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painting eyes on lures

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al49 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote al49 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: painting eyes on lures
    Posted: 02 Jun 2017 at 6:20pm


was wondering what methods you makers use to paint the eyes on your lures ,I have a few different methods but getting a consistent same size eye on each lure isa prob I have cut down small paint brush handles with different width circles but still cant get consistency with the paint that is being put on the lure .this is making the eyes turn out diff sizes each time cheers AL
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Ces View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Ces Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jun 2017 at 7:32pm
Back end of different sized drill bits work pretty well. Paint thickness is important too.

The best tip I've had is to not actually touch the bit to the lure but it takes practice to get consistent sizes.

Good luck mate.

Ces.
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bignanny View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote bignanny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jun 2017 at 8:13pm
Al i use different size circle stickers that i place on my white undercoated bodies. After i finish putting the colour on the circle stickers come off and you have consistent perfectly round eye's. I then use a cotton bud to dot the pupils. Its important to get your bud soaked in paint and make sure your paint is thinned. Just practice that until you know how much to thin the paint and how much pressure to use while dotting your eyes. You'll get the hang of it. Also make sure your circle stickers are stuck firmly around the edge otherwise you wont end up with a sharp line on the outer eye. You can buy 4mm 6mm 8mm dots in bulk on line cheaply. Hope this helps. Regards Chris 
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Ces View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Ces Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jun 2017 at 4:57am
This is a great idea Chris!

How do you peel off the dots without damaging the paint? Knife? Fingers?

Also interesting that when I use the drill bits I don't want to thin my paint at all. Even some of the lower pigment opaque colours (I use createx mostly) would be too thin straight out of the bottle. Yellow, Red, White and Black work pretty well for me out of the bottle.

I have to say, I've found the variation of painted eyes frustrating and have moved to customised stick-on, holographic eyes. I paint them, epoxy coat then glue them into carved recesses in the lure before top coating the whole lure. Having said this, I'm well aware that oversized, dotted and painted eyes are one of the hallmarks of Australian lure design and I take my hat off to those who persevere, as the result is unique and truly great.

I do plan to paint eyes on protos and small runs as I'm also moving to moulded lures for 'completed' designs, so I'll have to give the cotton bud a go. Less paint to wipe off when I screw it up, I reckon.

Thanks for the tip mate.

Ces.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote bignanny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jun 2017 at 11:52am
Hi ces i was acrylic lacquer paint so its fairly thick so needs to be thinned. Trouble is when you make a mistake the thinner goes straight through the colour into the primer and the lure has to be repainted. I use a blunt spike to carefully peel off the stickers. The ones i use dont have a problem coming off and makes it very easy and takes a bit of risk out of getting consistent eyes.
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