Deft Under Dick Nites?

[motomania]

I use Dick Nites to dip my plastic cranks for the final topcoat. And also, when I'm in between coats, to protect the basecoat when I mask for scales, etc.

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But, seeing how Dick Nite ain't cheap, and can be a bit tricky to store, I'd rather use something cheaper along the way and save the Dick Nite for the final topcoat.

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My only concern, is that the Deft I used, does not truly cure to a rock hard finish. You can still dig your fingernail in when cured after months; and leave a very faint, but visible dent.

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If I let the Deft cure several days before the Dick Nite topcoat, does anyone foresee issues occuring in the longterm with the Dick Nite?

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(I have my thoughts, but want others to give me some input)

[BobP]

I'm not familiar with Deft but I'd be afraid it might react with Dick Nite (as many solvent based coatings do) and wrinkle. Have you considered using just a clear acrylic airbrush paint? All you would have to do is dry it with a hair dryer for 15-20 secs and you'd be ready to apply the next coating. I don't see a reason to apply anything over colors before I dip baits in DN. In fact, DN tends to soak into acrylic paint and form a nice hard unified finish, so I don't want anything on top of the acrylic paint that might inhibit that.

[motomania]

I'm not familiar with Deft but I'd be afraid it might react with Dick Nite (as many solvent based coatings do) and wrinkle. Have you considered using just a clear acrylic airbrush paint? All you would have to do is dry it with a hair dryer for 15-20 secs and you'd be ready to apply the next coating. I don't see a reason to apply anything over colors before I dip baits in DN. In fact, DN tends to soak into acrylic paint and form a nice hard unified finish, so I don't want anything on top of the acrylic paint that might inhibit that.

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Good point Bob. The Deft may react with the Dick Nites.

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I use Createx, and have sprayed the clear over the colors as I go; but I'm always afraid that if I get to many colors going before clearing, the paint may wrinkle after dipping in DN due to it being on too thick.

I've had a wrinkle issue or 2 in the past, and all I could attribute it too was possibly putting the paint on too thick. As I always heat set as I go.

[BobP]

I only apply DN once, as a final topcoat, and I dip only once because it will also react with itself unless it has cured for several days before recoating. Same goes for DN as an intermediate coating, I suspect. I know there's the school of 'more is better' when you're talking about protecting paint but you have to balance protection, looks, and performance. One dip looks good and performs well in my experience with bass baits.

[rotorhead]

I use Dick Nites to dip my plastic cranks for the final topcoat. And also, when I'm in between coats, to protect the basecoat when I mask for scales, etc.

-

But, seeing how Dick Nite ain't cheap, and can be a bit tricky to store, I'd rather use something cheaper along the way and save the Dick Nite for the final topcoat.

-

My only concern, is that the Deft I used, does not truly cure to a rock hard finish. You can still dig your fingernail in when cured after months; and leave a very faint, but visible dent.

-

If I let the Deft cure several days before the Dick Nite topcoat, does anyone foresee issues occuring in the longterm with the Dick Nite?

-

(I have my thoughts, but want others to give me some input)

[rotorhead]

I use Deft as a wood sealer with sanding between coats. I usually seal with two coats then paint with Createx heat setting between each spray coat. I have used E-tex as my top coat with no problems. You need to let the Deft really dry 24/48 hours before painting over it. I used the Deft as a top coat which holds up ok however I was experimenting and tried to put E-tex over the Deft which was a mistake. The E-tex had what appeared to be fish eye in the coating. Anyway the Deft works well as a sealer but let it really dry before you paint and coat.

Rotorhead.

[motomania]

I only apply DN once, as a final topcoat, and I dip only once because it will also react with itself unless it has cured for several days before recoating. Same goes for DN as an intermediate coating, I suspect. I know there's the school of 'more is better' when you're talking about protecting paint but you have to balance protection, looks, and performance. One dip looks good and performs well in my experience with bass baits.

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Thanks for the reply's Bob and rotor, I do appreciate it!

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But, here's another question. Does just the clear Createx over the base coats protect the base colors when scale masking?

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The reason I brought up the Deft under the DN, is that I like to spray a base color or 2, then spray scales over the base colors. But, the problem I've had, is that when clamping the scale masking to the bait, (even if I spray some clear Createx over the base colors) the scale masking or the different style clips I've tried to hold the masking with, can scratch the base color.

