Da big tuna Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 SO I finally used my last can up. and I'm set to receive a new one Monday . I'm wondering if anyone has a picture of a tapped can? Having a hard time visualizing that. My last batch i transferred to a canning jar with a lid and used Bloxegon on top. I only paint in winter and was able to get one year out of my last can before it went bad. Not sure if thats good or not. My last dipping session put the final hurt on it. Does dipping cause the hurt? Being im a part time painter I should find a different top coat but it works for me so well I hate to change . Does auto clear have the same challenges ? Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 One year out of a can of DN when dipping lures is pretty good - and yes, dipping causes moisturized DN to fall back into the jar, shortening the life of the DN left in the jar. Auto clears do have some challenges - they're very toxic so require stringent safety precautions like a mask rated to protect against solvents, positive ventilation of the work area. I can't speak to how they perform on a lure since I don't use them, but there have been both positive and negative results reported here on TU. Auto clears considered durable enough for lures are usually two-part products, so there is inherent waste in that method when they exceed their "pot life". There are other candidates for topcoating like solvent based concrete sealers like AC1315, UV cured polyester resins like Solarez. The AC1315 is probably the closest choice to how you have been using DN - you can dip lures, it's a very thin coating, and it is not as sensitive to exposure to moisture, air, etc. But my gut feeling is that it's also not as durable as DN, which to me is the "World Class" topcoat. I also have a new can of DN and plan to use 'tap the can' to dispense it. I'll switch to brushing a quick coat on the lure, then hanging the lure up to let the excess drip off and allow the DN to cure for 2-3 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 I've been brushing out of the same DN can for over a yr now. Just punch a hole near the bottom on the side of the can and screw in a self tapping screw/bolt. After you take it in and out a couple of times the clear will seal around the screw. I pull the screw and let my finish run in to another container and brush it on quickly. Load your brush up good and start at one end letting the finish run down and keep your actual brushing to a minimum. I use AC1315 some too but the smell is awful plus it takes two coats for my taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Da big tuna Posted February 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Thanks . I think I'm on the right path . Feels good for a change..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 (edited) Here ya go Big Tuna. The way I do this is to turn the can upside down and then poke a small hole in the side of the can at the bottom. Which is now the top with the can turned upside down. I poke a small hole with an ice pick, or something similar, and then thread in a self tapping screw. By using a self tapping screw in a small hole the screw will only make an opening as large as it needs. If you try drilling a hole you might get a looser fit and will lose more product before it seals itself. While the can is still upside down I spray some Bloxygen into the can. This way when the can is turned right side up it will have a blanket of Bloxygen resting on top of the DN. Once the bottom screw is installed and tightened finger tight I turn the can right side up and repeat the process on top of the can. This allows the can to vent without sucking air up through the bottom spout. This is just added insurance that the DN doesn't come into contact with moisture laden air. The can in the picture was "tapped" over a year ago and it is still just as fresh as the day I got it. Just remember to be careful when you tighten the screw since the walls of the can are extremely thin and the hole can be stripped if tightened too hard. One thing I do to give the screw more bite is to take a scrap piece of Lexan and heat it with my heat gun until it is soft enough to be formed to the can. Once the Lexan is curved to fit the can it is then roughed up with sandpaper to give the epoxy more bite. The area where the can is to be tapped is also roughed up with sandpaper. The Lexan is then epoxied to the can. Should you decide to do this extra step just be sure to do it before the can is tapped. This way you will be drilling a small hole through the side of the can and the Lexan at the same time. By gluing the Lexan to the side of the can you can tighten the screw a little more without fear of stripping the hole. The only thing about doing it this way is that you will have to brush the DN onto your baits as pouring enough into a jar is going to be wasteful since whatever amount is poured into a dipping jar is going to be exposed to the humidity in the air and the curing process will be started. Hope this helps answer your question and if you need clarification on any of the steps above just holler and I'll try to help. Ben Edited February 13, 2015 by RayburnGuy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Da big tuna Posted February 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 Thanks RayburnGuyYou always come through for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 Always glad to pass along what I've learned here at TU Big Tuna. If you run into any problems just holler. On another note, when I posted the picture I noticed it didn't show the Lexan epoxied to the spot where the hole was placed. The screw in the bottom of the can in the picture is one where the threads had been stripped out. That hole finally quit leaking and that's when I came up with the idea of adding the Lexan. Unfortunately that hole was on the opposite side of the can when I took the picture. If need be I can take another picture showing the Lexan stiffener. Just let me know. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Glenn Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 Very well explained Rayburn Guy. Musky Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 Thanks Glenn. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Predator Bass Baits Posted February 20, 2015 Report Share Posted February 20, 2015 Rayburnguy, Do you use bloxygen on the top hole after every time you use ? seeing when opening both ends it would draw air in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted February 20, 2015 Report Share Posted February 20, 2015 Rayburnguy, Do you use bloxygen on the top hole after every time you use ? seeing when opening both ends it would draw air in. The only time I use Bloxygen is during the initial tapping of the can Jim. My reasoning behind this is that once there's a layer of Bloxygen resting on the surface of the DN I don't want to disturb it by squirting more Bloxygen into the can and creating a swirling effect with any air in the can. I also take care when handling the can so it doesn't get shaken. This is not to say you need to handle it like nitroglycerin, but just don't turn the can upside down or shake the crap out of it. I've had my present can of DN for about a year and it's just as fresh now as the day I tapped the can. Ben 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
