overkill Posted February 15, 2005 Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 Has anyone come up with a real solution for painting plastics, especially swim baits? I know some of the west coasters got in down, but they are tight lipped. After looking at some of the baits by Mattlures and SRPlastics, I am convinced that the solution is right under our nose. There are so many colors and types that I don't think the product is made intentionally for soft plastic baits. If it were the manufacturers would be marketing it to us and more people would know about it? I think we should work backwards and come up with a real solution to this. my hunch is that it is another type of paint or dye that is readily available but we haven't put the two together yet. I am going to search the craft store one more time and look at all types of paint and dyes Anyone have any other ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badfish03 Posted February 15, 2005 Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 I was thinking about this the other day at Home Depot. Has anyone tried the Krylon spraypaint that is specifically formulated for plastics. It's supposed to bond on a molecular level and they have a bunch of colors. Don't know if they make it in a standard liquid though. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova Posted February 15, 2005 Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 I've never tried painting plastic baits; but I think because of the physical properties of the plastic( soft and flexible), the paint you use cannot have a hard film finish or it will crack. Seems to me a "powder-type" paint is the only thing you could use. The downside to that is that the finish will be dull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overkill Posted February 15, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 I was thinking it may have to be something designed to melt into or bond into something-kinda like metal anodization. what about a paints or coloring made for glass work? or something like that I'm just brainstorming and throwing out anything I can think of because I know that there is plenty of brain power on these boards to crack this RIDDLE!! So if anyone has any idea at all throw it out because it may lead to the answer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senkosam Posted February 15, 2005 Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 Other than Spike-It Chunk paint, I can't think of a formualtion that would bond with the plastic and stay on the surface. I use the chunk paint for dots, eyes and stripes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigZ Posted February 16, 2005 Report Share Posted February 16, 2005 Ahhh yes, an interesting puzzle. I am thinking MEK+a powdered or paste pigment, since most of the painted soft plastics I see are opaque and not transparent. I'll go to TAP plastics this week and ask them, a few of the guys there know their plastics well. I don't have MEK on hand, so I can't test it, maybe I can get it at a regular hardware store??? Safety first, gloves and respirator with the hard stuff... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redg8r Posted February 16, 2005 Report Share Posted February 16, 2005 MEK is a candidate for a carrier..... Thats what I had to mix with the kit I bought. A pigment called a "universal color dispersal" pigment was what did the coloring. The component I couldnt pin a source on was the clear base that actually tied it all together. I think someone here found the UCD pigments were the same used to mix custom color paints at the hardware store, not sure. If I'm confusing anyone heres a link to a previous discussion: http://www.tackleunderground.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=421 I know there are users on the board who use the stuff, but theyd rather guard thier source, which is understandable. The small sampler I scored works great, just pricey & not a dependable source. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodsac Posted February 16, 2005 Report Share Posted February 16, 2005 Well we know it can be done, because there are people selling them But I wouldn't expect them to give away their secret, that's their bread and butter And the stuff that they are using is sprayed through an airbrush, not painted on. Take a look at the Huddleston swim baits. Underneath that realistic trout pattern is plain white plastic. I've got a couple. There was even an issue where the owner switched brands trying to save a little money. Well, it caused a lot of problems with the paint just pealing off. He offered to replace any of the baits that had that problem. Very noble of him. But I'm sure it was a costly mistake :!: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overkill Posted February 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2005 I can understand "them" not sharing there secrets-I just think that it is time we crack this code on our own. I will check on that "Universal Color Dispersal". My father has owned a painting contracting company for 25+ years and has great relationships with several of the paint stores in town. I am sure I can get some samples of their pigments. Red do you have any info at all on the "clear" that tied it together? What characteristics does it have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redg8r Posted February 16, 2005 Report Share Posted February 16, 2005 Red do you have any info at all on the "clear" that tied it together? What characteristics does it have? Only that its amber clear & has a nasty smell very similar to PVC pipe cement. A few have tried the cement, including myself without success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badfish03 Posted February 16, 2005 Report Share Posted February 16, 2005 Can you brush on hot plastic? Or does it just peel right off? What about the dye liquid plastic that Iused to make creepy crawlers and creeple people as a kid? I know its still around in some form or another. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finlander Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 Ah yes, the Great Question. As I was scrolling down, i was wondering if the Red would post a reply. I know that the 'dyes' that color the paints for your home will work with the 'brew' from that fella in Tampa. My dyes dried up in their jars. I tried to hydrate them with the 'stuff' again, but to know avail. Another trip to the hdwe store to bribe them out of some dye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overkill Posted February 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2005 Has anyone tried mixing regular worm dye with a solvent like mek? Also I talked to my father the painter and he said we should try getting some of the additive that is mixed with auto paint to make it flexible for painting bumbers and other plastic. So we are going to experiment with a mix of Paint pigment, flex additive and mek. Also I just found this website in the uk that sells exactly what we are looking for. www.thesoftbaitshop.com heres a US site http://www.colorite-glowmaster.com/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrs5kprs Posted February 24, 2005 Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 Ok, 2 thoughts... 