Another DN/KBS/MCU thread I know but I need help LOL

[Matt Moreau]

Hi Guys,

Sorry I don't post much anymore. My luremaking days are far and few now but sometimes the bug bites me and I get in the mood to make something. When it does I need a way to clear them and my old method was automotive clear. I may go back to that but I would like to use something easier since I don't have many baits I'm clearing anymore. That said, I have never figured out the MCU storage issues. I have tried all the ideas from taping the can, bloxygen, don't let the drips fall back into the jar, close and seal after every dip blah blah blah. But in the end I only get a few months where the MCU is actually usable. I think part of my problem is how infrequently I use it. I may make a batch of lures then sit idle for 6+ months.

This last quart I bought I decanted immediately into 2 mason jars. 1 jar was for storing and 1 for dipping. I used plastic wrap folded twice(4 layers) under each lid with a 5 second shot of bloxygen before closing. The Dipping Jar was unusable after about a month and the jar that I didn't open was gone some time after(I dont know exactly how long maybe 3-4 months). I wasn't using the metal lids I was using the aftermarket plastic ones and think maybe they do not seal as well. I live in California so the humidity is low and weather is fairly consistent. I do not know what I am doing wrong LMAO.  

I have spent well over $200 on MCU's over the years. I am reluctant to buy more at this point. Any ideas, tips or suggestions that I am missing or what route to go would be appreciated. 

[Nathan]

Matt,

what brand of MCU are you using?..Nathan

[Matt Moreau]

13 hours ago, Nathan said:

Matt,

what brand of MCU are you using?..Nathan

Hey Nathan good to see you still active man. I have tried a few. Dick Nites I tried back in the day when it was the rage around 2010 and i forget the other off brands i tried back then but all the recent ventures in the last fiveish years have been KBS. 
I wonder if the bloxygen I have is contaminated somehow. Because I bought the cans I have now back in 2010 and I have never been able to store MCU. Also, from the research I have done it looks like I really need to crank the lid down on the mason jars. So those plastic lids I’m gonna toss. One guy on here even bought a vacuum pump so I may try that.

Edited April 7, 2023 by Matt Moreau

[mark poulson]

Matt, it seems to me that you are going to a lot of trouble to try and use MCU.  I haven't had any trouble with most other, easier to use, topcoats, like epoxy, clear acrylic rattle can spray, or even clear fingernail polish.

Maybe consider something cheaper and easier to use before you invest a ton of time and effort tryin to make your MCU work.

[Nathan]

Hey Matt,

I don’t build near the baits I use too. I’ve had some health issues and closed up my online shop a few years ago. Like you, I can’t stay away from it and still play around from time to time..So ..If you want to use  a MCU KBS is what I have used. It isn’t near as touchy as Dick Nites stuff. I thin it with by about 40 percent and use bloxegen. Keep that mason jar lid really clean or you will glue it to the jar( don’t ask how I know..lol) and I turn the jar upside down. That way if you do get a crust..it’s at the bottom of the jar when you turn it over to dip. This stuff is pretty forgiving compared to other MCU’s but I think thinning helps with that..( BTW they sell KBS IN A aerosol can..)

 With all that said I’ve been using a Solarez product  which is a UV product.  One of them is a brush on ( the one I use) and I believe the other can be sprayed..I’ll look up the products and post links

 BTW..good to hear from you..not many of us “ old timers” around anymore..Nate

[Nathan]

This Diamond product is new to me..It may have promise..Nate

[Matt Moreau]

3 hours ago, mark poulson said:

Matt, it seems to me that you are going to a lot of trouble to try and use MCU.  I haven't had any trouble with most other, easier to use, topcoats, like epoxy, clear acrylic rattle can spray, or even clear fingernail polish.

Maybe consider something cheaper and easier to use before you invest a ton of time and effort tryin to make your MCU work.

Howdy Mark if you are still in the area and feel up to it I go out on the delta (Orowood and Russos mainly) at least once a month and will make sure I have my backseat available for you. 

Ya during my topcoat rabbit hole back in the day I just didnt like most of those. Epoxy is just too thick for my needs. Concrete sealer always reacted with other plastics, all the rattle can clears I tried reacted with other baits and plastics or just didnt hold up(If some newer ones do please let me know), Lacquer concrete sealer and/or nail polish is super hard I loved it but again reacted with other baits and plastics, All the water based sealers and polys just didnt hold up so inevitably I settled on automotive clear. Now when I look around everyone seems to use KBS so I keep trying it but I swear the stuff just has a vendetta against me. I havent really tried anything except auto clear and KBS for some time so if anything has changed I am all ears. 

Good to hear from you again Sir!

1 hour ago, Nathan said:

Hey Matt,

I don’t build near the baits I use too. I’ve had some health issues and closed up my online shop a few years ago. Like you, I can’t stay away from it and still play around from time to time..So ..If you want to use  a MCU KBS is what I have used. It isn’t near as touchy as Dick Nites stuff. I thin it with by about 40 percent and use bloxegen. Keep that mason jar lid really clean or you will glue it to the jar( don’t ask how I know..lol) and I turn the jar upside down. That way if you do get a crust..it’s at the bottom of the jar when you turn it over to dip. This stuff is pretty forgiving compared to other MCU’s but I think thinning helps with that..( BTW they sell KBS IN A aerosol can..)

