jonesin9999 Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Hey all,Im new to the group and just painted my first few baits this weekend. I cleared them with some gorilla glue 2 part epoxy and they look nice. But I was wondering if I could go to home depot and get a quart of minwax clear high gloss polyurethane and do kind of a dip and dry on the cranks? they are plastic with createx paint.Thanks for the tips for a new guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 The short answer is yes. You can put just about anything on top of an epoxy coating because epoxy is very non-reactive with other coatings. The longer answer is "Why do you need it?" More gloss? More durability? The right epoxy should have plenty of gloss. Epoxy is much more durable than polyurethane, so using the poly after the epoxy is sort of "gilding the lily". I like to lightly sand epoxy to remove its gloss and improve adhesion of the next coating before application. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Bob, I think he wants to do the poly instead of epoxy... yes poly will give you a nice shiny topcoat but it won 't provide much protection for your bait.The poly will ware off in no time. Topcoats are probably one of the most discussed topics here ...I believe there are two- three threads on the list right now regarding different ones...use the search feature and prepare for about a weeks worth of reading...Nathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 If you really want your lures to look great, take off your glasses. Works for me! Hahaha 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Some guys dip baits in an exterior grade polyurethane and call it "good enough". However, many of us look for something more durable and waterproof. If your topcoat is compromised by an impact or hook rash and your paint is water based acrylic (instead of solvent based lacquer paint), the paint can begin to absorb water and will push the topcoat off the lure pretty quickly. So many of us opt for something more durable like epoxy, moisture cured urethane, UV cure polyester resin, or even a high solids concrete sealer like AC1315. Of the preferred topcoats f/u/w acrylic paints, the concrete sealer is really the only one that is close to "dip it and forget it" like you would experience with a solvent based polyurethane, IMO. Personally, I prefer moisture cured urethane for a thin, more durable, factory-appearance topcoat on plastic baits. But it isn't really dippable because of its storage issues. All you can do is choose your poison, learn how to use it, and then decide whether it's good enough for your baits. There's a wealth of info here on TU about each of the candidate topcoats. Just peruse the posts via the search function. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonesin9999 Posted February 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Since everything is frozen here now I have about 40 blanks. Might be worth it for me just to go ahead paint everything, get a quart of that moisture cure and just grab a 12 pack and start dippin!!! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Well, MCU generally costs about $50 per quart. If you dip 50 baits, then wait a few months before having your next batch ready, you might be paying $1 per bait to topcoat them because the MCU has become unusable. Player's choice, I guess. I would recommend using the "tap the can" method for MCU. It takes a little longer to do since you brush it on the lures but it saves you a bunch of $$$. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonesin9999 Posted February 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 (edited) Found this for 25. not sure if its any good. What do you mean by "tap the can"?? Just puncture a hole in the top and pour it out, limiting air exposure to the can? http://www.poolandmarinepaint.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=241 Edited February 25, 2015 by jonesin9999 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Jones, I can't stress enough to use our search feature..If you search Garco.. It brings up a whole page of threads where that product has been discussed ..Nathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 There's a thread on tapping the can on this page. Just take a look! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ichthus Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 I've used the minwax for a while before I started using the AC1315. I guess i'm just a fan of the dip and dry method. I also use epoxy for certain baits and it's alright. you just need to mix it perfectly, thats why most guys buy it in the tubes that squirt out both parts at the same time (it's more expensive per .oz that way though). the way I see it, each topcoat has it's pros and cons, a lot of guys like this stuff called KBS "diamond coat" or something like that. its not too far down in the forum so go and find that. The stuff is supposed to be better than AC1315 and is around the same price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 Re: Garco - I tried a quart last year. Its color was more amber than DN, had a higher viscosity, and the can "went off" on me much faster than the DN. In the final analysis, when I needed to buy some more MCU, I ordered another can of Dick Nite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonesin9999 Posted February 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 Ichthus, what was your opinion on the minwax poly? did it hold up ok? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ichthus Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 Triple coat it, and it'll hold up pretty good and still make the paint jobs p o p. I have paint jobs that are going on 3 years with minwax, but small cans or put in a mason jar though, cuz it'll go bad in about 2 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saltshaker Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 Bob made an excellent point in one of his earlier comments about lightly sanding epoxy before coating with anything else. I scuff any type of clear coat before I add another coat...epoxy, KBS, doesn't matter. It will allow the next coat to adhere much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrogAddict Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 I use envirotex and have never scuffed before applying a second coat and I've had no issues. Maybe I'm just lucky? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ichthus Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 Only thing about triple coating is it starts to yellow moreso Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCAngler Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 This might be a dumb question, and forgive my lack of research on the subject, but what do companies like Rapala and Strike King use to clear their baits? Doesn't seem all that tough because of the hook rash most of us experience, but they are doing this on a large scale so the method has to be pretty quick and dirty for lack of a better term. Just been pondering this after reading similar threads and it doesn't seem to be mentioned. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
