VanBass Posted June 27, 2021 Report Share Posted June 27, 2021 I'm researching hard bait airbrushing (while waiting for my paint to be delivered) and have a couple of questions about intercoating that I hope you can help with. First question(s) would be: do you intercoat between paint layers? Is it necessary or a waste of time? Presuming intercoating is good to do, what products do you recommend to use or avoid? I have read about Minwax Polycrylic as an intercoat, is Varathane brand Diamond Wood Finish (also a water based product) suitable? Any others to consider? A lot of the plastic model people use Pledge (Future) as a clear coat/gloss coat, is it any good as an intercoat for hard baits? When using a glossy intercoat do you remove the "shine" before shooting the next layer? I ask because I always steelwool (0000) lightly between coats of polyurethane (for good adhesion) when finishing my projects. Thanks in advance for your comments! Van Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglinarcher Posted June 27, 2021 Report Share Posted June 27, 2021 Intercoats are not always necessary, but you can use intercoats at any time. For example, intercoats between candy coats are necessary, and different intercoating material may be necessary to prevent bleeding. Another example is the use of chrome paints. For years we have been trying to get a chrome paint that would work, and they always went gray when we clear coated. Now Engineered Angler on YouTube has discovered that Minwax Polyacrylic and pledge used as an intercoat stops the gray and keeps it glossy/chrome. On the other hand, using intercoats between normal opaque or transparent coats is totally unnecessary. It just adds thickness and weight that is not needed, and not always wanted. Finally, if the intercoat is compatible with other paints, I do not sand or remove the shine at all. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanBass Posted June 27, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2021 Thanks! That's exactly the kind of information that I need Anglnarcher! I find that every intrest has it's jargon and the subtle does and don'ts that a newbie has to negotiate before they can really participate. Thanks for your help! Van Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZ Fisher Posted June 27, 2021 Report Share Posted June 27, 2021 Heat set each color(Layer) before the next unless you're applying very light coats. Paint will look dry until you clearcoat then you get an unpleasant surprise. I have a hair dryer next to the paint station, hit it with some hot air and you can see the paint turn opaque, ready for the next layer. I only intercoat over foil to protection the foil finish from future handling when adding paint colors. Hope this helps... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanBass Posted June 27, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2021 Thanks AZ! This does help - I'll be adding a hair dryer to the kit Van 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly voodoo Posted June 28, 2021 Report Share Posted June 28, 2021 5 hours ago, AZ Fisher said: Heat set each color(Layer) before the next unless you're applying very light coats. Paint will look dry until you clearcoat then you get an unpleasant surprise. I have a hair dryer next to the paint station, hit it with some hot air and you can see the paint turn opaque, ready for the next layer. I only intercoat over foil to protection the foil finish from future handling when adding paint colors. Hope this helps... What he said I use a heat gun but you have to be careful or you bubble the paint. Keep it back and keep it moving to prevent this Not saying a heat gun is better but it is more manly and my wife doesn’t yell about me stealing her hair dryer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglinarcher Posted June 28, 2021 Report Share Posted June 28, 2021 Remember that the hair dryer (I mean heat gun), is for drying the paint. Createx paints were created for cloth, T-Shirts, and heating cross links the paint to make it stronger, but that is not necessary on lures. Wicked and the other Createx paints won't cross link so that helps nothing. But, drying between coats, or at least allowing it to completely between coats, is critical. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted June 28, 2021 Report Share Posted June 28, 2021 12 hours ago, Anglinarcher said: Remember that the hair dryer (I mean heat gun), is for drying the paint. Createx paints were created for cloth, T-Shirts, and heating cross links the paint to make it stronger, but that is not necessary on lures. Wicked and the other Createx paints won't cross link so that helps nothing. But, drying between coats, or at least allowing it to completely between coats, is critical. I think the problem is that the heat required to get T shirt paints to cross link (medium high setting on a clothes iron) is too high for the plastic that crankbaits are made with, and they will melt before the paint cross links. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZ Fisher Posted June 28, 2021 Report Share Posted June 28, 2021 Just for reference on the drying subject, this is what I had happened on some 2.5's from several years ago. I sprayed the silver very heavy and hit it with the hair dryer, the surface paint dried but was still wet underneath apparently. It was dry enough the apply a stencil to the side of the bait and spray the stripes without messing up the silver base. After I dipped them in KBS they wrinkled as seen . I sprayed some other colorways at the same time that had less paint that didn't wrinkle. I make sure each layer is dry now and haven't had this issue since. