aulrich Posted March 28, 2016 Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 So the winter of learning how to build baits is progressing, but I think I am doing something wrong with the installation of my bills. At what point of the build is normal to install the diving lip. At this point I have don a number of slotted through wire baits and I have been installing the diving lip at the same time as the through wire and ballast. this means the bill is in place for 4 applications of epoxy. so after I have everything built it goes like this thinned e-tex sanded regular e-tex sanded paint job 2 e-tex finish coats I am masking the bill but till now I don't remove between applications of epoxy. Now I am thinking I should leave the diving lip off till at least after the paint job , maybe after the first post paint clear coat. recommendations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nedyarb Posted March 28, 2016 Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 It is a personal preference but I leave the bill off until the last step. If I dont i get paint and epoxy everywhere and it looks crappy and swims funky 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 28, 2016 Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 To me, it's a personal choice. I add my lip and hook hangers before I paint, and use the excess epoxy to seat the bait some more, by cleaning it up with a finger dipped in denatured alcohol. Many people wait until the bait is finished, and then add the lip and/or hook hangers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 28, 2016 Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 It is a personal preference but I leave the bill off until the last step. If I dont i get paint and epoxy everywhere and it looks crappy and swims funky Ned, I glue in my lip so I can float test my PVC lures and get the ballast right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted March 28, 2016 Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 (edited) There should be no reason to mask the lip during the application of epoxy. If epoxy is building up on the lip then your application technique needs some work. Instead of trying to "paint" epoxy around the lip area here is what I do. Load the brush with epoxy and then press the brush against the bait so that it fans the brush. Do this a small distance from the lip and then push the brush towards the lip until the epoxy comes into contact with where the lip and lure intersect. Then drag the brush away from the lip. This will keep the epoxy from building up on the lip. I make templates of my lips using a drawing program on my computer. When drawing the templates I always draw them with a center line. The templates are affixed to my lip material with spray adhesive and then cut out. This gives me a perfect center line on the lip which is then used to align the center line on the lip with the center line on the lure blank. This makes sure that the lips are true with the body. Ben Edited March 28, 2016 by RayburnGuy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aulrich Posted March 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 Actually you could be onto something there, it's probably a bad habit I picked up painting pre-mades, I tended to put extra around tow points and hook hangers to ensure a seal. I also tend to put a fully loaded brush on the eye and brush it out from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted March 29, 2016 Report Share Posted March 29, 2016 I mostly make wood baits so I mount the lip after all the painting is done but before I apply the final coat of epoxy. That lets me do the finishing without having to mask the lip and then it allows me to seal around the lip with the final topcoat to insure against any water infiltration. To make handling the bait easier, I insert a "false lip" before finishing, just a scrap piece of polycarbonate or circuit board with a hole drilled in the end so I can hang up the lures above my workbench as needed. Friction fit it with painter's tape as necessary. This allows me to handle the bait with locking forceps while I do the undercoating and painting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benton B Posted March 29, 2016 Report Share Posted March 29, 2016 I install the bill before sealing/painting. I adjust the bill with tooth picks to make sure it's perfect. The coat of epoxy and primer hide my little helpers. I brush epoxy all the around and thru the hangers and toe eye, just takes practice to get the hang of being mess free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
