Problem with top coat liquid glass or 2-part epoxy

[11panos04]

Good evening and I found you. For some time now I have been trying to make an amateur bait for lrf with balsa wood. I have problems with the final coating of epoxy or liquid glass. The procedure I follow is the following: After I shape the wood, etc. I put the weights and finish with its shape, I pass it 2 times with super glue. Then I make it smooth with fine sandpaper. Then I wipe with a cloth and spray the colors. Because of low budget and no possibility to buy airbrush and special paints, I use acrylic sprays (I find morris ones in the local store), in layers, with a 50 minute break between each layer. After some time, I spray 2 coats of acrylic varnish to paint. The problem starts now... I tried to leave it so the varnish will dry for a few hours, I even tried for a whole day, but the point is that then I pass the 2-component epoxy or the liquid glass and put it in the device that turns it slowly. The problem is that it forms those wrinkles that you see. I spread it again and again...nothing...I even tried heating the epoxy or the liquid glass,still nothing.Any help will be much appreciated,i have destroyed many lures like that.

[ctom]

Welcome to the Do-It forums!

What I see in the pictures makes me think your trouble starts right after you've sprayed the colors, so just a couple thoughts here.

First, I'd seal the bare balsa with a couple, maybe three damp coats of clear acrylic spray leaving each coat to dry thoroughly, then lightly sand with fine sandpaper before applying the next coat. Leave the super glue out of the equation. After the last coat of clear and the sanding is done, wipe the lure down with a soft cloth dampened with some rubbing alcohol, dry well and then apply your colors. Once the colors are dry, simply spray a couple of coats of your clear acrylic as a top coat.

I suspect on the bait in the pictures that the epoxy is reacting with the acrylic colors causing them to loosen and slide on the base finish. I'd just stay away from the epoxy until you can determine if it and the acrylics you are using play good together.