Dick Nite's Clear

[clamboni]

Got home about 12:30 this afternoon to find a much anticipted package on the front step..........Finally time to give DNLC a try. Had a few cheapo Jann's bodies laying on the bench that I painted a few weeks ago but never topcoated. Not that there was a problem with the paintjob, but they were cheap Jann's bodies that I bought to mess around with painting. I figured the paintjobs were good enough to use (just in case my first attempt with dnlc actually turned out ok). So I literally wiped the dust off them with the sleeve of my sweatshirt and went to town with my new lurecoat and a brush.

WOW!!!!! It's only two hours into it, but if the topcoat on these lures ends up looking HALF as good as it does right now.......From now on, Devcon will be used as glue only!!!

I did the shad patterns in the new UV activated stuff. Very cool effect, clear in the shade, but bright blue in the light.......just like original Stren. Awesome effect for a couple of the patterns I paint.

I'm very impressed with the product, and it's not even close to as hard to work with as I was expecting. Fumes aren't as bad as they're made out to be, either. IMO, so far it seems MUCH easier to work with than epoxy.

[MTfishingrods]

I wanna see I wanna see Iwanna see!!!!

[clamboni]

ok ok here. Paint is nothing special, but here ya go. Very simple paint, pearl white body, black back with a misting of pearl white over the black.

inside my spraybooth, lights out flash on.

outside, no flash, overcast........It's actually about perfect for taking lure pics. Didn't want to take the time to get a real good pic, the topcoat is still pretty tacky. You can see the blue a little.......Think it'll be great for shad and bluegill patterns.

[MTfishingrods]

That does look nice. I was lookiing at the prices on their site last night and almost had myslef talked into ordering some. You may have just shoved me right over that edge.

[RiverMan]

I just wish coats like DN and others that don't require mixing would go on thicker. If two coats of DN would equal one coat of etex it would be great!

RM

Edited April 7, 2008 by RiverMan

[BobP]

Thin is thin but after moisture curing (takes about a week to get very tough and a month or so to get REALLY tough) the DN will IMO be more durable than a coat of ETEX. The drawback with DN is that you need to wait at least 24 hours, preferably longer, before you recoat. For bass lures, a single coat has worked fine for me. I only recoat if I get a bubble or other problem. It makes a slick glossy surface that is pretty resistant to hook rash.

[MTfishingrods]

Why the 24hr or longer wait for the second coat Bob? Is it part of the instructions? Or is there a reason for it from your experiencee from using the product? As far as the week or even the month wait for durability, most of the time I dont think that would be much of an issue for myself.

[hazmail]

I have had a strip of 'duct tape' stuck on the shed wall for about 6 months- it has one coat DN, D2T and 'hard shellac' applied separately on the strip.

The DN and Shellac, can still be bent, the D2T breaks like glass. I think the fact that these can still be bent is a good indication of toughness, rather than the hardness/brittleness of D2T -!!

Saying all this , I am using D2T lately, which, being unobtainable 6 months ago, I now have 6 tubes to get rid of. Pete

[clamboni]

I waited about 2.5 hours before recoating and it didn't seem to have any ill effects. I was wondering about the 24 hours between coats myself, and tried it once it got the rubbery texture once the solvent flashed off. We'll see how it is in a couple days.

Any explanations from anyone for the 24 hour wait?

[hazmail]

Clamboni - Here is the fact sheet for the stuff I use (called Plucid), it is the same single pack, humidity cured as DN clear. Only 13 DAYS to go. Pete

http://www.ppc.au.com/fact_sheets/pelucid.pdf

[Lure--Prof]

I have stated many times that I wait 24 hours between coats, because that's what works well for me...I just like each coat to cure a bit more on its own before adding the second coat, and I keep enough lures in different processing stages that it is no big deal for me to let a bait hang an extra day. If you recoat too quickly you stand a chance of developing bubbles, and I'm sure that the "too-quick" time varies somewhat according to the freshness of your coating and the drying conditions you have regarding heat and humidity. I have mentioned to many people that I'm not sure how quickly a second coat can be added, but I do know that if I wait 24 hours, my total cure after 3 coats is predictable, and flawless.

