Custom Painting(Airbrushing) Your Baits

[troutgnat]

Gentlemen,

I have been researching this on the forum archives and have found some info but very little. Let me first say I know several of you on here do some custom work on the side and I am not looking to compete or steal any business! This is for my pleasure only. I, for years have tied my own flies, crappie jigs, etc. and have recently begun making my own bass tackle. I have an artists' eye for detail and would like to add this technique to my tackle making arsenal. Not to mention I am one of those guys who bought-in on the original warts on clearance at BPS back in the day. I have 2 370 boxes full and not many left of the good colors I like to fish. Anyway,

For those of you who have experience please share. I have done alot of research on the internet but very little is actually provided on painting hard baits. Please send details. I would like to learn of the following:

-your equipment(airbrush and compressor).....I am currently looking at the Iwata Eclipse series

-best airbrush for fine detail and broad work

-what do you use and where to find stencils for baitfish patterns, etc.

-what finish remover do you use to remove paints from old baits

-what's your best or favorite brand of paint

-what's your favorite mix, lacquer, epoxy, etc. for topcoating your finish

Well, sorry for all the questions but I trying to prepare myself to do it right the first time for ease of learning! Thank you all for your advice and comments. This will be my new hobbie all winter long!

PS: Ph

[Flysmallie]

You can't go wrong with an Iwata brush. They make some very fine airbrushes. As far as getting the fine detail it's all about the tip and needle in the brush. You can buy different sizes to suit your needs and they are very easy to change them out in the brush as you need them.

As far as stencils I have not seen a lot that cover baitfish patterns. Some of the best I have see are just homemade. I have used a lot of different materials to create pattern and the most useful is a pair of fishnet stockings. These are a really quick way to create the scales on a bait.

I have never removed the old finish from a bait. The most problem you will have is the products that remove paint also do a pretty good job of softening the plastic that crank baits are made of. I use a fine grit sandpaper to remove and nicks or seams and then a fine scotchbrite scuff pad to prep the bait for painting. A quick coat of primer from a spray can will give you a uniform color to work with.

I have always used automotive paint because that's the business that I'm in, but I hear a lot of good things about Createx paints. These are available at most art and hobby stores and is probably safer to use than auto paint. On clears I have used auto clear and epoxy. The auto clear and other sprayed clears give you a very nice look but they are not very thick and don't give the durability of an epoxy.

Darren I think you called and spoke to my wife the other day. Sorry that was my old cell phone number. I'm no pro at this by any means and don't do it much any more, but if you want to discuss any of this shoot me a PM and I'll get you my correct number.

It's all about just getting started and being very patient in the process. It will take some time to get used to the air brush but if you stick with it you will be able to create some very nice baits. Good luck.

[Tfsh4bass]

I get a lot of enjoyment painting my own baits especially those that actually catch some fish. I don't do cranks as much as I do my own spinnerbaits and jigs but I do some. I would recommend just about any name brand gravity feed airbrush because you waste a lot less paint that way plus cheap is well cheap. Just like flysmallie I lightly sand crank and then add primer...use Krylon Fusion. I use Createx paint and Devcon 2 Ton 30 minute Epoxy. Just make sure your coats of paint are light and let dry completely before adding another coat. Also, the same with the Epoxy you will want very thin coats and I put 3 layers on with 24hrs between each one and then 7-10 days or longer before they touch the water. I am far from a crank painting expert and just do some stuff for myself.

