Ruan Posted March 17, 2021 Report Share Posted March 17, 2021 Hello i live in South Africa and it is such a struggle to get a good working clear coat here so if anyone can help me, i want a easy to put on the lure, like dipping it. Is a UV cured clear coat a good option at the moment i am using a 2 Part epoxy but it is very time consuming, if you know of a easy apply able clear coat that is very strong and non yellowing and i am able to get it in South Africa i would really appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted March 17, 2021 Report Share Posted March 17, 2021 I don’t know what’s available in SA but there are 3 clears that I consider tough enough for crankbaits. Epoxy, UV cured polyester resin, and moisture cured urethane. Of these, UV cured resin is the fastest by far. Each has pluses and minuses and each requires a specific application and curing procedure. To my mind, none of them are really suitable for dipping because they are either too viscous (UV resin) or too susceptible to contaminating finish you want to store after dipping ( Moisture cured urethane). I brush on all of the clears. The easiest to apply is moisture cured urethane which I quickly flood coat on a lure and hang it to drip dry. But UV resin is also attractive because its cure only takes a few minutes in total. All that said, I still use epoxy pretty often just because I have it around and have used it for decades. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruan Posted March 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2021 Thank you for the response. I do really like the thick layer (look) of the epoxy, is the UV or MCU the same? And i have tried rust oleum spray on clear coat but it just does not put on a nice layer even after a few coats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastman03 Posted March 17, 2021 Report Share Posted March 17, 2021 Welcome here, I agree 100% with what Bob said. Those are the three main choices overall, and they can all work really well, but they each have their own issues too. I think it would sell out all over the bait making community if you could come up with a insanely tough, dippable, easy to store, very clear, non yellowing clear coat. UV cure might suit your needs, especially if you are making relatively small lures. Lots of positive reviews overall. Search the form for previous threads, there have been a few good discussions on clear coats. But like we have said, it too has some downfalls. Learn how to use it and get good at it before making any judgements. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruan Posted March 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2021 Thank you very much, i really do appreciate it! Awesome community! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruan Posted March 29, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2021 Hi sorry to disturb again, I am using the epoxy now it is easy to find and i really like the Thick top coat it gives, but it is very time consuming and i found that its not that scratch resistant if you maybe can help me i would appreciate it so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted March 29, 2021 Report Share Posted March 29, 2021 Though you didn’t say, I’m gonna assume you are using a SLOW cure type of epoxy, such as a slow cure Devcon Two Ton glue or a craft decoupage epoxy like Envirotex Lite (aka Etex). There are dozens of epoxy brands with different formulas, viscosities, cure times, etc. You want to avoid fast cure 5 minute cure epoxies. They are not waterproof, cure too fast to level properly and yellow quickly. Epoxy and UV cured polyester tend to be thicker coatings, MCU tends to be thinner. I have no data on hardness and scratch resistance among the recommended coatings but just to me, MCU SEEMS to be tougher and slicker than the others. MCU = moisture cured urethane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravenlures Posted March 30, 2021 Report Share Posted March 30, 2021 Ruan One thing that I do is thin out my Envirotex Lite with denatured alcohol and use a brush or pour on into another cup then I let drip a little then put on a turner. What size lures do you make. Wayne Bob P how far is Summerfield, NC from Bluffton, SC I will be taking a trip sometime this year down there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
