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senkoman85

Paint removal without sanding?

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I've been searching the forums for some time now about this and can't find anything.

Is there a way to remove paint from lures without sanding? I want to keep details like scales and gill plates, and can't do that (or haven't figured out how) with a dremal tool or sand paper.

I would have to imagine that there is a product out there that can strip the topcoat and paint off of a lure fairly quickly.

Thanks for all the help!

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You can use fingernail polish remover or a similar solvent but it's a messy messy job and takes awhile. If the solvent is too active (eg, acetone) it can melt the underlying plastic (and details). And every solvent I've tried that will remove finish will also cloud the lip. If the detail is important to you, I recommend dulling the existing shine on the bait with some 400 or 600 grit paper and painting over it. I hear, but haven't seen, that some repainting businesses use a blast cabinet to remove finish. It will dull the detail slightly but is probably the best compromise if you have one handy. So there's no magic paint remover that I'm aware of. If you find one, give a shout!

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I would think some type of media blasting (sand, walnut shells, glass, plastic, etc.,) would work. You would really need to find a dealer who knows his product to find a speedy method for taking off top coat and color without loosing all the details.

I don't know what the minimum required equipment needed would be, but I'm surprised that a small pencil blast cabinet with foot pedal cost about $150.00. In order to make it a usable system, it looks like you would need to add a dust collection system about $175.00, media separator about $210.00.

There's my food for thought... Good luck.

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Simply Green...... 2 to 4 weeks... Good luck!!! I heard motor oil will do it too and not hurt plastic.. but I have tried.....

Finger nail polish... DOESNT WORK!!! you will hurt your lure.. it will take the paint off but the detail is SHOT!!!

Rubbing Alcohol... The lip will crack or break off later.. it takes moisture out of the plastic.. dont know if plastic has moisture in it because Im not a chemist.. but it drys out the plastic so much it makes it weak and it will break!!!!

I put a lure in my wifes jewlery cleaner once... Thought the sonic vibs would stripe the paint... That didnt work!!! but hey I give myself a A for effort...

Then I found a hobby post online that said to use simply green to take paint off a model car.. it will not hurt the plastic.. The only down fall is you have to wait 2 to 4 weeks... I striped a vision 110 once with the simple green trick... mainly because the sucker sunk right out of the package.. it was a Mat Crackleback finish.. and Megabass had way too much paint on it.. so I knew I couldnt just scuff and paint it..... It already was screwed up.. so I soaked it for 3 long weeks in Simply Green and the paint came off by taking my finger nails too it... Its still a pain in the butt.. but it worked.. Sorry I dont have a super fast and super quick way to help you out.. Just keep checking it every week or so and see how its working out for you.. the good news is.. if is doesnt work it will not hurt your plastic or your bait.

The Rookie

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If I want to strip a lure I've painted I just drop it in a jar of denatured alcohol. After a day or so the paint (if not already peeling) will peel right off. Maybe there is a catch but I haven't had any trouble with the lure coming a part or dissolving or anything like that. That's not to say it wouldn't. I have not tried this on store bought lures just ones I have painted myself and no longer liked.

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I've been searching the forums for some time now about this and can't find anything.

Is there a way to remove paint from lures without sanding? I want to keep details like scales and gill plates, and can't do that (or haven't figured out how) with a dremal tool or sand paper.

I would have to imagine that there is a product out there that can strip the topcoat and paint off of a lure fairly quickly.

Thanks for all the help!

Here is a totally unorthodox method, but it worked, See pg 2 for a look at a stripped version.

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Well they do say heat helps to remove epoxy. Raging flames do it much quicker! Of course, I'd rather not melt my Lexan or circuitboard lip while flambe'ing a lure. But other than that, I'd do it in a heartbeat :) And you get that great camp fire smell as a bonus!

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Dot 3 brake fluid. I used to use it for my botched paint jobs on 1 /25 scale plastic model cars.

I haven't used it on wood, but am confident it would work. The paint I used to use was automotive sray paint. I now either paint over or use a heat gun, since I don't have the patience to wait anymore:lol:

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Brake fluid is only compatable with certain types of plastic, I know for sure that it does not work with Lucky Craft, Megabass, or any of the major U.S. Manufacturers, the brake fluid will certainly remove the paint but it will degrade the structural integrity of the lure and you can actually see fractures in the plastic. There is an answer to this problem but I can not reveal what it is as given to me by a well known Japanese lure craftsman. It is a chemical that can be purchased here in the U.S. Sorry I can't help you guys any further!

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24 hrs ago, I decided to see for myself if in fact using brake fluid would have damaging effects to a plastic lure. In retrospect I should've tried it first and then posted the results...I apologize for that. In any case.......The lure I decided to use for this experiment was a HOMER LEBLANC jointed Swim Whizz. It had been painted over with enamel spray paint. The original color was black with copper scales and was clearcoated by the manufacturer.

Within 15 minutes, the topcoat started crackling and was easily removed using the paintbrush. I checked it again about three hours later and the brake fluid had started to loosen the original paint.

About half an hour ago I almost effortlessly removed all of the existing paint. I hope the pictures are clear enough to show the results. The lure does not show any sign of fatigue nor sign of corrosion left by the brake fluid or any discolororation. The seems are still intact.

blackjack has a valid point about the integrity of various plastics. I don't know where the Swim Whizz is manufactured but it didn't seem to get affected.

Sorry about your lure CRANKNTN......

s54

th_perch1071.jpgth_perch1070.jpgth_perch1066.jpg

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Blackjack, I've seen you more than once on this site make claim to know how to do something but never fully explain how to do it. I became a member of this forum to learn and maybe teach others the mistakes I have made. I think it's safe to say the majority of members joined for the same reasons. I think if I knew how to help someone with something and knew I wasn't going to tell them how to do it, I probably wouldn't even comment on the subject.

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Seeking 54, sorry if you took it the wrong way, but I wasn't blaming you for ruining my lure. The brake fluid was something I haven't tried before and had high hopes that it would work. I'm not going to get too bent out of shape over a $4 bait. I think next time I'll monitor my bait a little more closely while soaking. I think this idea has promise, I just think I soaked my bait too long. I see the bait you used was not a clear plastic bait. Brake fluid may react totally different with the clear plastic type baits. I will experiment some more with the idea. Thanks for sharing the info.

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Try EZ-Off oven cleaner. RC guys use it remove paint from their RC cars and boats.

EZ-Off tutorial

BTW, I personally don't have a problem with blackjack not giving away something that he was asked not to give away by someone in his industry (remember, he makes these for a living, not just a hobby). You burn bridges really quick giving stuff like that away. Honestly, I probably would have just not said anything if I were him, but he probably said that to encourage guys to keep looking. Who knows, maybe the EZ-Off is what he was talking about.

Edited by SmokeyJ
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http://www.tackleunderground.com/forum/hard-baits/10963-tu-etiquette-takers-vs-givers.html

I think if you review my last 275 posts you will see that I have shared more than enough information, that does not include any PMs that have been sent, my post was meant to inspire those that are looking to keep trying because there is an answer. Seems that was not enough for some I guess next time I will not post.

"I cannot teach anyone anything, I can only make them think"- Socrates

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I watch the various forums and something I noticed is that many new guys want to shortcut the learning process. Over the years I have found that a good failure is often a better teacher than a lucky success. How did any of us figure out not to put our fingers in the fire or boiling water??? We most likely tried it once; and once was enough for a life time.

Remember, knowledge is no substitute for experience, but the two do go hand in hand.

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