Sealing Test Results for Yellow Birch

[Eric Roach]

Some info about the lures created for the test:

• Turned from same piece of yellow birch lumber
• Turned to same dimensions on Vega (.9” width, 4.5” length, rear taper to .375”)
• 90° cut on face
• Through-drilled with 7mm belly hook hole
• Average lure weight: .993 oz
• 33 lures were turned:
  - 3 were left raw (not sealed or painted)
  - 6 were left unsealed but primed and painted (3 were punctured, 3 were left undamaged)
  - 6 were sealed with ESP 155 (3 were punctured, 3 were left undamaged)
  - 6 were sealed with Low V acetone (3 were punctured, 3 were left undamaged)
  - 6 were sealed with Helmsman/mineral spirits (3 were punctured, 3 were left undamaged)
  - 6 were sealed with tung/turpentine/Helmsman (3 were punctured, 3 were left undamaged)
• Because my main interest was seeing how well the sealers protected against punctures, I primed & painted the lures to be a little more realistic about the additional water-impermeable layers we put on real lures. Priming & painting consisted of:
  - 2 coats of 50% Zinsser Cover Stain/50% naphtha dip-primer
  - 1 coat of Valspar spray primer
  - 1 coat of Valspar spray lacquer
• Half of the lures were punctured after sealing/priming/painting to simulate bluefish teeth and hook point damage. Each lure that was punctured received 8 identical holes from the very tips of #15 twist nails at a depth of ~ 3/32”; a jig was used to place holes in the same locations on each punctured lure.