Epoxy and glitter together

[Tiderunner]

I use a lot of big diamond jigs for saltwater stripers and bluefish. I also lose a lot of them. Been looking into either getting a diamond jog mold, or buying raw lead jigs. But have no way of chrome plating them. I have used some that were coated in glittler.

I've tried that using a clearcoat  spray paint, with less than desirable results. And silver powder paints didn't work too well either. I was wondering if coating the jig with epoxy  then covering it with glitter, then another coat of epoxy would work Would the epoxy melt the glitter? Another option would be to use vinyl paint, but I think that would melt the glitter.

Foils and epoxy maybe? Ideas? Suggestion? I just priced a Viking jig and it was $22.00, Can't keep sacrificing those to the toothy critters, and wrecks.

[Chris Catignani]

44 minutes ago, Tiderunner said:

I was wondering if coating the jig with epoxy  then covering it with glitter, then another coat of epoxy would work...

This should work...I have done this same thing on rods.

[JD_mudbug]

I have not seen epoxy melt glitter. I have made baits out of wood, pvc, lead, brass and have used a few different epoxies. I have also used glitter nail polish with a top coat of epoxy and that worked.

I don't have much experience with vinyl paint. I have only used it on small crappie jigs with no glitter. I have seen some vinyl jigs get gummy but I don't clear coat those tiny jigs.

Once, I did foil an old 4" diamond jig. The jig had to be either Bead or Marathon. I remember doing each side individually and trimming with a razor knife. I think I used D2T as a top coat on that. It lasted a few years and then water started getting under the foil from dings on the edges of the jig. The foil is still on the jig but has been discolored in spots on the edges by the water.

You could also try one of the foil Jig Skins. I have a few lures with a foil herring on them. One is a 6" bar/slab type jig. It still looks good after 2 years and maybe a dozen fish. It is coated with D2T.

Edited September 19, 2021 by JD_mudbug
missing info

[21xdc]

I paint lots of baits with glitter.... I use KBS, Dip and shake off excess, Then salt and pepper the color glitters where I want them... Then after they dry, add eyes and 1-2 more dips. I have used epoxy the same way. You can add glitter to the epoxy on the first coat too, But you cant do much to seperate colors on the bait. I only glitter the first coat.... Then clear only after that. 

[Nathan]

Paint the bait with silver paint..( or paint matching glitter) when dry spray with clear lacquer then shake on your glitter(do this over a paper towel so you can return the waste to the jar) when lure is covered with glitter..tap to remove access..then give another light spray of lacquer to secure glitter..when dry..put on your top coat..Nathan 

[seakarp]

I cover with super glue, pour a bunch of glitter over it, give it a shake, do the other side, let it dry, and coat with 2 coats of uv epoxy.

[aulrich]

Nail foil is another way to get a very glittery finish with hard baits I base coat with pearl silver or gold depending on the primary color of the foil .

1. spray with contact cement

2 press the bait between two layers of stiff foam (I cut a gardening kneeling pad in half).

3. then paint and top coat.

 

I did see recently doing heat transfer foil just using silicon pads and a electric toasted sandwich maker I'll have to dig in my YouTube history

[Big Epp]

I've also mixed glitter in with epoxy (Etex Light) with good results. It did take 2 more clear coats of epoxy to smooth out, but it looks great.

[Travis]

Every time I use epoxy there is waste.  A scrap of wood and one can test glitter, mica powders, various paints, talc, various pigments, dyes, titanium dioxide, brillo pad, 320 grit sand paper, and countless other additives or treatments. 

Asking for help is great but often just doing is of greater value.

[Tiderunner]

13 hours ago, Travis said:

Every time I use epoxy there is waste.  A scrap of wood and one can test glitter, mica powders, various paints, talc, various pigments, dyes, titanium dioxide, brillo pad, 320 grit sand paper, and countless other additives or treatments. 

Asking for help is great but often just doing is of greater value.

Not really asking for help, just suggestions. Been doing this bait making thing a long time. 30+ years. Soft baits, hard baits, wood baits, lead, tin and so on. Just looking to see  how others do it, as some of the methods I've tried have given me less than spectacular results with glitter coating.

The two things that have gone wrong for me have been once going over silver paint with a clear, the silver becomes dull.

And using different glitters it seems the solvents in some of the clear coats have melted the poly glitter.

As far as asking for help or suggestions in the forum, if everybody did their own thing, the forum wouldn't exist.

[Chris Catignani]

1 hour ago, Tiderunner said:

Not really asking for help, just suggestions.

One thing I have done (and this doesn't necessarily apply to jigs)...is I have applied several coats of epoxy first then put on the applique...be it glitter or a decal. This give it a lift off the surface...kind of a 3D effect. 

[mark poulson]

One of our TU members, Barry Baits, mixes glitter into his epoxy topcoats all the time and his baits are beautiful, and hold up.

I mix fine glitter with Createx transparent base and brush it on wherever I want it.  After drying it with a hair dryer, I can topcoat with epoxy, Solarez UV clear, or Rustoleum X2 Gloss Clear Acrylic.

[Tiderunner]

On 9/24/2021 at 2:40 PM, mark poulson said:

One of our TU members, Barry Baits, mixes glitter into his epoxy topcoats all the time and his baits are beautiful, and hold up.

I mix fine glitter with Createx transparent base and brush it on wherever I want it.  After drying it with a hair dryer, I can topcoat with epoxy, Solarez UV clear, or Rustoleum X2 Gloss Clear Acrylic.

I haven't had much luck with the fine glitter. ( .08 ), Ive tried all the suggestions you've made on other projects. I especially like the Rustoleum. I use that one smaller jigs and baits because its easy to find.

I like the idea of the Solarez. I use the thick hard for tying bucktails. But the idea of the clear thin sounds interesting. When I expose the resin to the light it smokes. I wonder if that could damage the glitter?  I bet using the clear resin with the sparkle gold glitter would make an awesome bait!

Thanks Mark for helping me spend more money!

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I'm getting a list of winter projects going and the diamond jigs are high on the list. Followed by tin neko mushroom weights for the non toxic lakes I fish.

[barrybait]

The best silvery finish I have achieved is with Silver Leaf.  It looks great for the silver sided Kokanee Salmon.  It is available at Michael's and Hobby Lobby.  It's the stuff they use to emboss picture frames in gold or silver.  I didn't use the spray adhesive, I still used D2T.  After mixing a small amount of D2T, I used a finger cot to rub a very thin layer of D2T on one side of the bait.  Then you have to "float" this very very thin sheet of silver leaf and let it decend on the bait.  Tap the silver leaf down on the bait very gently using only a cotton ball.  Then I turn it over on a towel but I have the towel covered with saran wrap (food stretch wrap).  Do the other side, fold the stretch wrap over it.  Then I sandwich it between two pieces of foam padding on the floor and set my tool box on it.  Come back the next day, stretch wrap comes off, coat with epoxy again to protect the silver leaf.