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So my thoughts were to dip the bait in the Deft after the base coats, let it dry; then clip on the scale masking for scale work.

[RayburnGuy]

But, the problem I've had, is that when clamping the scale masking to the bait, (even if I spray some clear Createx over the base colors) the scale masking or the different style clips I've tried to hold the masking with, can scratch the base color.

I used to have the same issues with scale masking that your describing until I started using tongue depressors to clamp my netting. I wrap the netting over the bait and let it hang towards the belly of the bait. I then place a tongue depressor on each side of the netting under the belly and clamp the tongue depressors with two small binder clips at each end of the bait. Clothes pins will work, but I've found the binder clips hold better as they are stronger. You can remove one clip at the time to remove any wrinkles in the netting by pulling it straight and then replacing the binder clip. Since doing the scale masking like this I've had no problems with scratching the paint. And I don't have to use a clear coat before applying the scale mask. Just be sure to dry the paint thoroughly before applying the netting.

[mark poulson]

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Thanks for the reply's Bob and rotor, I do appreciate it!

-

But, here's another question. Does just the clear Createx over the base coats protect the base colors when scale masking?

-

The reason I brought up the Deft under the DN, is that I like to spray a base color or 2, then spray scales over the base colors. But, the problem I've had, is that when clamping the scale masking to the bait, (even if I spray some clear Createx over the base colors) the scale masking or the different style clips I've tried to hold the masking with, can scratch the base color.

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So my thoughts were to dip the bait in the Deft after the base coats, let it dry; then clip on the scale masking for scale work.

Maybe you need to heat set the Createx at a higher temp. to get it not to scratch. And maybe try thinner, mutliple coats, so each coat is thoroughly dry.

I know, for me, if I get lazy and put on too much paint at one time, it leads to drying problems.

[Lure--Prof]

I only apply DN once, as a final topcoat, and I dip only once because it will also react with itself unless it has cured for several days before recoating. Same goes for DN as an intermediate coating, I suspect. I know there's the school of 'more is better' when you're talking about protecting paint but you have to balance protection, looks, and performance. One dip looks good and performs well in my experience with bass baits.

Just to be clear for anyone who may be inexperienced with Dicknite's topcoat: Dipping Dicknite's, especially after it has thickened a bit from previous dippings, will yield a thicker coat that is thick enough to suffice for a single coating. A coat this thick will also cure differently than a a thinner coating of DN.

For those of us who apply DN with a brush, or spray, the individual coats are thinner and can be recoated much quicker. I generally wait 12 to 24 hours before recoating, but I have recoated in as little as 2 hours, and have done 4 coats in a day when in a hurry on an individual bait for my own use with no problems. These are thin coats applied with a 1/4 inch hair brush, and I wait at least 2 days before fishing them. The will appear to be fully cured at this point, although those of us familiar with DN know that 100% curing will happen in about 25 days. I always fish mine much quicker than this, and after a couple days on the lake, especially this time of year, they're over 90%, which is a lot of protection.

There is no right or wrong way here, but only what works for each builder, but a thin coat of DN is ready for recoating in a few hours.

[motomania]

Just to be clear for anyone who may be inexperienced with Dicknite's topcoat: Dipping Dicknite's, especially after it has thickened a bit from previous dippings, will yield a thicker coat that is thick enough to suffice for a single coating. A coat this thick will also cure differently than a a thinner coating of DN.

For those of us who apply DN with a brush, or spray, the individual coats are thinner and can be recoated much quicker. I generally wait 12 to 24 hours before recoating, but I have recoated in as little as 2 hours, and have done 4 coats in a day when in a hurry on an individual bait for my own use with no problems. These are thin coats applied with a 1/4 inch hair brush, and I wait at least 2 days before fishing them. The will appear to be fully cured at this point, although those of us familiar with DN know that 100% curing will happen in about 25 days. I always fish mine much quicker than this, and after a couple days on the lake, especially this time of year, they're over 90%, which is a lot of protection.

There is no right or wrong way here, but only what works for each builder, but a thin coat of DN is ready for recoating in a few hours.

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Thanks for all the info guys; looks like I've got a few other things to try!