 With all that said I’ve been using a Solarez product  which is a UV product.  One of them is a brush on ( the one I use) and I believe the other can be sprayed..I’ll look up the products and post links

 BTW..good to hear from you..not many of us “ old timers” around anymore..Nate

Man I am sorry to hear that Nathan! Getting older just sucks sometimes. I hope your are doing better now.

Do you use the KBS thinner? I may have glued a lid on too thats why I was trying the plastic canning lids lol. I love the idea of turning it upside down that never occurred to me. From what I read the rattle can KBS hasnt been well received by bait makers but I havent tried it so I may have to one of these days.  Have you tried it? All I really want now adays is a thin coat that holds up just ok doesnt have to be perfect and most of all doesnt react with other baits or plastics. It just sucks putting all the work into a bait to have it turn into a sticky mess.

[Matt Moreau]

35 minutes ago, Nathan said:

Hey Matt,

I don’t build near the baits I use too. I’ve had some health issues and closed up my online shop a few years ago. Like you, I can’t stay away from it and still play around from time to time..So ..If you want to use  a MCU KBS is what I have used. It isn’t near as touchy as Dick Nites stuff. I thin it with by about 40 percent and use bloxegen. Keep that mason jar lid really clean or you will glue it to the jar( don’t ask how I know..lol) and I turn the jar upside down. That way if you do get a crust..it’s at the bottom of the jar when you turn it over to dip. This stuff is pretty forgiving compared to other MCU’s but I think thinning helps with that..( BTW they sell KBS IN A aerosol can..)

 With all that said I’ve been using a Solarez product  which is a UV product.  One of them is a brush on ( the one I use) and I believe the other can be sprayed..I’ll look up the products and post links

 BTW..good to hear from you..not many of us “ old timers” around anymore..Nate

I havent even seen those I thought Solarez was just a UV cured epoxy. Wow I will look into those very interesting.

Thank you for the heads up!

[Nathan]

Matt,

I don’t use their thinner I use xylene. Like I said, I cut it by about 40 percent. That seems to help with the bubbles as well. I’ve only ever used the aerosol KBS on fly rod popper heads. It seemed to be alright but not the same kind of wear and tear.

 I really like that brush on Solarez. A couple coats and you’re ready to go in 10 minutes! 
I wonder if the spray on version you could dip?..( thinking out loud here..) it says it’s thinner and can be heated in a microwave if you want it thinner still…The Diamond version looks very interesting to.

[Outlaw4]

have had good luck with KBS pouring out of the jar in a dixie cup or whatever then brushing it on. Brush on then hang with drip wire. Use this on most of our personal walleye stuff. I usually just make sure the can is cleaned off and use a piece of plastic wrap and put the lid back on. Nothing fancy. 

 

[mark poulson]

Matt, I use the dollar store clear topcoat nail polish, and it hasn't reacted with any of my other baits.  Same with Salley Hansen Hard as Nails polish, or any of the other polish they sell at CVS.

 

[Matt Moreau]

Thanks for the replies guys I appreciate it. I am going to buy and experiment with some of the solarez stuff but for now I broke down and just ordered more auto clear.

[Nathan]

Matt,

if you have any questions on the solarez stuff..just message me and we’ll get it figured out..Nathan

[Matt Moreau]

7 hours ago, Nathan said:

Matt,

if you have any questions on the solarez stuff..just message me and we’ll get it figured out..Nathan

Awesome I appreciate it sir. It may be a bit before I muster up the courage hehe

[BobP]

I really like MCU but have always had the same storage failure problem regardless of the heroic measures I tried to stop it.  Now I think it’s just the nature of the beast.  I’ve also had Solarez harden in its container after lengthy storage.  I don’t know of any coating that stores indefinitely, except maybe epoxy.

[Matt Moreau]

On 4/30/2023 at 7:36 AM, BobP said:

I really like MCU but have always had the same storage failure problem regardless of the heroic measures I tried to stop it.  Now I think it’s just the nature of the beast.  I’ve also had Solarez harden in its container after lengthy storage.  I don’t know of any coating that stores indefinitely, except maybe epoxy.

At least I am not crazy! HAHA 

Good to hear from you Bob!

Ya everything has its own personality for sure. I have even had the catalyst for auto clear harden up on me. I guess I keep trying MCU because I love the ease and finish it gives when you have "new" product and I keep thinking if I just do something different I can get it to last. Its pretty funny that after 15 years making baits I still ask the question whats the best topcoat?!?! 

 

[BobP]

Yep.  I can remember lively, even heated, discussions re top coats some years back.  Which brand epoxy was better.  How to preserve MCU.  Auto clearcoats.  Water based coatings.  You name it!  I can’t imagine here will be a new and unique clearcoat that we haven’t already seen and tried.  But I’m probably wrong.

[Matt Moreau]

So a little update... I had an old mason jar of KBS that had the top inch cured on it. Upon inspection I could tell the bottom was still in liquid form. I tried a few things and then finally drilled big holes through it and transferred it to another jar. It was really thick like molasses but I tried dipping a bait anyway. Well ya you know how that turned out but it did harden. So I went online and purchased the KBS thinner. Today I added a little thinner at a time until it was about half thinner and half kbs LOL. The viscosity is still thick but much much better. Im going to let that sit a few days and see what happens. If its still liquid and a decent viscosity I will dip another bait and see what happens. Im hoping that as this stuff thickens/cures in the mason jar I can dilute with thinner and still have a product that is useable. 

Ill post back with what happens.