WUMFL Posted April 21, 2023 Report Share Posted April 21, 2023 Hey builders! Finished up my wood glide a bunch of a weeks back and used oil based polyurethane (2 coatings) and took the bait out to try and land my first one on it, and it starts to sink after a few casts (it was tuned to be a float, and was floating when I first started in the day). Got mad and decided I would fix it once and for all, and gave the whole bait a thick epoxy coating on top of the polyurethane. Seemed like it was working, then the next day it started sinking all over again. Any idea why this may be happening? I just can’t get the damn bait to not take on water! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HandKrafted Baits Posted April 21, 2023 Report Share Posted April 21, 2023 2 coats of polyurethane should usually seal the wood pretty well as well as a coat of epoxy. A variable that could play a role is water temperature changing from start of the day to end of the day. If that bait is right on the line of sinking and floating a change in water temp could be enough to make it sink. WUMFL and flaswimbaiter 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HandKrafted Baits Posted April 21, 2023 Report Share Posted April 21, 2023 Also using a precise scale to weight a bait before and after fishing it will tell how much water it is truly taking in. WUMFL and flaswimbaiter 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azsouth Posted April 21, 2023 Report Share Posted April 21, 2023 I don't coat the bait, to many possible failures! soak the bait in whatever you are using to seal it. Note: when soaking a bait you will watch it bubble for quite a while, when it's done bubbling pull it out let it thoroughly dry and repeat. WUMFL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WUMFL Posted April 21, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2023 8 minutes ago, azsouth said: I don't coat the bait, to many possible failures! soak the bait in whatever you are using to seal it. Note: when soaking a bait you will watch it bubble for quite a while, when it's done bubbling pull it out let it thoroughly dry and repeat. Gotcha. I’d been using a brush to paint on the polyurethane, so maybe thats my problem. Too bad I only bought a small can! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WUMFL Posted April 21, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2023 2 hours ago, HandKrafted Baits said: 2 coats of polyurethane should usually seal the wood pretty well as well as a coat of epoxy. A variable that could play a role is water temperature changing from start of the day to end of the day. If that bait is right on the line of sinking and floating a change in water temp could be enough to make it sink. This could be the case, but I’d be surprised that it would change it that much. The bait originally floated pretty well so it was surprising to see it sinking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flaswimbaiter Posted April 22, 2023 Report Share Posted April 22, 2023 That’s doesn’t make sense, a bait sealed like that should not take on water unless you have a crack or water is soaking in where the hardware is attached or in the joints. Superglue is a pain but I believe nothing seals better. I use it for experimental baits, baits I am going to mold I use the polyurethane. WUMFL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Epp Posted April 22, 2023 Report Share Posted April 22, 2023 Like @azsouth I usually dunk my baits to seal them. I usually use minwax penetrating wood hardener. WUMFL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WUMFL Posted April 22, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2023 (edited) 4 hours ago, flaswimbaiter said: That’s doesn’t make sense, a bait sealed like that should not take on water unless you have a crack or water is soaking in where the hardware is attached or in the joints. Superglue is a pain but I believe nothing seals better. I use it for experimental baits, baits I am going to mold I use the polyurethane. Thats why I came here, because it doesn’t make any sense! Maybe it could be through hardware spots, but I epoxied over those holes anyway, and used superglue originally to attach the hardware anyway. Plus, it’d be crazy for it to change that much in sink rate from a tiny spot like that! Definitely not impossible but definitely would surprise me! Been wanting to try super glue for sealing the wood too but man I hate spreading the glue with my fingers! Definitely going to try that on my next bait I think. 1 hour ago, Big Epp said: Like @azsouth I usually dunk my baits to seal them. I usually use minwax penetrating wood hardener. Seems like the minwax hardener only has these weird tall cans. Do you just dump some out and dunk it? Edited April 22, 2023 by WUMFL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flaswimbaiter Posted April 22, 2023 Report Share Posted April 22, 2023 I use disposable gloves to spread the glue, you just can’t stay in one spot too long or the glove will become part of the lure. Paper towels can also be used. I basically pour it on, spread and then sand the build up afterwards. WEAR A MASK when sanding superglue soaked wood! Big Epp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Epp Posted April 23, 2023 Report Share Posted April 23, 2023 19 hours ago, WUMFL said: Seems like the minwax hardener only has these weird tall cans. Do you just dump some out and dunk it? Yep, they are unhelpfully shaped! I usually pour it into a wide mouth mason jar. As long as I keep the rim clean the seal hold up really well! If I get a leak in the jar and don't catch it soon enough,the stuff starts to degrade (turns to jelly if I remember correctly). It seems to me a lot like dipping in superglue. I've done both,and the lures feel similar. You might get some extra protection from the superglue though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Epp Posted April 23, 2023 Report Share Posted April 23, 2023 When I seal with super glue I get the really thin stuff (pink bottle at hobby lobby) and just use the nozzle to spread it around. If I work quickly enough it doesn't stick, and then I (quickly!) wipe the tip clean too on an old towel. flaswimbaiter 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mountainryan Posted April 30, 2023 Report Share Posted April 30, 2023 Search for chefchris’s method. It can’t be done to your bait now but can on your next bait. I’ve done some tests and gotten more than 1/4 inch penetration on end grain and it makes the wood hard as rock. I use superglue on testers when I’m in a rush but it’s not as good as the other method. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flaswimbaiter Posted May 1, 2023 Report Share Posted May 1, 2023 15 hours ago, Mountainryan said: Search for chefchris’s method. It can’t be done to your bait now but can on your next bait. I’ve done some tests and gotten more than 1/4 inch penetration on end grain and it makes the wood hard as rock. I use superglue on testers when I’m in a rush but it’s not as good as the other method. I did a search and didn’t find much, do you remember the subject line? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mountainryan Posted May 1, 2023 Report Share Posted May 1, 2023 flaswimbaiter 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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