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Dn Curing Acceleration?

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I hope this isn't a dumb question, but has anyone tried artificially raising the humidity in order to accelerate the curing time with baits dipped in DN or other MCU's? I'm going chinook salmon fishing in less than a week and I would like to ensure that the baits that I dipped last night are up to the task. My idea is to hang them to "humidify" in a bathroom/shower while running a humidifier in the room. Does this seem plausible or am I way off base? Thanks for any help and for all the other great info I have received from all of you by following this forum.

-Ken

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Just a guess, but I doubt high humidity will have great effect on the moisture cure time. You should be fine fishing the lures after a week of curing. If anything, I'd hang them outside in the garage where it's humid and fairly warm. Temperature has a lot to do with chemical reactions.

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Just a guess, but I doubt high humidity will have great effect on the moisture cure time. You should be fine fishing the lures after a week of curing. If anything, I'd hang them outside in the garage where it's humid and fairly warm. Temperature has a lot to do with chemical reactions.

Bob,

Have you tried to speed the curing process by hitting a lure with a hair dryer after the initial flash off of the solvents?

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No, I'm too lazy! And since the "full cure" takes days or weeks, I'm doubtful a few minutes under a hair dryer would make much difference. Maybe you could accelerate the cure by placing the lure in a heat box for 24-48 hours, similar to what some guys do to speed cure epoxy - but I don't really know. I've fished or mailed DN coated baits 3 days after application with no problems, knowing that the cure had not finished but hoping that it was "good enough" - and it was. It's analogous to curing epoxy: most brands say 24 hours to full strength but in reality, the cure continues for about a week and the "24 hours" is just a company estimate of how long it will be before it's hard enough to satisfy the consumer. But in the case of DN, the moisture cure takes longer and the chemical process of hardening may continue for weeks. I wouldn't use a DN bait for trolling 3 days after coating, but have had no problems casting bass baits after 3 days, so it's really a matter of degree that each has to decide for himself.

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I ended up putting the baits in the shower of a small bathroom with a small electric space heater since last night. It's a bit subjective, but I would estimate that the DN seems to be curing a little faster than normal based upon hardness resistance to a fingernail. I doubt it's the most economical drying method, but I doubt that anything regarding custom baits or fly tying is actually saving me any $$. Your responses also got me to thinking and I managed to find some literature that Dick sent along with the clear top coat. Apparently, they do the final drying of their spoons by hanging them "in a 100 deg oven for a couple of hours and after cooling they are able to be dumped in wooden boxes for temporary storage with no adverse effects." I'm not sure how that translates if I leave it in a 100 deg oven for a few days or a week -- will I be able to achieve "full cure" without waiting weeks or months as some others have mentioned in previous posts? I guess the only way to know for sure is to try it eh!

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When I mentioned a "heat box" I was thinking of a wood box with 2-3 100W light bulbs and the interior covered with tin foil. Honestly, if you are going fishing 4-5 days after applying the DN, I don't think you'll have any trouble just hanging the baits to cure in the garage, etc. (if your region is as hot as mine is right now - 90+ degrees and high humidity!)

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Actually, I live in the east bay from San Francisco (Danville) and it has been a little colder than normal the past couple of days (low 70's). I suppose I was most worried about the trolling baits that may be submerged for quite awhile. If nothing else, the ability to accelerate the curing time will be useful at some point in the future when I'm scrambling to get some crazy idea ready for next trip...

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If Dick says he "heat sets" his spoons, try hitting your lure with a hair dryer after the solvent flashes off.

I don't think it can hurt, if Dick uses heat, and it may speed the curing process.

I know, for the water borne urethane I use, redipping time is normally two hours, but I can cut it to an hour by passing a hair dryer over the lure after a half hour, and then again fifteen minutes later.

Using a hair dryer, and Createx-type paints, I can paint a lure and dip it three times the same day, and fish it the next day.

I have a four piece swimbait that I made and primed yesterday hanging in the garage. Today I'm going to paint and top coat it, and tomorrow I'm going to fish it.

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Bob and Mark thanks for your insights. I will definitely be experimenting with some of your suggestions for heat/humidity setting in the future especially on the baits that I want to give more than one dip or when I'm in a hurry. I'll be sure to keep you posted.

-Ken

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Bob and Mark thanks for your insights. I will definitely be experimenting with some of your suggestions for heat/humidity setting in the future especially on the baits that I want to give more than one dip or when I'm in a hurry. I'll be sure to keep you posted.

-Ken

After alot of help from the guys on this site I finally got DN working well for me. Bob,Mark, Lure Prof,others, thanks.I lightened up on the paint with the help of a new Iwata,better atomization, dried the heck out of each paint layer, and,,,,,,,,I stopped using a heat box to accelerate the curing process. Heating metal is alot different than heating a base layer of paint, has to do with expansion, contraction, and alot of other stuff thats over my head. Anyway, I'd do as the guys taught me,dry the paint , dip it , hang it in the garage. Best of luck! Ed.

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