jcheetam

Did he send you the bait to paint, or is it one you bought, painted and then sold?

I have to second what everyone is saying about the new DNs. I was a little surprised when I looked at my sample because it isn't very clear (In fact, it's pretty cloudy). That being said, it dries very clear and so far (to me) seems pretty durable. For me, it was dry to touch in under an hour, but that is with very thin coats. There are some fumes, but no where near Dick's original formula. All that being said, I would like to wait a couple weeks and give it some time to cure before I really put it to the test. As of right now, two thumbs up.

I've been using the same quart can for over two years using the screw-in tap. It hasn't cured yet. I have probably an eight of a can left (maybe more).

Go to the dollar store and look for bug collecting nets (butterfly nets). They all have different size and shape scaling. I use it for most of the baits I paint up. Depending on how many baits you paint, it can last a really long time. This is an example of what it looks like:

For off-the-shelf baits where you can't disassemble them, I suspend the bait using a hacksaw frame. Twist some wire on the rear hook hanger and line tie, pull tight, and it will keep the bait straight with little to no play in the hinges. Use a brush to carefully brush your clearcoat, and you're good to go. I also use this set up when painting them.

How's this? This was the best pic I found when searching for it last year.