Removing Paint From Plugs

[Stevenwxly]

Hello All.

I am a professional lure maker.....I make old school wooden plugs for bass, crappie, even some big old thru -wire saltwater type lures.

About 6 months ago I was fortunate enough to buy out a friend of mine - who had manufactured wood blanks for years for many of the major lure manufactures. I could name all the names....but that is not important.

I got a hold of several thousand wood blanks that were turned on a giant lathe. Some were unpainted, - many others were painted at the lure factories....and sent back to my friend for completion....for him to add hardwear and such.

I have been selling the lure blanks as little lure kits online for a few months.....and had until now been selling the painted lures just in a big pile....since the all had some small chigger bites or imperfections in the paint on them.

I tried several methods to clean the paint from them to get them back to just a plain wood blank.....first scrubbing them with gasoline - which was a time consuming and messy job.

Then I got some paint remover....which was also very messy work. Then I bought a rock polisher at Harbor Freight and began turnihg 3-4 painted plugs at a time on the rock polisher - using sand and a little water....and it was critical as to the amount of sand, water to make for a good balance in the container or if it was out of balance - the polisher would no longer turn correctly.

The two containers that came with the rock polisher had 'funky' closures - in that the nut broke almost immediately from both containers. So I went to a plastic container....a non - see thru....and then finally to just a plain old mayonaise jar - that I could look thru to see how things were going during the polishing process.

Today I hit upon the ideal thing - I believe............I put in about 2 ozs. of the paint remover....called Klean-Strip Stripper from Wal-Mart..........along with about 2-3 tablespoons of the sand.

Then I put in about 4-5 of the painted plugs....and instead of having to turn them for 2-3 days ( 24/7) ....about 72 hours to remove all the paint..........with just the sand and water.....the paint remover and the sand took off all the paint in about 45 minutes......quick - fairly painless - and a hell of a good way to clean off your old painted plugs - so that you can work them over or repaint them.

after taking off all the paint from the plugs - I washed them off with soapy warm water in the bathroom sink...then put them into a 200 degree oven to dry throughly for about an hour or so...."wall la"......the plugs were not back to pretty much their originalo state of being just a plain wood blank- ready for a new paint job and hardware.....and of course - 'fishing them".

Thought this was a pretty good tip - and was I willing to share this with all my friends here at TackleUnderground.com, as I have learned many new things about making lures that I did not know previously.

Steve Weatherly Little Bit Lrues - Greenfield, MO

[Bohica]

Hello All.

I am a professional lure maker.....I make old school wooden plugs for bass, crappie, even some big old thru -wire saltwater type lures.

About 6 months ago I was fortunate enough to buy out a friend of mine - who had manufactured wood blanks for years for many of the major lure manufactures. I could name all the names....but that is not important.

I got a hold of several thousand wood blanks that were turned on a giant lathe. Some were unpainted, - many others were painted at the lure factories....and sent back to my friend for completion....for him to add hardwear and such.

I have been selling the lure blanks as little lure kits online for a few months.....and had until now been selling the painted lures just in a big pile....since the all had some small chigger bites or imperfections in the paint on them.

I tried several methods to clean the paint from them to get them back to just a plain wood blank.....first scrubbing them with gasoline - which was a time consuming and messy job.

Then I got some paint remover....which was also very messy work. Then I bought a rock polisher at Harbor Freight and began turnihg 3-4 painted plugs at a time on the rock polisher - using sand and a little water....and it was critical as to the amount of sand, water to make for a good balance in the container or if it was out of balance - the polisher would no longer turn correctly.

The two containers that came with the rock polisher had 'funky' closures - in that the nut broke almost immediately from both containers. So I went to a plastic container....a non - see thru....and then finally to just a plain old mayonaise jar - that I could look thru to see how things were going during the polishing process.

Today I hit upon the ideal thing - I believe............I put in about 2 ozs. of the paint remover....called Klean-Strip Stripper from Wal-Mart..........along with about 2-3 tablespoons of the sand.

Then I put in about 4-5 of the painted plugs....and instead of having to turn them for 2-3 days ( 24/7) ....about 72 hours to remove all the paint..........with just the sand and water.....the paint remover and the sand took off all the paint in about 45 minutes......quick - fairly painless - and a hell of a good way to clean off your old painted plugs - so that you can work them over or repaint them.

after taking off all the paint from the plugs - I washed them off with soapy warm water in the bathroom sink...then put them into a 200 degree oven to dry throughly for about an hour or so...."wall la"......the plugs were not back to pretty much their originalo state of being just a plain wood blank- ready for a new paint job and hardware.....and of course - 'fishing them".

Thought this was a pretty good tip - and was I willing to share this with all my friends here at TackleUnderground.com, as I have learned many new things about making lures that I did not know previously.

Steve Weatherly Little Bit Lrues - Greenfield, MO

Steve good info, good stuff!

Would like to buy a few of them from you.

[Vodkaman]

Great info, but you are not allowed to advertise your company. Read the rules.

I shouldn't even have to post this. Moderators are supposed to spot these infringements, but they don't seem to care.

I hope the link and this post get deleted very quickly.

Dave

[mark poulson]

Dave,

In this case, I think the post was an informational post, more of a "how to" that he wanted to share with us, and not a plug for his stuff.

But, then again, what do I know???

[BobP]

Steve, thanks for the technique! I've also read here on TU that some of the top lure refinishing businesses use a blast cabinet with walnut hulls to strip finish before repainting.

[Stevenwxly]

Steve, thanks for the technique! I've also read here on TU that some of the top lure refinishing businesses use a blast cabinet with walnut hulls to strip finish before repainting.

If you think I was trying to advertise my business or sell my lures with my last post, " removing Paint From Lures"....really I was not........

I am fairly new here, but have been building lures for many years..........Sorry if I bent the rules.....I was not trying to sell anything....not my lures nor the information that I imparted for free in my post....merely trying to pass on info that I have gained while trying different methods to clean old paint off lures to spruce them up.

If.........well intentioned new techniques are not welcome here ..... then perhaps I ( and my ideas) would be more welcome at another venue.

Steve

[Vodkaman]

Steve, like I said, great info.

Dave

[mark poulson]

If you think I was trying to advertise my business or sell my lures with my last post, " removing Paint From Lures"....really I was not........

I am fairly new here, but have been building lures for many years..........Sorry if I bent the rules.....I was not trying to sell anything....not my lures nor the information that I imparted for free in my post....merely trying to pass on info that I have gained while trying different methods to clean old paint off lures to spruce them up.

If.........well intentioned new techniques are not welcome here ..... then perhaps I ( and my ideas) would be more welcome at another venue.

Steve

Steve,

You didn't say what brand of mayonaise jar.

Seriously, it was a great post, and please don't be offended by us.

We've all inhaled too many paint fumes.

[MR KNOW IT ALL KIND OF]

Steve.. great stuff!