Removing Paint

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Jeffbro999
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Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 7:59 am
Location: Pensacola, FL

Removing Paint

Post by Jeffbro999 » Tue Aug 20, 2019 8:11 am

Anyone have any advice on what to use to remove paint from lures? That Lucky Craft Paint is some tough stuff! Been using 90% iso alcohol mixed half and half with water. It works, but I’ve had a few of my used lures crack and fall apart. No issues with new lures, but still looking for something that works a little better. Thanks!

mark poulson
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Re: Removing Paint

Post by mark poulson » Sat Aug 24, 2019 2:00 pm

JBcrankaddict wrote:
Tue Aug 20, 2019 8:11 am
Anyone have any advice on what to use to remove paint from lures? That Lucky Craft Paint is some tough stuff! Been using 90% iso alcohol mixed half and half with water. It works, but I’ve had a few of my used lures crack and fall apart. No issues with new lures, but still looking for something that works a little better. Thanks!
I am just a hobby bait maker, and use water-based air brush paints.
If I want to strip a bait down to plastic, to get a clear bait to paint, I sand and scrape most of the paint off.
Then I do a quick dip in clean acetone (quick or it will melt the bait's plastic) and proceed with painting.
If I just want to repaint, using solid colors, I do a quick dip in acetone just to clean off any oils, and then I use Rustoleum X2 Solid White Primer as a base coat, and paint over that after 24 hours with my water-based paints.

Jeffbro999
Pro Angler
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Posts: 1952
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 7:59 am
Location: Pensacola, FL

Re: Removing Paint

Post by Jeffbro999 » Sat Aug 24, 2019 5:45 pm

mark poulson wrote:
Sat Aug 24, 2019 2:00 pm
I am just a hobby bait maker, and use water-based air brush paints.
If I want to strip a bait down to plastic, to get a clear bait to paint, I sand and scrape most of the paint off.
Then I do a quick dip in clean acetone (quick or it will melt the bait's plastic) and proceed with painting.
If I just want to repaint, using solid colors, I do a quick dip in acetone just to clean off any oils, and then I use Rustoleum X2 Solid White Primer as a base coat, and paint over that after 24 hours with my water-based paints.
Thank you Mark, you do great work sir! I just started painting as a hobby, and to give me an edge in our crystal clear inshore waters. Definitely gonna give what you said some thought and see if I can apply it to what I’m doing. What type/grit sandpaper do you use? I tried a fine sanding block once and it left lots of marks on the lure, especially back and belly. I’ve started painting lures for friends, so I want to get this right and not have to replace broken lures. The biggest issue with the Lucky Crafts is that they have scale lines that trap paint, and they are very touchy as far as changing the weight of the lure by adding paint, especially jerkbaits. For some reason I wasn’t thinking about Acetone :doh: and will give that a try next time.

mark poulson
TT Pro Angler
TT Pro Angler
Posts: 2745
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2007 6:28 am
Location: NorCal

Re: Removing Paint

Post by mark poulson » Sat Aug 24, 2019 9:39 pm

JBcrankaddict wrote:
Sat Aug 24, 2019 5:45 pm
mark poulson wrote:
Sat Aug 24, 2019 2:00 pm
I am just a hobby bait maker, and use water-based air brush paints.
If I want to strip a bait down to plastic, to get a clear bait to paint, I sand and scrape most of the paint off.
Then I do a quick dip in clean acetone (quick or it will melt the bait's plastic) and proceed with painting.
If I just want to repaint, using solid colors, I do a quick dip in acetone just to clean off any oils, and then I use Rustoleum X2 Solid White Primer as a base coat, and paint over that after 24 hours with my water-based paints.
Thank you Mark, you do great work sir! I just started painting as a hobby, and to give me an edge in our crystal clear inshore waters. Definitely gonna give what you said some thought and see if I can apply it to what I’m doing. What type/grit sandpaper do you use? I tried a fine sanding block once and it left lots of marks on the lure, especially back and belly. I’ve started painting lures for friends, so I want to get this right and not have to replace broken lures. The biggest issue with the Lucky Crafts is that they have scale lines that trap paint, and they are very touchy as far as changing the weight of the lure by adding paint, especially jerkbaits. For some reason I wasn’t thinking about Acetone :doh: and will give that a try next time.
That's kind of you to say. Just take it slow with the acetone. Once I sand as much as I can off with 120 grit, I do another sanding with 220, and then with 400 wet or dry paper. If there is paint stuck in details I try and get it out with an exacto knife or a pick. Finally, I do a very quick acetone dip, and let it drip dry. I can get most of the paint off that way before I repaint. I have done this with Orbit 80 jerkbaits, and, as long as I stick with thin coats of paint and a thin top coat, like a concrete sealer, they still suspend.
I don't do this any more, because there are so many cheap plastic knock offs available that I don't need to.
Just be sure to tell your friends, up front, that repainting lures is not an exact science, and you can't guarantee anything, except that you will do your best.

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