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outlaw4 Posted June 29, 2021 Report Share Posted June 29, 2021 here is an example of where an intercoat could/should have been used, this is new plastic bait i am aiming to try out so i put a quick paint on it not so much worrying about details. I sprayed the white base coat, peal white over that, chartreuse back, and then the pink head. Heat set in between colors. But as you can see in this picture the pink still blended enough with the chartreuse enough to make it more orangey on the top of the head. If i had put an intercoat on before i spray the pink it would have stayed pink. I like to use the kbs spray clear if its important not to blend the colors. Im sure there are many other good ways. An intercoat is also a nice way to "save" your progress, as if you make a mistake you can wipe off and not lose the whole bait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSpolarich Posted June 30, 2021 Report Share Posted June 30, 2021 All give great advice but one key to getting better is to experiment. Adding an intercoat between colors will effect how they fade/blend together and how scales look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglinarcher Posted June 30, 2021 Report Share Posted June 30, 2021 I actually like a little bleeding. Outlaw, looks good, but I do know how we all have our goals. I am a lousy painter, and yet, people love my lures most the time.......so either they are trying to make me feel better (most likely) or I do a better job than I think (NOT likely). An interesting intercoat I am playing with now that the original Pledge is not available is "Quick Shine Floor Finish". Same ingredients as the original Pledge but with a touch of cleaner. I wish the original Pledge was still available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastman03 Posted June 30, 2021 Report Share Posted June 30, 2021 I like using polycrilic as a midcoat between layers when I'm going to apply a stencil or mesh. I have had tape pull paint off, or if I mess up the stencil/mesh, i can wipe that layer back off to the midcoat and try again! It is like locking in the layers that I like lol. Safety blanket. I follow the steps that engineered angler showed in one of his vids. I dilute it with water, and spray several light coats onto the lure. It dries quickly. I will usually put on a coat before finishing with epoxy as well. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly voodoo Posted June 30, 2021 Report Share Posted June 30, 2021 55 minutes ago, eastman03 said: I like using polycrilic as a midcoat between layers when I'm going to apply a stencil or mesh. I have had tape pull paint off, or if I mess up the stencil/mesh, i can wipe that layer back off to the midcoat and try again! It is like locking in the layers that I like lol. Safety blanket. I follow the steps that engineered angler showed in one of his vids. I dilute it with water, and spray several light coats onto the lure. It dries quickly. I will usually put on a coat before finishing with epoxy as well. Ok you have my attention since I like to screw things up once in awhile lol What kind of dry time are you getting on theses layers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglinarcher Posted June 30, 2021 Report Share Posted June 30, 2021 Just a couple of minutes for recoating, but I let it set overnight before I do any final coats. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastman03 Posted June 30, 2021 Report Share Posted June 30, 2021 Exactly what he said! They are very thin layers. But I always wait a night before epoxying. Usually because I'm done for the evening anyway. It's a slow production for me. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglinarcher Posted June 30, 2021 Report Share Posted June 30, 2021 2 hours ago, eastman03 said: Exactly what he said! They are very thin layers. But I always wait a night before epoxying. Usually because I'm done for the evening anyway. It's a slow production for me. lol You and me both brother, you and me both. My wife has acquired an aversion to the smells of my stuff, so I need to paint outside. I swear, if I have the time I get the wind, and no wind, no time. I wait "at least overnight", but in reality, I have some ready for the next layer and I will need to wash an inch of dust off them when I get to them. OUCH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanBass Posted July 2, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2021 @Anglinarcher I found some of this at the local hardware store, is this similar to the product that you were talking about? I picked up a bottle to try as an intercoat. https://www.amazon.com/Johnson-Pledge-Floor-Multi-Surface-Finish/dp/B07BNNCT6L/ref=sr_1_9?crid=2UORPTN6PDLO7&dchild=1&keywords=pledge+floor+cleaner&qid=1625192093&sprefix=Pledge%2Caps%2C232&sr=8-9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglinarcher Posted July 2, 2021 Report Share Posted July 2, 2021 1 hour ago, VanBass said: @Anglinarcher I found some of this at the local hardware store, is this similar to the product that you were talking about? I picked up a bottle to try as an intercoat. https://www.amazon.com/Johnson-Pledge-Floor-Multi-Surface-Finish/dp/B07BNNCT6L/ref=sr_1_9?crid=2UORPTN6PDLO7&dchild=1&keywords=pledge+floor+cleaner&qid=1625192093&sprefix=Pledge%2Caps%2C232&sr=8-9 Yes, and no. That product has cleaners in it, and the cleaners are said to cause issues, BUT I have not tried it myself. The stuff I know works is one of the two of these(I prefer gloss): 1) https://www.hobbylobby.com/search?q=minwax+polycrylic%3Arelevance&quickview=80958532 Mix this down with 15% water to use it in an airbrush. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Minwax-Polycrylic-Matte-Water-Based-Polyurethane-Actual-Net-Contents-11-5-fl-oz/1000447085?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-pnt-_-google-_-lia-_-219-_-interiorstains-_-1000447085-_-0&placeholder=null&ds_rl=1286981&gclid=CjwKCAjwz_WGBhA1EiwAUAxIccrffQNbu4e_KtYHswwFuVAc_yfhzJRXuuSbtc0rNGdt5Joffh_pshoCRA0QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds You can spray this direct. 2) https://www.lowes.com/pd/Holloway-House-27-oz-Floor-Polish/1000204525?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-lwn-_-google-_-lia-_-127-_-traditionalcleaning-_-1000204525-_-0&placeholder=null&ds_rl=1286981&gclid=CjwKCAjwz_WGBhA1EiwAUAxIcUFVxflz5_LQtpZuTZoCpNYrxncBE83KX9JeWKuNP5hahcF3zRdH_BoCGJkQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds This I use by dipping and letting it dry. The Quick Shine has a little bit of cleaner it it, but it seems to work just fine. The Min Wax Polyacrylic is essentially the same as the polyacrylic clear base in Createx paints. Again, I know this only because I saw this on YouTube by Engineered Angler, then I tried them. For me, they work well. I top clear coat with AlunmiUV. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanBass Posted July 2, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2021 @Anglinarcher I have a bottle of the Holloway floor finish so I will give that a try. My airbrush paint finally arrived so I can test these products while I'm practicing my airbrushing techniques (wish me luck LOL). I'll see about getting some of the Minwax polycrylic as well. Thanks for your help! Van 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
