor, and it's solvent is denatured alcohol, so it's okay to turn and cure in the house, if your family and pets are okay with that. Solvent-based urethanes still need a minimum temperature to fully cure out, so using them in the cold will be a problem, and their fumes are not okay for inside the house. Even water-borne urethanes need a minimum temperature to fully cure. Try contacting the manufs. to see about how each top coat does in cold weather, and what their minimum temperature requirements are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imagine_studios Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 I just painted a couple lures in 32 degrees with a small heater, using a hair dryer and everything seems to have worked out fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 (edited) I just painted a couple lures in 32 degrees with a small heater, using a hair dryer and everything seems to have worked out fine. Two thumbs up!! Be sure to let the paint job dry/cure inside really well before you top coat. Paint can feel dry, but still have some moisture left in it. Nothing lifts and ruins a top coat faster than trapped moisture. Edited December 4, 2014 by mark poulson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imagine_studios Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 I noticed this morning they are still a little tacky. Should I use a little more heat on them to help things along? Thanks Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gone2long Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 You should air dry your paint and let set for a period then heat cure, if you blast your paint with too much heat too early it will tend to skin over causing it to take much more time to dry/cure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 5, 2014 Report Share Posted December 5, 2014 Move them inside, to a constant warm temperature, so they can really dry. If you need to leave them in an unheated workshop, try leaving a focused light shining on them overnight, so they never really get cold. Cold stops or slows down chemical reactions, like paint curing, and a cold lure will collect condensation, just like everything else left in the cold, so it never gets a chance to really dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imagine_studios Posted December 5, 2014 Report Share Posted December 5, 2014 Thanks guys! As soon as they were painted they were brought in the warm house, but were in the basement, which is definitely a little cooler. I've moved them up to a warmer climate to see if that does the trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnart Posted December 5, 2014 Report Share Posted December 5, 2014 can you tell me again why you heat set your paints after each coat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted December 5, 2014 Report Share Posted December 5, 2014 Createx paints are designed primarily as a T-shirt paint. Heat setting the paint causes a change at the molecular level to make the paint waterproof so the T-shits can be washed. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CustomBaits4You Posted January 27, 2015 Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 I always airbrush outside. Its winter so its cold but thay doesnt stop me. I do clearcoat inside though. Cold sucks with clear coat. It take like 1000x longer to dry. I dip my jerkbaits, lipless and topwaters in GST and my lipped baits I brush D2T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