I've been using DN for a couple of years now and I'm still impressed by its ease of application and total performance, from its bubble-free clarity, to its toughness and durability. Get you a can of Bloxygen, leftover finish preserver, and you have the storage problems solved too. www.bloxygen.com

Dean

[captsully18]

Clamboni, I usually apply next coat in 2,3, or 24 hrs later depending on what else I am into. Seriously, I most certainly wait 'til the previous coat is not tacky, and the next coat is applied with as few strokes as possible to avoid over working and disturbing previous coat/coats. I have learned from Dean that a truely remarkable finish is attained with 4-5 coats. And this stuff is like armour plate. Never tried it yet, but think you can throw bait into brick wall and it wont mark the bait. Are you opening the top of the can each time you use DN?

David

[bemidjibasser]

Has anyone ever had the second coat make the first get wrinkles or look like it's eating at the first? Had this experience this morning...the first coat was smooth and flawless. I dip the lures that I am coating if it matters...

Any suggestions on how to eliminate this?

[BobP]

2nd coat - I've gotten wrinkles occasionally when I dipped again sooner than 24 hrs. I'm not saying it's an exact science but I've never had a problem when I waited 24 hrs. IMO, keeping the coats thin is critical. If you recoat before the solvents have completely evaporated from the 1st coat, it will eventually bite you. I had more touble with wrinkling and bubbles when I used Famowood DuraTuff water cured poly, which is much thicker than DN. I only use one coat of DN on bass baits now. It seems plenty tough and I figure the more operations you do on a lure, the more chance of bad things happening. I recoat only if there's a problem with the first coat. There's nothing more frustrating than getting wrinkles or a bunch of bubbles in a clearcoat after all the work you've done on a crankbait.

[clamboni]

Clamboni, I usually apply next coat in 2,3, or 24 hrs later depending on what else I am into. Seriously, I most certainly wait 'til the previous coat is not tacky, and the next coat is applied with as few strokes as possible to avoid over working and disturbing previous coat/coats. I have learned from Dean that a truely remarkable finish is attained with 4-5 coats. And this stuff is like armour plate. Never tried it yet, but think you can throw bait into brick wall and it wont mark the bait. Are you opening the top of the can each time you use DN?

David

I only got the sample jars for now. I was going to order a pint but when I talked to dick he told me not to buy the pint since he'd send me a couple sample jars.........so yes, I'm opening the jars for every coat. I only started using it yesterday though.

When I bought the pint my initial plan was to pour it off into smaller containers so I'd be less likely to have the storage problems.

[hazmail]

Dean - I'm thinking that Bloxygen is probably nitrogen, whatever it is, its a great idea, might be good for preserving that opened bottle of red wine too ! !pete

13 DAYS TO GO

[mark poulson]

Pete,

I thought the best way to preserve a bottle of red was to drink it!?

[Lure--Prof]

Pete,

what Mark said!

Dean

[BobP]

DN recoats - I wait 24 hrs because I've occasionally had wrinkles when I did it sooner. It's not scientific but I haven't had a wrinkle since. I've also found DN is pretty fragile immediately after it's dry. Obviously, it takes a few days for the moisture cure to develop and become really tough. After that happens, the stuff seems as tough as a good clearcoat on a commercial bait. I especially like its very slick surface and it seems to fend off hook rash better than epoxy.

[Predator Bass Baits]

Hey Guy's not to change gears here but lately I have been having trouble with DN eating my paint,

I switched to some auto air colors and one of them was pearl white and now when I DN, the paint spider cracks, very frustrating, I also get this on a foil bait that I paint over.

I know the paint is dry.

I even clear coated with createx after having this problem more then once and it still did it.

I had some 2T around that I never tried and so I used that and no problem, I also can tell a big difference in the clear coat as it looks thicker/smoother/more crisp.

I see most think DN is a tuffer top coat, so should I coat with DN over top of the 2T ?

I like the DN for it ease of use but I have had so much trouble with the stuff from drying in my can, drying in my smaller bottle, running on my bill, EATING MY PAINT.

Very frustrating when this stuff happens.

Anybody know anything about the Diamond Gel coat ?

Thanks, Jim.

[MTfishingrods]

BobP,

Thanks for the info. I am going to have to give this a try. I still have 2 gallons of west marine epoxy sitting here, but I am so tired of mixing and mixing and mixing and mixing and well you get the point lol. A one part product would be so much more convenient, even with a longer cure time.

