Powder Painting Jigs

[HookSetDon]

When I'm doing pouring my jigs I remove the excess by rocking it back n forth with pliers or cutting it with side cutters. I then use a file and give it a few passes to remove the bump, sometimes I'll follow it up with a finger nail file to clean it further.

 

Once thats done I clean off the jigs with a cloth to make sure no lead or dust is on it and heat it with my heat gun and dip it in the powder on my fluid bed.

 

After that its baking time.

 

Sometimes they come out great other times theres some imperfections, missed spots, golf ball look to the paint or lack of coverage on some imperfections of the lead.

 

Am I missing something? Do you spend that much time prepping the jig before painting, and maybe I'm not.

 

Maybe the powder paint I'm using isnt very good?

 

What do you think?

___

 

It can be very frustrating to spend the time pouring, prepping, and painting to find out once it comes out of the oven its not perfect..

[Siebert Outdoors]

What brand of paint and what temp are you heating the head to?

[HookSetDon]

Im using the paint that fishingskirts sell. Im using a commercial heat gun, Not sure on the temp on it.

[southtexasbassin]

Make sure you heat the jig evenly.  Try not to slant the jig when you are about the dunk it in the powder paint.  Fluid bed helps a ton.  Make sure you powder paint is really fine and has not clumps...

[Hi Salenity]

Hit it with heat again after it comes out of the bed if it doesn't shine up nice redip it.

[HookSetDon]

Make sure you heat the jig evenly.  Try not to slant the jig when you are about the dunk it in the powder paint.  Fluid bed helps a ton.  Make sure you powder paint is really fine and has not clumps...

 

When I heat it I try to move it around so every area get hits with the heat, I was using the fluid bed for the dipping

[HookSetDon]

Hit it with heat again after it comes out of the bed if it doesn't shine up nice redip it.

 

Ive never re heated or redipped so Im going to have to give that a try. Actually ive tried it when I used the torch and often times it would leave the paint looking burned and would leave a bubble or pin hole. 

 

I'll give it a shot now using the heat gun. 

[that possum]

Maybe try wiping the head down with mineral spirits to remove any oils that may be on the head?

[cadman]

 I would use something like naphta, lacquer thinner or alcohol. They clean fast and they flash off fast as well.

[smalljaw67]

What is happening to you is all from improper heating and that is why I use a propane torch and I know the heat gun works better but for me the tourch helps as I can see the flame and where the heat is applied. What you need to do is begin counting in your head and remember what it was when you get one that comes out good. So, here you go from beginning to end, first, fluff the powder really well by shaking, grab the jig however you do it and hold over the heat while rotating it side to side and count, start with 5 or 6 and if you dip in the paint and find that it is stuck to the head but not glossed over then hit it with the heat and it will gloss over, then inspect it for areas that didn't take. A fluid bed helps a lot once you get the heat down, maybe it has happened or perhaps it didn't but eventually you will overheat one and get too much paint and when you cure it you will get a nipple on top of the head, a fluid bed really helps in preventing that. That is all you really can do, the rest is practice and time.

[HookSetDon]

I think thats what my problem was, not heating the jig enough. I have a batch in the oven as we speak and I made sure that they were heated more.

 

For some reason I was under the impression that prior to baking the jig should have a dull look to it hence I wasnt heating it enough to get the gloss, Now im heating it enough that when I dip it in it kinda melts the paint and I give it another shot of heat- If I see that I missed a spot i'll redip it and heat it again  before placing it on the rack before baking.

 

We'll see how they turn out, 10 minutes remaining!

If I continue to have problems I'll have to use the torch again, I used the torch before when I first started and I had less problems with the painting, It was a different powder but youre probably right it has to do with the heat.

 

I'm using a fluid bed so I havent had any nipples or any such thing yet.

 

Thanks everyone

[HookSetDon]

If im getting tiny bubbles or pin marks on the jig after baking thats probably from over heating the lead right?

[Hi Salenity]

I've seen good videos on utube that show the process

[Jig Man]

Don I do mine a little differently than stated by the other guys.  I have tried the torch and heat gun and had mixed results.  What I do now is hang jigs in my toaster oven and heat them for just a few minutes.

 

I pull one out and dip it into the fluid bed.  If it covers the jig and has a dull finish, I hang it in the oven and start dipping the others. 

 

I dip until the paint won't cover a jig then I close the door and heat a bit more.  When that batch is painted I close up the oven and bake the heads. 

 

I don't get uneven painting or drips since I don't overheat the heads.  I also don't have to clean out hook eyes as I hold the jig eye with pliers when dipping into the fluid bed.

 

It all boils down to, use what ever method works best for you.

[Hi Salenity]

I like that idea, now to find a toaster oven

[Jig Man]

I like that idea, now to find a toaster oven

 

Mine came from a garage sale.  It cost me 2 bones.

[Siebert Outdoors]

Toaster ovens work great.  Pretty cheap at walmart

[HookSetDon]

maybe i'll give that a shot, so you put the toaster oven to 350 and let them heat for a few minutes? 3 minutes or something? then you take them out one at a time and dip and replace back into the oven, Im assuming the oven is off at this time or is it still maintaining the 350?

[HookSetDon]

Well I took the ones out of the oven and inspected them about 90% of them are flawless, the others either have a little pit or a few pin dots on it. Overall working much better

[RODNEY]

I use a heat gun, fluid bed and toaster oven with little or no trouble but I paint my jigs a short time after pouring.

Rodney

[RyneB]

I like that idea, now to find a toaster oven

 

 

I think i paid $20 for my toaster oven at Wal Mart. If you can wait for garage sale season you should fine one real cheap.

[Gman24]

When I'm doing pouring my jigs I remove the excess by rocking it back n forth with pliers or cutting it with side cutters. I then use a file and give it a few passes to remove the bump, sometimes I'll follow it up with a finger nail file to clean it further.

 

Once thats done I clean off the jigs with a cloth to make sure no lead or dust is on it and heat it with my heat gun and dip it in the powder on my fluid bed.

 

After that its baking time.

 

Sometimes they come out great other times theres some imperfections, missed spots, golf ball look to the paint or lack of coverage on some imperfections of the lead.

 

Am I missing something? Do you spend that much time prepping the jig before painting, and maybe I'm not.

 

Maybe the powder paint I'm using isnt very good?

 

What do you think?

___

 

It can be very frustrating to spend the time pouring, prepping, and painting to find out once it comes out of the oven its not perfect..

 

 

Just curious,  you said some of the jigs after painting have "dimples".  I use some of the paints from this same company.  Some of their paints are designed to have this dimpled look  after it dries.  If you ordered any powder paint with "CRUSTATION" in the paint description that is exactly what it is designed to do.  I absolutely love that finish on my jigs. To me it looks more natural.  Of course i am talking about all my BASS JIGS.