Lots of questions....

[cheesehead]

sealing a lure is as simple as kissing your wife goodbye. you don't have to do it but it's better if you do.

[KcDano]

Could be!

[Jason]

sealing a lure is as simple as kissing your wife goodbye. you don't have to do it but it's better if you do.

And if you forget, you might end up all wet

[doomdart]

Crimson, were your questions answered? Let's not forget the original post.

My personal choice is to do my own thing while encouraging others to excel at their craft. I know I will never be a renowned lure craftsman but I still strive to do the best I can with what I have.

Then we are on the same page.

[LaPala]

Sealing is done for a lot of reasons.

1. as protection for the wood beneath from water entry
   
2. to harden a soft wood
   
3. as a base for paint to adhere to
   
4. to smooth out ur lure
   
5. to prevent air escaping from wood in hot day blistering your paint

I think these reasons should be enough to NOT not do sealing.

Ford when they were making cars in the old days (Model T) were using solid rubber tires, do we see anyone driving in one of these now? Or should we be using wooden wheels since it's been in used since the 12th century?

And yes to cheese:"I still strive to do the best I can with what I have. The sharing of knowledge and experiences here is what drives others to excel." Doing the best with what we have is the epitome of DIY.

Why follow something that's already been surpass with superior modern treatment of wood & techniques. But if we have the equipment & material available to major manufactures, I'm sure a lot of us would use that too.

[KcDano]

You left one or two out off your list, maybe more!

I wonder how they manage to enjoy the degree of succes they did, without the aid of a product intended to seal and waterproof the the wood, unless the paint/basecoat can perform the same function.

Yes, and they still use Henry Ford's concept of an assembly line today.

[LaPala]

Care to name what I left out KC?

How many companies were there making lures then and survived till now? No competition doesn't mean they are making a good product.

And YES, you are right about assemble lines. Keep the good and improve what u can. Are u still driving around in a Ford Model T?

[KcDano]

Just a couple:

To reduce the number of paint applications to acheive coverage by preventing absorbtion speed up production

To reduce cost

No, I don't drive a model T, however, it is done. But the vehicle I do drive still has an internal combustion engine that burns gasoline

[KcDano]

Forgot to mention the lure companies.

Pflueger

Shakespeare

Heddon

Creek Chub

I don't know if South Bend is still around

Many have been bought out and some no longer make lures.

The above were the Big 5

[LaPala]

This extended thread started because of "To seal or Not to seal".

You've said it yourself, "(you added)Just a couple:

To reduce the number of paint applications to acheive coverage by preventing absorbtion speed up production

To reduce cost."

I do not see where this is all going. So if it's all benefit together with what i list of why we seal. Why do we need to ponder why old lures were not seal. Regardless of whether they were sealed or not, or if the company survived to this day; Sealing is GOOD.

We progress from what we learn in history, not regress. Maybe u should list the reasons why we do not need to seal?

PS: The internal combustion engine u use now is not from a model T is it?

[KcDano]

You are one that wanted to discussing model T's and are still asking questions a long those lines and while claiming not to understand the relevence to the subject at hand. Of course the lures were sealed it was accomplished by the paint, which served as a filler and basecoat. All accomplished without the aid of a product soley designed to seal wood prior to the application of paint.

[woodieb8]

wow guys. like i said before whatever works for you. some use plastic seal some none at all and some sanding sealer. if it works for you do it. its still free choice.. if your building for dollars you do whatever produces the best results. steps in a building process are never cut here. the end result is beauty to the eye and durability. . i think we all need some spring weather and go fishing,,,, cabin fever has set in.

[doomdart]

Of course the lures were sealed it was accomplished by the paint

This is exactly what I'm trying to say. Maybe the paints I use are different (spray can). I've tried it both ways, have you? I will say that on balsa, you will have more problems if you don't seal, so you ultimately will spend more time correcting the fact you didn't seal. Pine, poplar, no problem to paint directly on the wood if properly sanded. I suspect basswood to be similar to pine in that respect, but can't say.

How much does a couple of squirts of paint from a can cost? Does it cost more than the primer/sealer coat? How much is your time worth? I can wait for five or six minutes after spraying a basecoat and go straight to Devcon if I wish.

Also, Devcon makes a good sealer on top of paint sealed wood. Two or even three coats will do more than any penetrating sealer. I say make sure the part that is sure to hit the water is OK, and you don't have to worry what's beneath.