Crankbait Finishes

[JT Henriksen]

PSo with this whole quarantine thing I've gotten into painting crankbaits with my free time. I originally thought that I would be able to just use clear spray paint to clear coat them but I found that when I do that it causes the acrylic paint I use to blister. Because of that I've started looking to other options. I keep reading about 2 ton epoxy but I would need a bait turner to do that. I also read about KBS clear coat, but I have some questions about it. Can I paint it on and the hang it or do I have to dip it. I ask this because I would prefer not to buy enough of it to be able to submerge the bait and then after a couple baits, have the level of the clear lower to the point where I can no longer dip. If you have any tips about KBS or other budget friendly clear options that would be great. 

[Baitmaker]

Devcon 2 ton doesn't necessarily require a drying wheel. It sets up fast enough that a single thin coat can be applied while you're turning and rotating it in your hand. Lightly blow on it as you go and it will help pop bubbles. You'll want to avoid touching it for 12 hours or more, but it won't run or sag much beyond 45 minutes after mixing. It claims a 30 minute working time but if properly mixed, the actual working time is about 10 minutes. Even faster for laying it on thin. Takes practice to cover a bait fast and evenly with a thin coat. It's kind of a thick mixture and can be a pain in the butt. Also much easier than you might think to miss a spot. Once it starts setting up and getting sticky, DO NOT try to go back and fix anything. I've found that the best brushes for me are the cheap plastic black bristle ones commonly found in kids art supplies. The hair bristle brushes will shed and get stuck in the finish.

I use Envirotex for top coats on my wood baits. It does require a drying wheel, but have used 2-ton to do repaints on plastic baits with good results. Hope this helps.

[BobP]

No doubt KBS is the easiest topcoat.  Brush a heavy coat onto the lure and simply hang it to drip dry and cure.  The tricky thing about KBS or other moisture cured urethanes is not use, it’s storing it so it won’t “go off” and begin hardening.  Do a search on tackleunderground.com for discussions about storage.