Airbrushing Large Baits

[DoubleT]

Question for you folks that build larger baits. When airbrushing gills, fins and such on large baits is there a trick to keep the paint from wanting to stick to the table top at your paint station? I heat set the paint and also lay it on a piece of plexiglass and most times it still wants to stick and will occasionally pull off a small chip. Just curious if there is something that I am missing. I cringe every time I try to pick up the lure from the table and it is stuck. It doesnt take much force to break it loose but it worries me every time that I am going to mess up my paint job. Thanks

[woodieb8]

hang them bye a wire till there dry completely. I know we all rush. some times slo is faster . I'm guilty too.

[gliders]

DoubleT, as above regarding proper drying. When I'm heat setting layers I try not to make overly hot because it can make paint briefly sticky. If I need to put bait down for stencils or whatever, I give a blast of cooler air after hot -using hairdryer settings. Also ,plexiglass or smooth shiny surfaces are going to be stickier,  I use paper towel or sketch pad paper to lay lure on if needed for painting and don't have issues with paint sticking or coming off .  My opinion,Having paint too warm going on to plexiglass  will be main problem ........glider

Edited August 24, 2017 by gliders

[mark poulson]

I used to suspend my jointed swimbaits, up to 12", between two screws, using wire attached to the line tie and the rear tail.  I had a piece of plywood leaned against a wall, with the screws in it, so I could spray and then hair dry one side, flip the bait, and do the other side.

Some people here use two of these helping hands to hold big baits:  https://www.harborfreight.com/helping-hands-60501.html

You need to really dry your paint.  Thin coats are much easier to dry, and build up fast.  A thick coat can skin over, and trap moisture under the skin, so it's still soft and easily damaged.

Edited August 24, 2017 by mark poulson

[Musky Glenn]

On the musky lures I repaint, I never lay them down, always hang on wire. I have a nylon cord stretched over my paint booth and simply bend thin wire in a Z shape to go through nose ring and over the cord. I could hang 40 lures but I cant catch enough muskies to tear up that many lures. The worries of a musky fisherman.

Edited August 24, 2017 by Musky Glenn

[DoubleT]

3 hours ago, gliders said:

My opinion,Having paint too warm going on to plexiglass  will be main problem

 

1 hour ago, mark poulson said:

Some people here use two of these helping hands to hold big baits:  https://www.harborfreight.com/helping-hands-60501.html

You need to really dry your paint.  Thin coats are much easier to dry, and build up fast.  A thick coat can skin over, and trap moisture under the skin, so it's still soft and easily damaged.

I would say you guys hit the nail on the head. I use the harbor freight helping hand to do most of the painting. I have to remove it from the helping hand so it will lay flat in order to paint the gills, fins and such. Thats where it gets iffy for me. I also heat set it with a harbor freight heat gun. The paint is pretty warm once set. I think I will blow air on it with my airbrush after heat seating it in order to cool it down. The plexiglass has got to go. That makes sense. I will give a piece of notebook paper a try. I am definitely guilty of laying down to much paint. I will try lighter layers.

4 hours ago, woodieb8 said:

I know we all rush. some times slo is faster . I'm guilty too.

You got that right woodieb8. Patience grasshopper. lol. Its tough. 

Thanks for all of the help fellas. You guys are awesome. 

[aulrich]

These are clamps I used , I got the plans for these and a lure rotator from plans I bought from a guy called Greg Viynal.  the system works very well. Please ignore the bad turnings it was a learn as you go sort of thing. the lures were 6" and about 3.5 oz.

 

 

[SW Lures]

Yep putting to much paint at one time creates all types of issues except when intentionally done.

This forum has gave me so much so I'll give one back. I like showing depth in my lure schemes, sooo.....at times I'll put on more paint than normal and pull the scale material away after I get the paint dry to a certain point. Then I lightly pat the paint down to desired look. This shows texture and depth if painted a certain way of layers. Like golds, purples, etc under silvers, whites, etc.

I know this is a tad bit off of topic but the thread got me thinking about stencils and wet paint. Just a tip

[Chuck Young]

A section of swim noodle glued to the plexiglass with E6000 and some cheapo plastic paint brushes from wallmart. plus some alligator clips is all you need. Total cost = $3. Cut the brush end off three paint brushes. Slide on the alligator clips. Clip them onto the hook hangers. Insert the ends of the brushes into the foam. 

Some pictures from this link will help.