Pearl Paint, Scratch Coats & Epoxy

[Eric Roach]

I don't usually use more than a few colors on a lure, but I layered pearl white, pearl silver, pearl copper, pearl green and pearl brown on a needle recently to imititate a pollock. The paint is all water-based acrylic, but from three different companies (Createx, Polytranspar and Folk Art).

The pattern came out very nice, but I got a markedly uneven finish with E-Tex on two paralell sections of the lure, over the exposed green pearl. The green pearl from Polytranspar is a very thin, translucent paint; it takes quite a bit more than Createx to get it to shade. Consequently, it goes on pretty wet. The brown pearl goes over this.

I was just curious if any of you wait until one layer is completely dry before moving on to the next when more than two colors are overlapped. I've been painting all layers in short order and letting it dry for over 24 hours in a space with <60% humidity (with a fan), but I still get uneven epoxy in spots I know were previously pretty wet.

I might have to let the pearl green dry between coats. I'd switch to another pearl green choice, but I really like this shade.

Does anyone do a clear "scratch coat" before epoxying? I'm thinking that having the lure one type of acrylic might make the epoxy finish more consistent. I have a spray bottle of Folk Art clear gloss acrylic. It does have Xylene and Acetone in it, though -- I hope that wouldn't get to the Rust-Oleum lacquer base coat under the water-based paints.

[stripermaineiac]

Hi Eric,
i've had a problem from time to time mixin paint companies when it comes to the carrying agents due to what type of color powder they used to get a certain shade.. Not all of the color powder is consistant like die lots. maybe it's the same with the spray gun paints.I try hard to match dye lots as much as possible because of it. Plus try the Krylon clear coat for covering the water based stuff. I've seen amazing things watchin those craft store classes as far as coverin water based stuff that the craft people use.Ron

[the greek]

Eric I hit the plug with a hair dryer after each color. You will see the paint dry as you wave the hair dryer over it. I use the hair dryer on high and heat setting. Takes maybe 1 minute after each color.
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[Eric Roach]

Originally Posted by stripermaineiac

Hi Eric,
i've had a problem from time to time mixin paint companies when it comes to the carrying agents due to what type of color powder they used to get a certain shade.. Not all of the color powder is consistant like die lots. maybe it's the same with the spray gun paints.I try hard to match dye lots as much as possible because of it. Plus try the Krylon clear coat for covering the water based stuff. I've seen amazing things watchin those craft store classes as far as coverin water based stuff that the craft people use.Ron

Hi Ron, funny you replied -- this was your needle! I made this in trade for the mackerel pencil you gave me in May.

Thanks for the info, I'll try the clear acrylic and see if I can make a better one.
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[Eric Roach]

Originally Posted by the greek

Eric I hit the plug with a hair dryer after each color. You will see the paint dry as you wave the hair dryer over it. I use the hair dryer on high and heat setting. Takes maybe 1 minute after each color.
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I never thought of doing that. I have a heat gun which I can try in low(er) heat mode. Thank you for the tip.
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[stripermaineiac]

Thanks Eric. I've learned some great ideas sneakin into a couple of those craft classes. Pollock is a real good color to use off the rocks . Especially after the blues have chased the Macks away. Tight lines Ron

[togue]

Krylon clear coat over water soluble acrylic, I'll have to try that, thanks Ron!

I always bake anything I paint with acrylic, most of these paints are designed to be heat set. I've seen and participated in a fair amount of debate over this, and I know BigFish Larry claims it isn't necessary but I have had issues with it.

Some pro builders will tell you they can remove anybody's paint or clear coat with the right tricks or a long enough soak, and I'm sure debate on this topic will continue. There are plenty of examples of plugs having been drowned for weeks or months on end only to emerge with near perfect paint jobs. But everybody does it a little different and what works for some might not work for others, and so on.

This started for me one night on Joppa flats with stripers repeatedly slamming one of my swimmers (love it when that happens!). After landing several I noticed my plug looked weird, and when I put a light on found the etax peeling off and taking the paint with it clean down to bare primer. Still have the plug and the missing paint matches the mouth of the striper that took the plug sideways.

I may have rushed the paint job on this one, and may have layered multiple colors without waiting for them to fully dry, another no-no as discussed in the posts above. Also, by putting on multiple layers without fully drying in between I may have trapped some water inside the paint. What I later found is any amount of water under your clear coat will soften the acrylic and cause the clear coat to fail.

After talking with the folks at Createx I started to experiment. I painted up some reject plug bodies and left them to dry without any clear-coat. What I found is no amount of drying time permanently sets the paint, and after a soak in water it wipes off. No matter how long it has been left to dry, even after weeks, months, or years the paint never permanently sets. I still have some samples in the man cave from over 4 years ago, just checked them and all I need to do is rub a wet finger on the paint and I can work it right off down to the primer coat. So if any water gets under your clear-coat, etex or otherwise, the paint soak up the water and it will soften up and eventually if it gets enough water it will disolve.

What I eventually found out is baking the plugs at 180F-200F for about 15-20 minutes permanently sets the acrylic. I use a large toaster oven from Wally's World. After this heat set treatment the acrylic paint will not come off again in water - period.

I may be paranoid, but in addition to using the hair dryer trick between colors when painting I also use this heat set treatment before the final clear coat (etex or whatever you like to use is OK). No amount of sustained long term abuse has since caused a paint or clear coat failure on any of my plugs, even when they have long since worn down to the bare wood from the inevitable hook scrapes and gouges.

I will have to give the Krylon trick a try, since I have faith in Ron's plug building skills and the quality of his product speaks for itself.

Keep on building!

[stripermaineiac]

Well thanks for the vote of confidence. There are others way ahead of me that know how to work with this stuff better than I do. My 1 concrete rule is don't rush it and make sure to wait at least 24 hr to 48hrs for propper drying time. especially when the humidity gets up there.I use a very good dehumidifier an then hang by the furnace to dry for the whole time as this adds a bit of heat. I hear many of the problems included with"I painted them or coated them the next day". The girls in the craft stores all mix water based an spray cans in their project. They're way ahead of us in some of this stuff.

[WoodyCT]

Heat gun may be too hot, so be careful.

I have a small electric heater on my bench that I put plugs in front of when I change colors in the airbrush.

Once the paint loses it's wet gloss and is flat it's ready for the next color.
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[Eric Roach]

Great information, thanks for everyone's perspective.

I finally slowed down in the process and started waiting at least as long as the Rust-Oleum primer and lacquer cans said to wait for re-coating and fully-dry states; that included paying attention to temperature and humidity and waiting longer if it was lower and higher (respectively).

I used the Folk Art spray acrylic over my last plug, and waited about 30 hours before epoxying with E-tex. This one came out flawless (well, until I dropped it...Sorry Ron, one more try...)

The Hydro Mist & Polymar paints I've been using in addition to Createx are taxidermy paints. The marketing says that when they are dry, they are truly waterproof. This has turned out to be true, as I haven't been able to wash them off if I botch a paint job and have to start from a white base again.

[Eric Roach]

Originally Posted by togue

...What I eventually found out is baking the plugs at 180F-200F for about 15-20 minutes permanently sets the acrylic...

ever have any burning problems at that temperature? Have you noticed any color shade changes after baking?

[Rockfish9]

Originally Posted by the greek

Eric I hit the plug with a hair dryer after each color. You will see the paint dry as you wave the hair dryer over it. I use the hair dryer on high and heat setting. Takes maybe 1 minute after each color.
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it's exacly what i do..I do it after scaling as well...24 hours after painting they get a coat of lacquer...24 after that epoxy... if they were more durable.. they be iron clad...