I just finished this Pointer 100 getting ready for next spring

[abkeenan]

There is A TON! of information regarding all your questions at http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/forum/13-hard-baits/ . I thought i might get into trying to paint my own lure blanks but 1. realized i sucked at it, 2. wasn't all that cost effective as i had originally thought and 3. that i should stick to letting the companies/pros with decades of experience making them for me and then purchasing them. As far as paint i gathered that Createx was the most popular and painters favored it more than any other paint. As far as top coat which was and is still a very hot topic with airbrush lure painting, i think Dick Nites might be the best choice with a close 2nd being Devcon 2Ton with the longer set time (not 5 minute kind). Don't know why that is but that is what i gathered. Some guys said the Devcon yellowed after a certain amount of time (not sure how long, years?). Don't know about remover. With scaling stencils lots of guys use minnow nets. I found that the $1 loofahs at walmart make a fine scale pattern and for a buck you cant beat it. Just kind of have to keep you eye out for stuff that looks like it might work for what you need. Hope this helps a little.

-Brett

[motoman]

I've only been at it since last winter, but I started with spray paint to see if I liked it. I was quickly addicted.

-

I stepped up to an airbrush (Harbor Freight 2-stage cheapy @ $15, and still use it, but will upgrade soon). 2-stage is very critical to control paint/air flow. I also recommend a gravity feed brush. The Harbor Freight one is not, so I just turn it upside down and drip paint into it. Each crank only requires a few drips of paint for color. I went with the Harbor Freight for starters so I didn't have lot invested, in case I strayed from it. But any of the Iwata/Badger and several others are great. The Harbor Freight one has a .35 mm tip; which is a good all around tip size for detail work, to broad work.

-

For a compressor, I just use my 30 gallon Campbell Hausfeld in the garage set between 15-40 psi. (depending on colors/viscosity) I use Createx and Auto-Air, both water based and Createx is available at Hobby Lobby and Michaels which are both within 20 minutes of me. The beauty of these also, are that you need very little ventilation. I still wear a mask, as the paint is finely atomized; but you don't have the fumes with automotive style paints. (serious ventilation needed for those paints! )

-

I use sandpaper 400 grit to rough up old cranks, then down to 600 if they're really boogered up and have a lot of old paint to remove. Then just alcohol for painting. If they have a good topcoat still, just scotchpad them for some abrasive surface for the paint to adhere too.

-

As far as stencils, as mentioned, any type of mesh material/veil works. But, Janns Netcraft sells scale masking. (plastic mesh bags that small tomatos come in works good too!) I'll try and attach a pic of some stencisl I made. I just made copies of Lucky Craft/Rapala/Megabass cranks, and use an exacto knife to cut out the pattern I want to shoot paint through.

-

As far as topcoat. I started using Devcon 2-Ton. It MUST be the 30 minute set time, and you MUST mix the Resin and Hardener thoroughly and evenly (available at ACE hardware cheap). The 30 minute stuff actually only gives you a few minutes to brush it all on, before it starts setting up. You will need to have something to turn the lure on overnight to prevent drips from the topcoat. I used an old BBQ rotisserie, and put alligator clips on it. It SLOWLY turns the cranks until the topcoat sets up nicely to where it won't drip. (I've moved on to Dick Nites clear topcoat, but that stuff is a bit tricky to store; but that's a whole other conversation; I'll try and keep things simple for now.

-

I occasionally paint spinnerbaits and blades; but that opens a whole other can of worms.

-

There are certainly FAR better painters than I, but these are some things I've learned in my trials and tribulations. Patience is the key for good results. I can't emphasize that enough!

-

Sorry to rattle on and hog the thread. Just trying to help. I'll shut up now. Feel free to IM me or e-mail me if needed.

-

Here's some pix of stuff I've done along the way with Createx and the Harbor Freight $15 brush.

-

Here's 2 Vision 110 style blanks I painted. (I know, they're a bit out there)

An experimental Pointer blank.

First set of claws and craw side I painted on from a stencil I made. (claws from a Megabass/Lucky Craft pic and craw side from a Rapala)

A couple similar RC 3.5 repaints. (with bleeding gills)

[troutgnat]

I've only been at it since last winter, but I started with spray paint to see if I liked it. I was quickly addicted.

