# blade paint peeling off



## LmitingOut (Mar 11, 2011)

painted a bunch of clolrodo blades this winter. I have noticed that some when wet are bubbling or just straight peeling right off. 

I wiped them down with denatured alcohol before I painted. I used createx watar colors. I epoxyed them also.

anybody tell me what could of happened?


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## firstflight111 (May 22, 2008)

LmitingOut said:


> painted a bunch of clolrodo blades this winter. I have noticed that some when wet are bubbling or just straight peeling right off.
> 
> I wiped them down with denatured alcohol before I painted. I used createx watar colors. I epoxyed them also.
> 
> anybody tell me what could of happened?


take fine grit sandpaper skuf them up gives the paint something to hold on to


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## promag (Aug 21, 2011)

Did you bake after paint cure? 

promag


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## cadman (Jan 25, 2009)

If you used epoxy on the paint, and the epoxy has been compromised from hitting rocks and such, that is exactly what is happening. If you are going to want your blades to last you should use powder paint. You can even epoxy the powder paint, however you don't have to because powder paint is very durable. The only drawback to powder paint is that you can't get all the definition like an air brush. Another thing you can do if you are set up for it is use lacquer paint. Createx water paint is not going to work for blades. I've been down this road already.................Good Luck.


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## walleyevision (Aug 4, 2005)

Krylon Fusion primer works real well as a base coat. I use that under createx. Were they completely dry before epoxy coat?

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## LmitingOut (Mar 11, 2011)

promag said:


> Did you bake after paint cure?
> 
> promag


I put a blowdryer on them for 5 minutes

Its not from hitting rocks, I know that for sure




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## promag (Aug 21, 2011)

200-250 for 10-15 min might do the trick. The sand paper scuffing will help also.

promag


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## CarpetBagger (Sep 21, 2009)

This is probably the problem...Generally I wait minimum 24 hours to topcoat...Or possibly a bad batch of epoxy???

I never etch my blades with any thinner, sandpaper, alcohol, ect...and i never heat set...I simply paint a pile of blades let them sit a few days then clear coat...never had any issues...



walleyevision said:


> Krylon Fusion primer works real well as a base coat. I use that under createx. Were they completely dry before epoxy coat?
> 
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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

I had the same problem on my lures...tops were bubbling up...I was being too impatient and sealing the paint too quickly...essentially sealing in non-visible moisture....and when the lures were encountering temp. changes, the moisture was seeking a way out and blistering the top coat. 

There are a couple solutions....One, you can hit the paint with a hair dryer or heat gun to heat set and dry the paint thoroughly before applying any top coats...however, go easy on heat and don't apply too much or the paint begins to bubble from the heat (theres a fine line there). Two, let the paint thoroughly dry at least 24 hrs in a room temp dry atmosphere. The paint should not feel sticky to the touch at all....it can take longer on metallic surfaces...everything reacts differently to everything alse...lol


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## CarpetBagger (Sep 21, 2009)

You will see the blade looks very very dull to the eye...you can even touch the blade and paint and not have any worries about the paint coming off...then its time to clear...

I do the same with my crank repaints...


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## LmitingOut (Mar 11, 2011)

thanks for the tips guys


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## CarpetBagger (Sep 21, 2009)

also keep in mind that evnthough the epoxy might say 30min...It takes longer than that to fully cure rock hard, and if there is any place where there is a small void in the epoxy and water gets under there, forget about it...I learned the hard way on a batch of blades I did last year trying to hurry the process...take your time...its the only way to get it done properly...Everytime I hurry a paint job I screw up and am unhappy with the final product...


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## LmitingOut (Mar 11, 2011)

CarpetBagger said:


> also keep in mind that evnthough the epoxy might say 30min...It takes longer than that to fully cure rock hard, and if there is any place where there is a small void in the epoxy and water gets under there, forget about it...I learned the hard way on a batch of blades I did last year trying to hurry the process...take your time...its the only way to get it done properly...Everytime I hurry a paint job I screw up and am unhappy with the final product...


I think the water is getting through from the edges of the epoxy or its the epoxy itself


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## Walleye 3 (Jul 2, 2005)

What clear coat are you using? What do you recommend?

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## dmills4124 (Apr 9, 2008)

The winner of this problem is....... Sanding to skuff the surface which will allow/give the paint a molecular area to bond to, without the sanding/skuffing the paint will peel or sluff off. No matter how much epoxy you cover it with its not going to hold. You might be able to seal the blades in a block of acrylic to keep the paint on, but I think you may loose the way it should spin. Just sand with fine grit, clean and paint/finish your project.
JMHO
donm


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## Downriver Tackle (Jan 13, 2009)

It all starts with the first layer of paint. If that doesn't stick, the rest is futile. The bubbling is probably moisture sealed in there because they weren't cured completely, or water is wicking in through a chip or the edges. If you don't have good adhesion on that first layer, water will creep in under the clear. A few tips.

- Not all blanks are created equal. Who knows what type of clear they are sealed with. Some blanks have clear on them with waxes or silicone in the clear for scratch resistance. Those additives make it very difficult to adhere to. Some are powder coated. Another thing that's hard to adhere to. Always wash you blanks first in rubbing alcohol or windex and rinse with HOT water to remove any waxes, silicones, or oils. Find a good blank and stick with it. I've seen some that you just can't get anything to adhere to. 

- Scuffing will definitely help greatly, but not necessary if you do your homework. Pick a brand of blank you like to use then start experimenting. Try different primers and clears over the blank, cure, then see how well the first layer adheres. When you get something that adheres well, move to the colors. See how well the colors adhere to the primer coat. HINTS*** Colors will adhere much better to a flat primer. If what's sticking to the blank is gloss, try dry spraying it to texture the surface and dull the finish a bit to give the Createx it's best shot at adhering well. Sometimes you don't want the primer coat to be fully cured before you apply Createx. Being waterbased, there isn't much in it to "bite" into the primer layer. Leaving the primer partially cured lets the primer grab the Createx from underneath when you cure those two layers together. Once you get the colors to adhere to the primer, cook that Createx on there! 300F for 10-15 minutes will drive any water out, bond the two layers together, and give you a good surface to apply clear to. 

- Now for the clear. If you're using epoxy, you should be all set. Clear and enjoy. I'm not a fan of epoxy on blades or spoons because it weighs them down to much, so I opt for sprayable clears. If you go that route, go with thin layers. The extra time it takes to apply the additional coats will be made up by a much faster curing cycle. Done correctly, you should be able to use your blade the same day you paint it.


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## Walleye 3 (Jul 2, 2005)

Downtown, what type of spray clear coat do you use? That is the route I am looking to go.

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## Downriver Tackle (Jan 13, 2009)

A waterborne epoxy I formulated. Only thing I found that sprayed that got the job done I wanted was 2-part auto urethane. Too nasty to deal with, so I started using regular epoxy. Too thick, heavy, and sloppy, so I made a waterborne baked on epoxy clear. I think component systems has something similar. They have a new air dry one that I've heard was OK, but they did have an older version that you baked on. Huge advantage with them is that they don't yellow like other epoxies and get as hard as powdercoat, but in a thin film, so it does stay flexible. The drawback is that they contain formaldehyde.


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