Jump to content
mark poulson

D2T question

Recommended Posts

When I find a lure I've made doesn't float after I've top-coated it, I drill out some of the ballast, and fill the hole with newspaper (cause I'm cheap), and put a drop or two of Zap glue on the paper to stiffen it and hold it in place. I brush on some opaque white Createx and pearl white over that, to match the lure bottom (heat setting as I go), and then coat over the hole with D2T. About half the time, the epoxy stays somewhat tacky. Even from the same batch, one hole sets up fine and another will stay tacky. And I mix the epoxy really well, and evenly.

I put a drop of Zap on the tacky epoxy to give it a hard finish. That works as a short term fix. But I'm wondering why epoxy from the same batch, put on in the same manner, would be so different.

I sometimes use Scotch tape over the epoxy to smooth out the plug, and I get some tacky, some hard.

Weird.

Any thoughts?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Almost 100% of the time I would say I am sorry but you somehow did not get the mix even. However,:whistle: I believe you have mixed enough epoxy to know what happens if the mix is off. Is there any possibility of the adhesive from the scotch tape or the tape itself reacting to the epoxy? I have to assume also the tempurature is OK since it only affects one hole and not the other. Just wild Guess, but thats my 2 cents.:lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm betting it's the Zap glue. Soaked into the newspaper and covered with epoxy may not be the same thing as using it over the epoxy, exposed to air. Why not try something like a water based interior wood filler? It dries quickly, it's white, and an inexpensive squeeze tube lasts a long time. White spackling compound is very similar.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MT,

I was pretty careful about proportions and mixing. I mix it so much it's full of tiny bubbles. And the whole batch acts differently. Some sets hard, some stays tacky, so I don't think it's the mix.

Bob,

I wondered about the Zap. I use it, and the news paper, becuase they're light and quick. Maybe I need to wait longer before I paint and coat. I have tons of spackle and wood filler, but I think they'd be too heavy, when I'm trying to lighten a lure. I should probably turn some small pine dowels, and use cut offs for plugs, instead of paper. Just being lazy.

I've used scotch tape in the past, without problems, and some of this batch set hard under tape, some didn't, so I don't think it's the tape.

All fingers are pointing to the Zap glue. Either I'll have to use something else, or wait a half hour before I paint and coat.

But putting a drop of the thin Zap over the tacky epoxy hardens it right up. Maybe that's telling me that the Zap does react with the epoxy, and I'm just too dumb to get it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mark, if it is any consolation, I have been having a bit of trouble with my d2t hardening/not hardening. I have been thinking that since it has all come from the same tube that perhaps it has too much age on it ( bought it at Wally World 3 weeks ago ) and that it is starting to break down. I don't think that is it but been thinking along those lines. Don't know the answer for you but "Ifeel your pain" :angry:.

David

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mark,

First, I don't know how this (having a sinking bait) may happen to you if you want a floating one. When I choose the right weight for the lure, I make it more floating than I want it to be, because I still have to add some weight to it: foil, glue, epoxy or other clearcoat. I guess you weight your lures in a similar way.

But if you have lures that you want some led out of them, then I would use your idea about dowels. After having made a cross hole in the body, with a steel ball in it as rattle, I use dowels which I make myself, I sand them a little bit trapezoidal (?), so the end diameter just fits the hole, then the diameter immediately increases, so that when I push the dowel into the hole, it can go inside only about 2 or 3 millimeters. I use superglue to glue the dowel, then cut off the dowel.

I do not know what Zap glue is, so I have nothing to say about it.

But I think there might be another way to solve your problem. This is an idea which was posted by someone on TU, and I remember it because it was so funny.

The guy said that if he has wrongly calculated the necessary weight for a lure, and it proves to be a sinking one instead of a floating one, as intended, he would just recategorize the lure into a sinking one.:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rofish,

Zap glue is a brand of super glue.

I made these lures as floaters, but I weighted them in cold water. In warmer water they slow sink. I already have a bunch of slow sink (overweight floaters) and fast sink lure like this. I want some I can throw as surface lures in warm water.

I just need to test them in warm water for floatation. I typically allow 3 grams for epoxy, and 1 gram for paint. That's two #5 split shots, that I pinch onto the hooks when I'm testing to allow for the finish.

But I screwed up this time, and didn't allow enough for the warm water difference, and I don't want to take the time to shape another five lures. I want to fish!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...


×
×
  • Create New...
Top