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This Rapala 11 Minnow is a good candidate for a quick makeover. It has seen more than its share of action over the years - but still has some fight left in her. The appearance has dulled, the hooks have rusted, and it even has a nasty scrape on the back. Sometimes toothy fish such as gars nip at these baits, causing pin holes and scratches. We can fix that. Begin the refurbishment process by first removing all of the hardware. |
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The scrape on the back needs immediate attention. Fortunately, the scrape is not in the area where the foil meets the paint, so we can get away with just lightly dabbing some enamel on the affected area in lieu of using an airbrush or aerosol (see CH3). |
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After the paint has dried, sand the entire exterior with 600 grit sandpaper. Rapalas have a gloss coating. What you want to do is "buff" the outer layer in order to prep for the next coat. Pay special attention to the lip area. Even though it is transparent, sand all surfaces until the lip appears cloudy. "That looks worse than before!", you may say. True, but it is only temporary. The coating we are about to add will hide all of the "dullness". Most lure manufacturers do not coat the lip, however, you will not have a problem if the lip if it is correctly preped. |
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Flex Coat Ultra-V high Build works well to seal coat lures. This is the same epoxy used to glue the eyelets on many fishing rods. It is available in syringes for small jobs such as this from the rod & reel section of most tackle shops. Some other choices are available, such as Crystal Sheen, Devcon and Envirotex. Mix thoroughly! Follow the instructions included. |
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Wipe the sanding dust from the lure with a damp cloth and allow to dry. Suspend the lure with wire (paperclips work well) through the nose and tail eyelets. |
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If you do not have a lure rotator, fashion a makeshift one into a forked object (wood or stiff "coat hanger" wire). Fasten the lure between the two forks (click to enlarge). |
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Apply a liberal coat of epoxy to all lure surfaces. Rotate for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the epoxy to evenly coat (3 to 5 RPM). |
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Stop the motion and allow the lure to rest horizontally (back down) for about 90 seconds. Wipe away the excess drips and rotate for 2 to 3 minutes again. |
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Air bubbles are problematic with mixed epoxy. Allowing the epoxy to dry with bubbles is noticable in the final product. By waving a propane torch over the uncured epoxy, the air bubbles are released. Notice that the blue flame (inner cone) is surrounded by an outer cone. It is this outer cone that needs to contact the lure surface (only for an intstant!) |
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Stop the rotation and position the lure vertically. Without stoping your motion, wave the torch two or three times along the length of the lure back. Do the same to the underside and two sides. Bubbles collect especially on the lip - give both sides of the lip extra attention. Resume rotation, periodically checking for bubbles. |
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For Flex Coat, follow these guidelines: after the "torch treatment" (1) rotate for 15 minutes. (2) Stop and rest the lure vertically with the head down. Allow excess epoxy to drip to the end and wipe away. (3) Turn 180 degrees (tail down) and allow resin to flow downward (for about 3 to 4 minutes). (4) Rotate another 15 minutes, and repeat steps (2) and (3) - but this time let the lure rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Depending upon the temperature and humidity, you should be able to stop rotation (continuous rotation leaves lumps in the center). Repeat steps (2) and (3) for the next hour, and leave in a final resting position with the tail down. AFTER curing for 24 hours, rotate under heat lamps for an hour (optional). WATCH VIDEO! (1.18 MB) |
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The excess epoxy can now be removed with a die grinder and razor knife. |
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Use a 1/8" end mill (or router) bit to shave the epoxy from the wire eyelets. |
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A razor knife is handy for completing the job. |
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Add some new hooks & split rings, and this lure is ready for more abuse. |
| Next Chapter - see how to add that classic "Rapala" foil coat to any lure. Go To Ch. 2 | |
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(since 11/29/03) |
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- Presented for Alamo Area Anglers - |
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Copyright © 2003 River City Tackle Crafters. This copyright grants reproduction for personal, non-commercial use only. |
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