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Nathan

Solarez Uv Top Coat

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    I have read and reread this entire post and this stuff sounds great. I think it does look a little more satin finish than gloss, in reading this post some one said that UVA has lower energy than UVB and UVC is stonger than B I am wondering if anyone has tried starting with a weaker light and gradualy increasing the strength?

    I also watch some of there videos and they used a mylar sheet over the resin to cure to a high gloss I think that maybe the absence of air will get a high gloss finish so maybe a vacuum container or a jar with the lid on to keep the fumes from evaporating to quickly I remember someone using propinate like this to get a harder glossier finish he would dip them then hang the bait above the prop. in the same jar.

  I am also wondering if you could mix some of the thick fly tying stuff with the thin clear coat to get a thicker glossier coat? 

These are just some thoughts and things I would try.

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<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="Nathan" data-cid="195331" data-time="1356729139"><p>

The nail dryers work just fine..Nathan</p></blockquote>

Nathan how do you hang the bait in relationship to the dryer? I am doing big baits and hanging them near the window of the dryer . Seems awkward.

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Capt. Mike, The dryer isn't big enough to hang large baits in...right now I dry sections of the bait and put it together after the top coat is complete...Nathan

Fair enough.  Probably forces you to cover the baits better that way anyhow.

 

I bought a dryer from hobby lobby with only one bulb in it.  Bringin that one back for sure.

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Mike,

Somewhere back in this thread is an Ebay address for the four bulb lights like AMac showed.  

He did use two,  clamped bottom to bottom, with the removable bottom plates removed.

I use one only, and it works for my cranks up to 5" long.

The well itself is 6" deep, and the bulbs come up 5" from the bottom, but the whole well is lined with reflective foil, so I'm pretty sure a 6" bait would set properly.  The lights are really bright.

I think I paid $29+ for mine, shipped.

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If you need a light for big baits or cure a bunch of cranks and one time then this light will work....you can buy it at walmart...

 

 

GE 18" (F15T8) black light......one of the members here turned me on to this one.....He says it works fine. I haven' t bought one yet.

 

Brent

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Guess I'm gonna have to break down and try this stuff. If I don't like it all of you are going on Santa's  naughty list.  :lol::P:lol:

 

Ben

 

Ben if you don't like it...i don't think you will have a problem selling it......But i think you will be happy...

 

Brent

Edited by Brent R
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Well, I smacked a rock yesterday with one of the plastic knockoff cranks I coated with Solarez (purely in the interest of science) and it held up fine.  But plastic is hard, so it doesn't dent like wood.

I only build PVC cranks and swimbaits now, and they are very hard, too.  

I don't know how a softer material like wood would perform if coated with the Solarez.  The resin sets to a very hard finish, and it is brittle if you can manage to crack it.

I found that I actually chipped it when I tried to clear out a large drip from the end of one of my cranks after it had been UV'd. But I had to really lean into it to chip it.  Drips are a bear to clean up once they're set.

That's how I learned to be sure the drips are removed before I UV set the resin.  Hahaha

Edited by mark poulson
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Ben,

I think it is at least as hard as D2T, but I didn't do any shop testing.

It is so easy to remove the drips before using the UV light, and such a pain to remove it afterwards, that I'll take the time to remove the bottom drip twice before the UV.  Even cleaning out a light skim coat over the hook hanger hole is a pain.

I haven't tried a dremel wire brush.  It might work.  I'd rather just clean them beforehand, and blow any skim film out of the hook hanger eyes before I UV them.

I use an exacto to remove any resin that's still on the hangers after it's set.  

That stuff is really tough.

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Thanks Mark. Looks like I'm gonna have to give this stuff a try.

Yeah RG,  Climb aboard and give this stuff a try.  I really like the speed of curing this stuff.  I have had really good luck using it as a seal coat on wood blanks.  Still in the trial stages of liking it as a top coat.  I hope it is not as brittle as D2T or it won't work as a top coat for my musky lures.  I had a pike bite into on of my lures top coated with D2T and it was too brittle and chipped.  So I quit using it and moved onto Etex.  I will have to try Solarez this summer, too HARD to cast a lure in MN this time of year.   :D

 

CLM

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Ben solarez is pretty good stuff for bass lures....It is tough...it will get hook rash just like everything else over time. I've never used it on wooden lures so i can't help you there...I have tried to crack it and it can be done but you have to beat the hell out of it. I don't think anyone would put a bait thru what i did bass fishing. Mark is right about cleaning the bait up before you cure it....Once solarez is cured it is some tough stuff and its really hard to clean up...I really don't see any problems with it but it is still new to everyone...I think Bass100 has been using it the longest...Maybe he will chime in...

 

take care, Brent

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High All, I find this thread interesting.  A friend of mine posted on a different site that he is trying something like this so I got really interested.  I knew about the surf board curing by UV  from TV ("How it's made"), and I knew that some musical instrumants were done with this stuff, but I had never even considered using it for lures.  I guess that has changed now. :mad:

 

OK, I have seen that the nail dryers using UV seem to be well received and work well.  I suspect that is what I will be using.  For the record, they operate with a peak at 370 nm based on my research.  Solarez tells me that they suggest 385 nm.  Nevertheless, they also suggest a link to a tanning bed light company that I contacted.  They told me that their bulbs are broad spectrum and have three peaks, all well below this suggested 385 mn range.  Are we confused yet, because I am. :eek:

 

The Philips TUV15W G15T8 mentioned by some is a UVC with a peak at 253.7 nm, very far into the UVC range.

 

The 51 LED flashlight mentioned by some peaks at 395 nm (http://www.amazon.com/LEDwholesalers-Ultraviolet-LED-flashlight-7202UV395/dp/B001Q70A0G/ref=pd_sim_sbs_misc_1)

 

At least one inspection UV light is (http://www.amazon.com/Professional-Inspection-Flashlight-380-385nm-Ultraviolet/dp/B0013E3XVU/ref=pd_cp_hi_1) rated at the 380 to 385 nm range.

 

http://www.tanninglamps4less.com/uvcuring.html is a great link, previously given to us in this thread, and I want to point out that they suggest lamps called Clear Tech which have a 360 to 380 nm range.

 

If we are not yet confused enough, consider that the wave length is not all we need to consider.  We also need to consider the intensity of light.  This is a factor of the wattage, the focus, and the distance away from the light source.  In summary, it takes the right frequency and the right strength.

 

The friend I mentioned at the first of this said he is using four each 60 watt bulbs, 4' long, but he is not yet telling me what bulbs he is trying or what the product he is trying - just that it worked quick and he could have been fishing the lure from the start of the lure pour to final top coat cure in 5 minutes. :censored: I will find out some day. :?

 

I have found out that grow lights have little to no UV light.  I would be supprised if they work at all.  I have also found out that the reptile lights have little UV, and mostly it is UVA.  It might work, but it will take a lot of time. 

 

It looks to me like once we figure this out we will be starting a whole new wave of lure development.  I am excited about it: I just wish I could afford to try them all.  But................

 

AM I CORRECT IS SAYING that everyone has had luck with the nail UV dryers?

 

AM I CORRECT IS SAYING that everyone has had good luck with the Clear Tech lights?

 

What are the final results of using the different flashlights or the GE UVA bulb?

 

Thanks :popcorn:

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