Repainting Crankbaits

[CrossK]

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience/luck with reprinting crankbaits? I'm looking to repaint some KVD'S 1.5's which already have a sort of matte bream paint color that the fish around me don't seem to like too much and I wondered what specific type of paint and stuff I'd need to use to get it right, any suggestions?

[BobP]

Painting a crankbait is easy.  Doing it so the paint stays on the lure while fishing is hard.  Without going into lots of detail, most crankbait guys paint with acrylic latex airbrush paint.  After drying, the paint has to be protected with a good topcoat like a 30 minute epoxy (Flexcoat UV or Devcon Two Ton) and the bait is rotated on a fixture for an hour or two until the epoxy has begun to harden and will not sag or drip.  Alternative topcoats are moisture cured urethane, UV cured polyester resin, or two part automotive clearcoats.  Can it be done with less equipment?  Yes.  You can use rattle cans of paint (any kind/brand you like).  But any paint needs to be topcoated to survive fishing abuse.

 

Unless I was willing to spend the money to get the right stuff, then practice until I could use it well, I wouldn't bother.  It would be much cheaper and less hassle to buy new KVD's.  But on the other hand, painting your own cranks can be a fun and productive hobby itself.  The guys at tackleunderground.com are the authorities on building and finishing crankbaits.

[CrossK]

Thanks haha and do you think I could paint it with a paint specifically made to bond to plastic like with stencils and a brush and the add the gloss after to keep It on and then rotate it?

[bigbill]

I had Terry Clark from TClark custom lures paint all my lures in his bass colors they came out awesome.

[BobP]

Most guys paint lures with colors that wash right off if wet - acrylic latex.  They depend on the topcoat to keep the paint on the lure.  If the topcoat gets damaged, the underlying paint dissolves.  That why topcoats are critical and why epoxy is a favorite.  Also, epoxy will go over just about any paint you choose because it depends on its own chemical reaction to bond and harden, not on a chemical reaction with whatever underlying paint it covers.  When you try covering random solvent based paint with a random solvent based topcoat, the paint will wrinkle and bubble if the coatings are not compatible.  With the plastic fusion paints, you aren't applying it to plastic - you're applying it to existing topcoat, whatever that is.  So I don't think it will be better than regular rattle can paint.  Choose solvent based colors from the same company so they will be chemically compatible.

 

Lightly sand the existing finish to give it some "tooth"

Shoot a white or gray color base coat to hide underlying colors

Shoot your colors.  Using paint templates is a great idea!

Let it DRY to out-gas any solvent - give it a few days!

Brush on a slow cure epoxy - measure it accurately and mix the heck out of it!  Mix in a few drops of denatured alcohol to thin it slightly if needed.

Rotate for 1 -  1 1/2  hr to prevent sagging

Fish after 24 hrs

[CrossK]

Thanks! And so I can basically use any paint I want if I use a good epoxy finish?

[BobP]

I hesitate to make such open-ended statements - but yes!  A favorite topcoat epoxy of many builders is Devcon Two Ton, a 30 minute bonding glue epoxy.  It stays liquid long enough to brush on a lure or two but cures to a sag-free state in about 1 - 1 1/2 hrs at room temperatures.  Epoxy tends to yellow slightly over time due to UV light exposure.  If that's an issue, you might choose Flexcoat UV epoxy, a rod guide epoxy with UV light filters.  Measure it accurately and mix the heck out of it and you will get a hard durable finish.  Poorly measured or mixed and you get an epoxy that refuses to harden and/or which yellows quickly.  You can thin Devcon with a FEW drops of denatured alcohol to improve brushability and lengthen brush time.  No need to thin Flexcoat.

[bigbill]

Don't forget the Orange bottoms they seem to work better.

I been trying to use the lacquer model car paints. Then I figure I can clear coat them with clear lacquer too. But there maybe a better way to do it.