dip/dye/wax

[heritage 202]

Hi all, im hoping to run an idea i had by the more experienced trappers on the forum.........I am fully aware of the dying/dipping/waxing process that is used in trap preperation, i also fully understand that there is a need for whatever method the individual prefers as it prolongs the trap life/ makes it more effecient/camoflages it ect,ect,ect Now i know all these methods work but they were designed and used by trappers in a different climate and envoirement to our own and so may not be the best option available to us... im not looking to prompt a discussion on boiling walnut husks or oak bark but i am intrested to know if anyone has tried a more modern alternative to any of the above.....spray paint has also become more popular for a number of reasons ,but what else have you tried ?? I had a customer come into work today and it came out in conversation that he was an "applications specialist", i thought he was just a posh sprayer.....as it turns out he contracts to the military,british aerospace and also works within the food industry, the mainstay of his companys work is the application of things such as teflon and ptfe coatings, i started thinking about its potentiall and so looked for a little more information on the subject.....it seems perfect for use on traps and such like although i suspect it may be costly.......what,if any, are your thoughts on the subject ????? atb

[Matt 160]

I like Speed Dip.

 

 

 

 

It's easy to use, and as it says on the tin, it's a speedy way of protecting and improving traps.

 

 

 

 

I must get a longer fence..........

[heritage 202]

Thank you both for the great replies, from what i can see the main problem with speed dip and the like is its cost and availability, i know in the past that several people have imported these products and used them with great sucsess but wouldnt something thats readily available in the uk be a simpler (and possibly cheaper) alternative ? im not looking to start a debate on the use of these products it just that this fella got me thinking and so i thought id ask the opinion of those that are more experienced than myself before wasting too much time on further re-search,thankyou.

[Matt 160]

I've also used the 'Slippery Creek' stuff which is water based.

 

No-where near as good IMO.

 

I think there could be a new importer of speed dip soon. Watch this space.

[Axholme Ferreter 0]

The speed dip in my limited experience is very effective and no doubt protects and camoflages traps very well but I have found two minor issues with it:

Firstly traps need to be well weathered before applying it. I had some brand new ones which I boiled in bicaronate of soda but the trap dip still came off when the traps were used.

Secondly the manufacturers recommend using coleman fuel to dilute the dip I use. This costs a fortune in this country. Second best is unleaded petrol but this can tend to leave the coating a bit tacky for quite a long time especially with multiple layers.

However it is still, in my opinion, the best stuff available (if you can get it)but it would be good to hear about any alternative that anyone has found. I once heard (possibly on here) someone suggesting using some tar made for sealing joints on roads and diluting that with petrol to use as dip but I have never tried it myself.

All the best

AF

[DUCKWING 302]

WELL A.F,

 

IVE SEEN THAT STUFF USED MYSELF BY A FEW LADS ,

BOTH FOR TREATINGF TRAPS AND AS A WATERPROOF PAINT WHEN MIXED THINNER ........

 

PERSONALLY ......... I PREFER THE SPRAY PAINT , I CAN GET IT CHEAP IN SPRAY CANS .... IT LASTS .... AND ITS VERY EASY TO OVERCOAT THE NEXT SEASON .... I USE A MIX OF BOTH GWs VAUXHALL LEAF GREEN AND BLACK BOTH MATT ..........

AFTER THAT ITS A SIMPLE JOB TO DIP THE TRAPS I REQUIRE DOING WITH CANDLE WAX UNSCENTED OF COURSE !

I GET LOADS OF THESE OLD BIG CANDLES FROM PROPERTIES I WORK ON WHICH HAVE BEEN LEFT TO THROW AWAY .........

SO PRICE ISNT AN ISSUE ..........

 

ALL THE BEST

 

 

 

DUCKWING

[Rolfe 2]

Trap preparation is down to personal choice at the end of the day and if it works for you and you produce results with the finished product then that is obviously the right choice for you. I have never spray painted or speed dipped any of my spring traps so i can't really judge the difference to be honest.

 

My way of thinking is this........and this is just my opinion........that nothing keeps traps firing as sweetly as regular use in the field. I alternate between MK6 Fenns and Imbras on my rabbit jobs and i have a nice little routine that has served me well over many years of trapping that goes like this.......!

 

As an example; If i have just brought back in say 40 traps from a rabbit job, I wash any loose soil off in the water butt using a hand brush then leave them to dry. Then they get a swift rub down with a wire brush (and i mean swift i don't have time to mess about) before rubbing clear candle wax on the arms of the trap to rid them of the "Creaking" sound. Finally I apply a tiny amount of vegetable oil to the spring using a small paint brush and they are hung up in the shed ready for the next session. After constant use they become gloriously tarnished and weathered and the patina they take on is rather like a speed dip finish anyway.

 

As i said at the start.... each to his own method of preparation and if it works for you then thats all the matters at the end of the day.

 

Rolfe.

[Matt 160]

This has the making of one of those threads....

 

As Rolfe says; it's each to his/her own, but there is no doubt that many people don't bother about their traps and expect them to work well for years on end with little or no care.

 

One of the problems with water based products (like oak bark) is that you really need to boil the traps in the product, which can have an adverse effect on the springs.

 

I've never painted my traps - I'm not sure why, it could be because I've seen so many good traps covered in gloss paint hanging on pub walls - somehow it doesn't seem right... but as I say, each to his own. I know that GW and DW etc all paint their traps, and they've probably forgotten more about trapping than I'll ever know.

 

The Yanks use Coleman fluid (as suggested by AF), mainly, I think, because it's more refined, and probably evaporates quicker than petrol. The cost of coleman fluid over here means that it's not really feasible, but petrol soon evaporates in warm weather.

 

A couple of observations from me about the dipping process.

 

Firstly, the dip adheres to the traps much better when they are warm. I pressure wash mine off, and then hang them up to dry in the sunshine for a couple of hours which seems to be enough. All my traps get three coats, and then a few weeks to air off.

 

A gallon (+a quart of SD) seems to go an awfully long way. In the last few weeks I've done around a hundred spring traps, and 150 Duffus mole traps, all from a gallon.

 

There is no doubt that Speed Dip is convenient to use. The alternative is to colour the traps and then wax them, which seems like a lot of hassle to me.

[IanB 0]

If your not bothered about protection and just want to rapidly darken traps, try sticking a pan outside over some heat, get some oak bark in there, I made an oak bark and tea bag concoction awhile ago boiled the traps up, they come out jet black...although they will still rust..so if thats a concern you would need to use another method... i.e a dip either petroleum or water based...paint them...or just leave them be...