Clear coat

[RiverSmallieGuy]

What clear coat do you guys use on jigs that would be on the bottom a lot in a clear, rocky, fast current smallmouth river?

[Apdriver]

Hard to beat this one. I use a turner after I coat. A little xylene will keep it from gassing in thicker areas like around the eyes. It’s a MCU (moisture cure urethane) and you should use the tap the can method to keep a quart for a long time. Just use MCU and tap the can in the search to learn about these techniques/products.
 

https://www.kbs-coatings.com/diamondfinish-clear.html

[RiverSmallieGuy]

14 hours ago, Apdriver said:

Hard to beat this one. I use a turner after I coat. A little xylene will keep it from gassing in thicker areas like around the eyes. It’s a MCU (moisture cure urethane) and you should use the tap the can method to keep a quart for a long time. Just use MCU and tap the can in the search to learn about these techniques/products.
 

https://www.kbs-coatings.com/diamondfinish-clear.html

Alright!

[Kasilofchrisn]

Another good option is D2T. Otherwise known as Devcon 2 ton clear epoxy.

You want to make sure and get the 30 minute not the 5 minute.

If need be you can thin it with a drop or two of denatured alcohol.

I usually just brush it on as it's self leveling and then hang to cure.

[cadman]

After everything I've tried, I still like D2T for my customers jigs that use their jigs in rocky areas. Nothing is fool proof, but D2T has a very hard finish once it cures. Application is just as Kasilofchrisn, mentioned above. JMO.

[Big Epp]

How does KBS do with soft plastics? Don't some MCUs react to the softeners? I have used an oil modified urethane gym floor sealer in the past. I really like it, but have been careful to keep it away from plastics.

[Apdriver]

I haven’t noticed any reaction. I don’t store any of it together really but I never remove my soft plastics from my jig heads and think if any negative reaction happened, I would have seen it. 

[Big Epp]

Sweet, maybe I'll try it and see. I suppose there's also a difference between MCU and OMU, though I don't know the specifics.

[Mbirdsley]

Devcon 2 tom epoxy.  As long as it is mixed right it is simple to apply and works well.  If the jig does chip.  The chip is isolated to a little spot instead of taking a bunch of paint with it. 

[Apdriver]

The reason I moved away from Devcon 2 ton was the working time. Seemed short and restrictive. JMHO.

[Mbirdsley]

It is a short time frame. I only mix a little up at a time.  Maybe a dime size dollop of resin and hardener.  I can usually get 5-6 jigs out of it before it starts setting up 

[smalljaw]

I use D2T but you have to work in small batches. The actual working time is around 12 minutes but the finish is tougher than anything else I've used. KBS Diamond finish is really good but you need 3 to 4 coats to get it as tough as D2T. The thing I don't like about KBS is the fumes, so you have to have really good ventilation.

[RiverSmallieGuy]

I recently purchased some BSI 30 minute epoxy strictly for clear coating jigs and hard baits, do I need to thin the BSI Slow Cure epoxy with anything or can I just use it as is?

[Apdriver]

Never used the Bob Smith epoxy. You don’t have to thin it. If you want to though, use a few drops of acetone. Experiment with a little to make sure it turns out ok thinning it before you work up a bunch of baits. 

[RiverSmallieGuy]

1 minute ago, Apdriver said:

Never used the Bob Smith epoxy. You don’t have to thin it. If you want to though, use a few drops of acetone. Experiment with a little to make sure it turns out ok thinning it before you work up a bunch of baits. 

Thank you, that helps me!

[Munkin]

Why not just use powder paint? The rocky Upper Potomac River is where my jigs get sacrificed and I can say without a doubt powder paint is the best option. Now I do airbrush swim jigs and spinnerbaits to look pretty but jigheads are brown, black, or green pumkin.

 

Allen