TheSilverFox Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 I have been using some fine bristle brushes to apply epoxy. I get a lot of really fine air bubbles. Its a pain to get them out and usually not all of them. Do you think that could be fixed by using a stiffer bristle brush? I'd try it but I don't have any here. Ive tried blowing on them and heat from a hair dryer. Haven't tried flame like a lighter. Just thinking the fine bristles might be getting air trapped in the epoxy.... wanted to bounce that off the minds here. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSilverFox Posted November 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 This one I did last night. I didn't turn it and I didn't mess with the bubbles much so I could show the bubbles on here. They are really small and I can get most of them out most of the time. I thought about it this morning that maybe the fine bristles are causing it. It happens usually where the brush hits something like the lip or hook hanger. Where the body is smooth, it doesnt seem to happen. I've tried several different things from thinning down the epoxy to hitting it with heat and almost making it run off the bait. Didn't think about the brush maybe being the culprit until this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdeee Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 (edited) What type of epoxy are you using? I have used all types of brushes and find it really doesn't matter that much. Now I just use an acid / flux brush and have used it well over 100 times just cleaning it with acetone afterwards. I usually coat my bait with Etex and then give it a quick blast ( a second or two MAX ) with a propane torch then I place the bait on my turner and wait about 5 mins and do it again, I never have any bubbles anymore. If you can get a torch head with a trigger it makes it a lot easier. I don't think a lighter would work unless it's one of the torch kind? It's not the heat as much that breaks the bubbles it's the CO2. Edited November 12, 2014 by Jdeee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braided Line Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 I`ve used a hair drier. low heat. . Makes passes over the affected area. There may be other ways of course but this one works for "me." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 If it only happens when the brush hits the lip, or hook hanger, then it's probably not the brush. Instead of brush strokes around these areas try pushing the epoxy with the brush, or just using the corner of the brush, to get epoxy into these areas. To cover the lip area I always load my brush with epoxy and then hold it close to the lip while pressing down with the brush against the body of the lure. This will cause the brush to fan out and then you can "push" the epoxy up against the lip. It can then be leveled out by carefully pulling excess epoxy away from the lip with the brush. When going around hook hangers I usually just brush right over them and then come back with just the corner of the brush to "clean up" around the hanger. Doing it this way makes you slow down a bit which results in my only being able to cover a couple of lures at a time, but I'd rather have it good than fast. If your top coating a lot of lures at a time you may want to think about finding a more suitable method such as dipping or spraying. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 It takes a little time to develop a good brush technique for epoxy. Epoxy is viscous so you don't want to brush it as you might a thin viscosity paint because that introduces bubbles. It's really more like smoothing it on the lure and the critical thing is to make sure your brush always has epoxy on it - you never want to be dragging a partially dry brush over the surface of the lure. I've always used flat fine bristle nylon artist brushes because I like how they smooth on the epoxy and the finer bristles tend to break any bubbles in the epoxy as you stroke it on. I rarely see any bubbles after application. I don't try to get too finicky around the line ties - I just run over them with the epoxy and use a micro drill bit in a Dremel tool to clean them off later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSilverFox Posted November 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Thanks for the replies. I don't do over 4 at a time usually. Thats about all my schedule will allow. Right now I'm using epoxy from hobby lobby. Its all the 30 min i could find. Everywhere else like lowes and walmart only had 5 min. And i had to have it. I liked it and went and got more when i was on sale. Got a couple more bottles. Like i said, i can get most of them out usually but left these to ask you guys. Long straight strokes will move most of them. The darker the lure the better you see them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
token12 Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Thanks for the replies. I don't do over 4 at a time usually. Thats about all my schedule will allow. Right now I'm using epoxy from hobby lobby. Its all the 30 min i could find. Everywhere else like lowes and walmart only had 5 min. And i had to have it. I liked it and went and got more when i was on sale. Got a couple more bottles. Like i said, i can get most of them out usually but left these to ask you guys. Long straight strokes will move most of them. The darker the lure the better you see them. Wow, I use the same stuff and haven't had any problems with it so far.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nedyarb Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 I didnt like the 30 minute epoxy from hobby lobby. It clumped up really fast and was much more difficult than devcon. Hobby lobby does sell envirotex. I prefer the bob smith 20 minute epoxy from hobbytownusa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Glenn Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 (edited) I have used several different types of epoxy and can't tell much difference in them. I use cheap nylon brushes but I brush it on thin because I don't use a turner. I do enough brushing to get an even thin coat and just let it hang to dry. I don't pay any attention to brush marks as I apply the finish. It seems to always level out and hide the brush marks. Never had a bubble problem doing it this way. One coat gives a high shine and looks great. I only apply a second coat if it is one of my musky lures. Two coats holds up better than one coat. Never tried one thick coat. Musky Glenn Edited November 13, 2014 by Musky Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted November 14, 2014 Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 If you mix in a plastic cup, you can use a hair dryer to heat the epoxy through the bottom, so it is more viscous and the bubbles can rise and break more easily. This method works for Etex. I haven't been able to use it with D2T, because of the shorter working time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CustomBaits4You Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 I use D2T. I mix it on a flat surface (generally a sheet of paper) and then I pull it all together. I think its called folding it or somthing and it goes on good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaw Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 The 30 min epoxy hobby lobby carries is extreme power I believe. I use it and Bob Smith which is also carried by the hobby lobby here now. I seem to get more air bubbles with the extreme power and have to work on it more to get acceptable results but if I slow down and work it with a microtorch it works but I like the Bob Smith better. I usually mix in a little denatured alcohol and make sure my shop is heated up enough to cure it properly and I'm good. It may be my imagination but to me it seems I get my air bubble problems when I don't put my lures in a heat box to cure out for awhile. Still haven't mastered it but my results are far better with heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass100 Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 I heat my D2T while it is still in their tubes with a hair dryer first then I push out the epoxy and start mixing. This gets the epoxy real thin and it mixes very easy and it is so thin that the bubbles pop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Don't know why but 'they' say to breathe on an epoxy bubble and the CO2 in your breath will cause it to pop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CustomBaits4You Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 What are you guys talking about that the epoxy will Plaster of Paris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdeee Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 (edited) There is a bug on this forum that when you write p o p it turns into plaster of Paris Or It's a secret code only know by the veteran lure builders pop Edited January 23, 2015 by Jdeee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdeee Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 (edited) Pop goes the weasel Just never spell it backwards Edited January 23, 2015 by Jdeee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CustomBaits4You Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Pop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted January 24, 2015 Report Share Posted January 24, 2015 Or you can spell p o p like this. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted January 24, 2015 Report Share Posted January 24, 2015 (edited) I tried capitalizing the first letter, but that didn't work. This does: p.o.p, kinda like B.A.S.S. Edited January 24, 2015 by mark poulson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
