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JFOWLER204

Few Finishing Questions

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Well I painted my first lure last night and I'll have to say it turned out really well. I picked a easy pattern. I copied a LC Splatterback in American Shad. However I do have a few questions.

I bought some createx clear coat. What is this used for? When I finished the lure I painted it with flex coat and rotated it and let it dry it turned out really good. Should I have put the clear coat on before I put the flex or not worry about it?

2nd ? My airbrush gun has a 0.3 mm nozzle on it, but I want to change it so i sprayes a finer line. Do I need to change the needle and the noozle or just the noozle? Also what size would you recomend for a smaller more narrow stream of paint.

3rd ? What does LC use to coat there lures after it is painted. I put just one good coat of flex on my lure and it has alot more shine to it that the LC.

Any info would be great. I also now know why you guys do this it is alot of fun. I can't wait to make some stencils and try some more designs.

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J,

Congrats on getting results you like on your first lure!

Createx clear is mostly used as a barrier under solvent based topcoats to protect the underlying paint scheme. I've never used it and don't see any need for it under epoxy topcoats unless you are using a Sharpie pen to add details to the bait. Sharpie and other solvent based markers will run if you topcoat them with a anything that contains solvent (and Etex does). One coat of Etex makes a pretty thin topcoat. You might want to check to insure there are no thin or dry spots. Most guys use at least 2 coats of Etex as a matter of habit.

On the airbrush, the brand and model determine whether it can fit a smaller tip size. I would contact the company to ask whether it is possible and if so, what the cost would be. On some, it's not possible; on others, the cost is quite high and it would be better to buy a second airbrush. Yes, you will definitely need a new needle, plus a new nozzle and other parts as well. When you have experimented with your airbrush for awhile, I think you will find that shooting fine detail is more a matter of technique than it is of equipment; a .3mm tip will shoot very thin lines in the hands of a good airbrusher (which I am NOT!). Check out some of the general airbrushing sites for tips on detailing. You will need to shoot at lower pressure with thinned paint and get the airbrush close to the surface you're painting. Most of us hacks just use painting templates when we need detail and avoid the pain of actually learning how to use our airbrush like an expert.

What does LC use as a topcoat? Probably a polyurethane that is custom formulated for their manufacturing process. If you are interested in other topcoats, there are scads of threads here on TU about them. Topcoats is undoubtedly the topic that gets the most attention here on Hardbaits.

Well I painted my first lure last night and I'll have to say it turned out really well. I picked a easy pattern. I copied a LC Splatterback in American Shad. However I do have a few questions.

I bought some createx clear coat. What is this used for? When I finished the lure I painted it with flex coat and rotated it and let it dry it turned out really good. Should I have put the clear coat on before I put the flex or not worry about it?

2nd ? My airbrush gun has a 0.3 mm nozzle on it, but I want to change it so i sprayes a finer line. Do I need to change the needle and the noozle or just the noozle? Also what size would you recomend for a smaller more narrow stream of paint.

3rd ? What does LC use to coat there lures after it is painted. I put just one good coat of flex on my lure and it has alot more shine to it that the LC.

Any info would be great. I also now know why you guys do this it is alot of fun. I can't wait to make some stencils and try some more designs.

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While air brush skills are important, I try and remember that it's the results that are important, not how they are achieved.

I use solvent based and water based sharpies to add fine lines and details. A shot or two of Createx clear coat protects them from the sovents in the urethane top coat I use.

Sometimes I add red gill highlights after my lures are top coated. The sovent based red sharpie is much brighter that way, and holds up fine with nothing over it. If it seems to be fading, I just go over it again.

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