Resin bait blister under finish

[Jim S]

Help!
I have been making resin baits for about 4 years and have a recurring problem that I have been unable to resolve. I am getting a blister or bubble under the finish for painted baits-never for a foil finish. I am using Aluminite white and spray a mold release before pouring the bait. After taking the lure out of the mold it is washed with Dawn detergent and then sanded and usually wiped a few times with denatured alcohol especially before painting. I have had the problem even with several types of primers and also when painted without a primer. I use Cretex water based paints and heat set after each color. I use Devcon 2 Ton Epoxy as a top coat. The common denominator seems to be exposure to sunlight while sitting in a clear tackle tray, which the simple answer is not to leave the tackle tray out while fishing. I feel like the lure heats up and some type of gas is released. Has anyone making resin baits come across this problem, if so how can I resolve it?

On a different note. Larry thank you for sharing how to make RTV molds and resin baits. Roughly 4 years ago I saw your show on how to make molds and pour resin lures. I have carved lures since I was 6 (46 now) and your show took my lure making to another level-from hand carving baits which took time to making multiple baits with suspended rattles and weights. Ironically 3 months before I saw your lure making segment I had stumbled across the putty type of mold material and a clear casting resin and had some success. Basically I had discovered the wagon and you gave me the wheel. Thank you and my sons and I really enjoy your show.

[dahlberg]

HI Jim,
In all the lures I've made and painted I've not experienced your problem. My first semi wild guesses are that the devcon might be expanding and pulling the paint with it. Or the detergent if mixed with water might be an issue.
Have you ever had it happen if you've left a bunch of painted but uncoated ones hanging? Just curious.
Try a different top coat and see if you still have the problem. I know it's a pain to turn them for hours, but flex coat and etex is what most of the commercial guys are using and they're using the same resins and paints as you without any issues. I might also add, you are cleaning them more thoroughly than anyone else I know also!!
Maybe Mike the Goop King or Angling archer have some thoughts?

[Jim S]

Larry, Thanks for the reply. I have never had one of the unfinished/unpainted blanks blister. I have only recently begun to clean the baits with detergent and denatured alcohol because of the problems I have been having as i thought it could be mold release residue causing the problem. I have even left the unfinished blanks in the sun for a few days and have placed some in the oven after preheating to 150 degrees then turning the oven off and leaving the raw blanks in for an hour and still have the problem most of the time. Anyway thanks for the reply and I will try a different top coat.

Jim

[Watchhiller]

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[aka anglinarcher]

Sometimes it is the little things that make all the difference. I was thinking about what I do.

First, I NEVER spray the mold with mold release. I did try a brand of mold release not marketed by Makelure.com, and I could never get the material out of the surface of the lure. Remember, Alumilite White and Clear bond to everything except silicone, so if the mold release is not silicone, you are in for problems. I see no reason to use a mold release if you are using Alumilite White or Clear in any of the Silicone molding material.

Second, IF I do clean off the lure before painting, I clean it off with MEK or acetone; you can get both at Ace or True Value Hardware. For safety reasons, it is probably best not to use MEK, and I almost never use the acetone (fingernail polish remover - concentrated). It is just not that important if you don't use mold release. If you do use a silicone based mold release, then the acetone is not a bad idea. I only sand if I did a bad job of matching the mold and need to dress it up.

Third, heat setting is really not needed if you are not painting cloth. OK, I will get in trouble if my wife reads this; I spent the money for the heat gun. LOL Heat setting might "cross link" the paint, but it is not that big of a deal. When you heat the lure, if you over do it, then the paint heats up faster than the lure (the lure works as a heat sink) and it can break the bond as the paint expands faster than the lure. Larry Dahlberg also said something like this with Devon. Sooner or later the paint will bubble. If you do use heat, like I do if I don't have time to wait, then use the low setting and keep it moving. If the lure is hot to your lips (yes, this is not a typo), then it is TOO hot. Just touch the heated lure to your lips to see how warm it is.

Forth, I normally just use Createx white for a primer, but only because it makes the later colors pop. Call it a base coat. Sometimes I use Black instead. I have noticed that white on the Alumilite White does not look like it is building up. You can end up over doing each coat, and this is BAD. This can cause the top of the paint to dry but seal the inner paint causing it to stay wet longer. If it does not dry before you clear coat....... This will also cause bonding issues. Hint, the alumidust not only eliminates the need to paint, but if desired it works as a really good primer. Just dust the inside of the mold with the pearl and you end up with a great primer. I sure hope Mike, the Goop King, does not hate me for that tip.

Last, Devon 2 Ton is a common clear coat. It works, but it can cause problems if a coat is too thick. I suggest that you thin the Devon down with a little 100% (200 proof) alcohol. Again, look to your hardware store to get some denatured alcohol.

I hope this helps you out. Look into my list above and see if there are one or more things you do different. I don't sell my lures (well I sold two at an outrageous price because I did not want to sell them, but that is another story), but I have given several away. None of mine, the ones I have given away, or the two I sold, has peeled of bubbled since I started using the above methods. Really, if you think of it, what I am doing is really pretty simple, just a few little things to consider.

[Jim S]

Thanks for taking the time to reply as there have been some great ideas posted. I think I will cast several test lures using all of the tips given and give them some sun time in a clear tray to see if the problem is resolved. Again, the simple answer is to keep the clear trays out of direct sunlight, but that is not easy to do sometimes while fishing.

Thank you again for posting!

Jim

[aka anglinarcher]

Jim, I agree with the simple answer, but not going to happen on my boat. LOL