-

I stepped up to an airbrush (Harbor Freight 2-stage cheapy @ $15, and still use it, but will upgrade soon). 2-stage is very critical to control paint/air flow. I also recommend a gravity feed brush. The Harbor Freight one is not, so I just turn it upside down and drip paint into it. Each crank only requires a few drips of paint for color. I went with the Harbor Freight for starters so I didn't have lot invested, in case I strayed from it. But any of the Iwata/Badger and several others are great. The Harbor Freight one has a .35 mm tip; which is a good all around tip size for detail work, to broad work.

-

For a compressor, I just use my 30 gallon Campbell Hausfeld in the garage set between 15-40 psi. (depending on colors/viscosity) I use Createx and Auto-Air, both water based and Createx is available at Hobby Lobby and Michaels which are both within 20 minutes of me. The beauty of these also, are that you need very little ventilation. I still wear a mask, as the paint is finely atomized; but you don't have the fumes with automotive style paints. (serious ventilation needed for those paints! )

-

I use sandpaper 400 grit to rough up old cranks, then down to 600 if they're really boogered up and have a lot of old paint to remove. Then just alcohol for painting. If they have a good topcoat still, just scotchpad them for some abrasive surface for the paint to adhere too.

-

As far as stencils, as mentioned, any type of mesh material/veil works. But, Janns Netcraft sells scale masking. (plastic mesh bags that small tomatos come in works good too!) I'll try and attach a pic of some stencisl I made. I just made copies of Lucky Craft/Rapala/Megabass cranks, and use an exacto knife to cut out the pattern I want to shoot paint through.

-

As far as topcoat. I started using Devcon 2-Ton. It MUST be the 30 minute set time, and you MUST mix the Resin and Hardener thoroughly and evenly (available at ACE hardware cheap). The 30 minute stuff actually only gives you a few minutes to brush it all on, before it starts setting up. You will need to have something to turn the lure on overnight to prevent drips from the topcoat. I used an old BBQ rotisserie, and put alligator clips on it. It SLOWLY turns the cranks until the topcoat sets up nicely to where it won't drip. (I've moved on to Dick Nites clear topcoat, but that stuff is a bit tricky to store; but that's a whole other conversation; I'll try and keep things simple for now.

-

I occasionally paint spinnerbaits and blades; but that opens a whole other can of worms.

-

There are certainly FAR better painters than I, but these are some things I've learned in my trials and tribulations. Patience is the key for good results. I can't emphasize that enough!

-

Sorry to rattle on and hog the thread. Just trying to help. I'll shut up now. Feel free to IM me or e-mail me if needed.

-

Here's some pix of stuff I've done along the way with Createx and the Harbor Freight $15 brush.

-

Here's 2 Vision 110 style blanks I painted. (I know, they're a bit out there)

An experimental Pointer blank.

First set of claws and craw side I painted on from a stencil I made. (claws from a Megabass/Lucky Craft pic and craw side from a Rapala)

A couple similar RC 3.5 repaints.

Motoman,

if I can accomplish even 1/2 of what you have here in just over a year I would be impressed with myself. Wow, great job on the crankbaits. As fine as what you would see on the shelf at Bass Pro. Thanks for your info. To you and everyone for the information share so far. I can see I am going to get addicted!

If I can even do 1/2 of what you've accomplished in just over a u

[motoman]

Motoman,

if I can accomplish even 1/2 of what you have here in just over a year I would be impressed with myself. Wow, great job on the crankbaits. As fine as what you would see on the shelf at Bass Pro. Thanks for your info. To you and everyone for the information share so far. I can see I am going to get addicted!

-Thanks for the kudos trout, but I've got a ways to go. I'm not real good with fine details........yet. Although I say that, forgetting I'm not getting any younger, and I don't have a real steady hand as it is. Airbrushing cranks is a GREAT winter hobby! That's how I got started.

[Billfo]

motoman ::: OMG you have got to be kidding !!! Those baits look great. BETTER than the Norman & Strike Kings !!! Looks like you may have an off season moneymaker if you chose to !! NICE WORK !