1) Anyone tried e-mailing the UK shop for info? If they do not sell to the US, maybe they would be willing to provide some info on the thinning agent (which has to be the key, those jars are either regular dye or tail dip). 2) Play with the tail dip and various thinners. All you can do is ruin an airbrush, waste a hundred bucks, and further convince your family you have gone 'round the bend. Priceless. I've used tail dip to put spots on black lizards and think it might be the ticket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overkill Posted February 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 I emailed the UK company hoping that since his product was not sold here he would let me in on some secrets. He said that his dyes would not be good for airbrushing? He said they would bleed too much. However on their website they have some baits with detail? Here is the kicker-The products are NON-TOXIC! he does not know the composition because another company makes them. non-toxic rules out mek, thinners, glues etc. even the spike dyes can only be shipped by ground delivery because they are so volital. This puzzle drives me nuts-Anyone Know a good chemist? I have one in the family but hardly know him--may have to get ahold of him though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybar Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 Would the Poly-Sil paint from Lurecraft work? Says it can be sprayed and is not affected by plastic worms. Just a thought. jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrs5kprs Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 My wife will be out of town this weekend...might just load some tail dip in the VL, dial up the psi, and point it at some flukes. Q: did the UK dude mention that the dye would bleed, or that the tail-dip looking stuff would bleed? No doubt the dye would bleed...a little chartreuse on a lizard will color half the bait by the end of the day. The thicker dip usually does not bleed, more of a coating that you can sometimes pick off (hmm, sounds like the paint on painted shad backs). Also if you look at painted plastic you will usually see a lot of splatter or overspray, kind of an indication they are shooting high psi with a paint that does not like to be pushed. I would think that a VL with a number 5 assembly or maybe even an external mix gun would shoot the tail dip. I think the dyes have to be ground shipped due to some alcohol in the base (like alcohol based acrylic paints, which are still non-toxic, but deemed hazardous to ship). Shoot, I wanted to buy a new airbrush anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish_N_Fool Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 I have been doing some experimenting along these lines also. I have found that you can color baits with colored markers like a sharpie and heat the surface with a torch slightly and it will set the color permanently it doesn't bleed or rub off. I think that this might be very close to the key to solving the riddle. I have tried the pvc cement and plastic color and it did not work I also tried the MEK and plastic color with the same poor results. But the magic marker trick works for some things. On bad thing is only black shows up very well. But hey I keep trying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overkill Posted February 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2005 My brother was telling me about an ATV seat that he saw at a auto body supply shop. The seat was intricately airbrushed flames and skulls to match the rest of the bike. He asked the guys if the paint will rubb off and they said nope they had been doing it awhile and it will stay permanent. He told me that the paints were "createx auto air" I know alot of you use auto air, so have you tried it on plastic baits? Here is another web posting that should give us some good leads to play with http://4strokes.com/tech/seat_paint/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overkill Posted February 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2005 I also sent an email to this company-- I will let you know what I find out http://www.parasolinc.com/waterborne_plastic_paint/Product/View.asp?pId=13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jigmeister Posted February 27, 2005 Report Share Posted February 27, 2005 Overkill , Great job on this perplexing problem I think you have done it!!! I went surfing around the net after reading your post about the seat painting and found both the vinyl prep and adhesion promoter for sale at the same place and after reading the descriptions/uses it sure sounds like this is how the big guys are doing it . Of course you may be found dead with a big plastic trout in your mouth as a warning to others after this but great work :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overkill Posted February 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2005 I will take one for the team! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badfish03 Posted February 28, 2005 Report Share Posted February 28, 2005 I spoke with a friend who does some custom work on motorcycles and he said that any of the vinyl paints used to paint seats should work. So I did a quick search and may have come up with a cheap solution to test this idea. http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=2514&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=vinyl%2Cpaint http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=830&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=vinyl%2Cpaint This stuff may be locally available under the SEM brand at many automotive stores also. Here is a list of all their colors in aerosol cans http://vinylpro.safeshopper.com/29/cat29.htm?165 I am also speaking with a guy who airbrushes shad and shrimp tails for a outfit out of Port Mansfield, but he hasn't given me much information other than he gets the paint mixed locally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrs5kprs Posted March 1, 2005 Report Share Posted March 1, 2005 I think those paints may well be the right idea, but what about some of the colors? I'm sure there are more colors available, but hard to imagine someone wanting a "trout green" or "green pumpkin" bike seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overkill Posted March 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2005 I am going to experiment with the "auto air" paints this week. I read many places that they are used to airbrush onto vinyl decals, graphics and signs and they are permanent as long as they are heat set. Plus the four wheeler seat my bro saw. Auto air colors are endless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