[BobP]

Predator, I haven't had trouble with a particular acrylic and DN but have never used Auto Air so there could be a chemical incompatibility. The only time I had cracking and crazing is when I sprayed thick multiple acrylic coats on one bait's belly. I think DN soaks into acrylic, which is good for durability but bad if it isn't compatible. So far (knock on wood!) I haven't had any storage problems for 6-7 months and counting. I decanted a quart into several smaller bottles with necks that are just wide enough to dip a bait through (salsa jars) and I cover the jar tops with tin foil after I screw on the caps securely. I never let a bait drip back into the jar, as cautioned by Dick Nite. I dip them in and remove them slowly, then let them drip on newpaper for 10-15 seconds before putting them on the turner. You don't want DN pooling into a thick layer anywhere, or that area can develop bubbles or wrinkles. I think the solvent takes longer to evaporate in a thick area and stays in contact with whatever is underneath for too long. I'm not a paint chemist and don't know why DN behaves (and misbehaves) the way it does. This is just my homebrew technique based on trial and error. You can develop some goofy conclusions that have no basis in reality if you aren't careful, but I try to pay attention. Sometimes, it's hard to tell exactly why something blew up in your face

Edited April 9, 2008 by BobP

[captsully18]

I only got the sample jars for now. I was going to order a pint but when I talked to dick he told me not to buy the pint since he'd send me a couple sample jars.........so yes, I'm opening the jars for every coat. I only started using it yesterday though.

When I bought the pint my initial plan was to pour it off into smaller containers so I'd be less likely to have the storage problems.

When you get the pint, put a thumb screw in the side as close as possible to the bottom. Use this as your opening. This way you can leave the seal on the top, and you are always drawing from the bottom.Just punch a SMALL hole to get screw started ( of course you must turn can upside down or you will have a helluva mess ) Each time you open up, when you replace screw, don't tighten all the way. Loosen the screw ( not take it out ) until some leakage starts, then retighten. do this 3-4 times. this will cause some build-up around screw and help with sealing. Don't screw all the threads into the can as this will wallow hole out to where you can co longer seal it ( about half way is sufficient ). After a few usages you will see the build-up and know that things are normal. this process lets a minimal amount of air back into the can and it will rise to the top, so you are always getting fresh from the bottom. If you open the can from the top air and moisture will enter and begin to form a skin over the remainder and you will loose a lot of material. I am working out of a can I got two months ago and each time I draw any out it is as liquid as the first time, and the working time is just as long also. Sorry for the lengthy post and hope I didn't confuse. Any questions, I will try to answer.

David

[Lure--Prof]

Hey Guy's not to change gears here but lately I have been having trouble with DN eating my paint,

I switched to some auto air colors and one of them was pearl white and now when I DN, the paint spider cracks, very frustrating, I also get this on a foil bait that I paint over.

I know the paint is dry.

I even clear coated with createx after having this problem more then once and it still did it.

I had some 2T around that I never tried and so I used that and no problem, I also can tell a big difference in the clear coat as it looks thicker/smoother/more crisp.

I see most think DN is a tuffer top coat, so should I coat with DN over top of the 2T ?

I like the DN for it ease of use but I have had so much trouble with the stuff from drying in my can, drying in my smaller bottle, running on my bill, EATING MY PAINT.

Very frustrating when this stuff happens.

Anybody know anything about the Diamond Gel coat ?

Thanks, Jim.

Jim, and others using Dicknite's Topcoat:

See my post #11 for preserving dicknites. Using a bottle with a neck like a salad dressing bottle will also help as it restricts atmosphere transfer by reducing the contact surface.

The ony way regular Createx does not work when topcoating with Dicknite's is when the Createx is insufficiently heat-set!

I wanted to emphasize this point because this is the number one problem builders have when using Createx for the first time. I don't use Auto-air, so I cannot speak for problems one may encounter with it.

I brush on my Dicknite's topcoat with a 1/4 to 1/2 inch artist's camel-hair brush: this way I can control the amount of product on the lure, and not have it run on the lip. It only takes a few strokes and a very short amount of time to apply the topcoat like this. It is quite different than applying epoxy. With Dicknite's, brush slowly using a minimum of strokes, DO NOT OVERBRUSH! With practice you will be using fewer and fewer brush strokes--when you cover an area you are done with it, continued brushing will just mess it up!

There are other application methods with which many members are quite successful, and some of the methods are use over paints other than Createx. But the above is the method I use and it works for me, and has for a couple of years now.

:yay:Thanks Pete for providing the additional information via the instruction sheet for what is obviously the same product!

Dean

Edited April 9, 2008 by Dean McClain

[captsully18]

Clamboni, I meant to ask in my last post ( damn my old, feeble mind ) can you give me some info on the uv paint you mention? Sounds like something I would like to try. Tired of melting crayons to put in airbrush .

Thanks

David