Powder Painted Lures And Which Hard Finish Do You Use

[Downeaster2010]

I have been building bass jig lures for over 30 years.  Back when I started we dipped the lures in

Rustoleum paint, then hung them up to dry.  Now I see there are many new paints.  I have been on a seista

for 20 years but now back making jigs.  I have been using the new powder paint, and find that a pretty easy

method.  I don't find the paint very durable to dings.  I want to put a hard finish on them.  What do most of

you use.

[jhoffman]

Are you curing the powder paint after the initial dip?

[Downeaster2010]

Are you refering to cooking them in an oven for 15 or 20 mins.  That would be no.  Would that help.

[Downeaster2010]

Ok, I found some vids online, that show the baking of the jig.  That problem is solved.  Now some of the jigs I dipped

are a few weeks old.  Can I bake them, or leave them alone, and only cook the new pours.

[buckeye12]

I don't see why you couldn't still bake them. Remember to clean out the eyes before you bake them. Much easier to do before than after. If you want to go even farther, after you have baked them mix up some epoxy and brush on a coat. You'll have to experiment with how much to mix up at a time to coincide with how fast you can give them a coat. Gives them a nice durable finish.

[cadman]

You can bake them a year later if you want. That is not a problem. However if you are going to wait a year, I would put them in a plastic bag so they don't get dusty and dirty. Just some info for you if you don't have the time.

[Downeaster2010]

Okay,  I am in tune now.  I plan on getting a cheap toaster over, and building a fluid bed for the powder paint.

A lot of things have changed since I started back in the 80's.  Luckily I have recovered 3 of my early Do-it

molds from one of my friends that had them for 20 years.  I never had my jigs look as good as they do with

the powder dip, and I caught hundreds of fish off them.  I may not catch any more fish, but the jigs will have

a much better eye appeal.  After leaving bass fishing for 20 years, I am back with a vengence.

[Jig Man]

I have been where you are.  I left for golf, then quail and deer hunting.  I've been back about 15 years and have accumulated more baits than I can use in 2 lifetimes and still making.

 

When you get your bed made and start dipping in it, try only heating your jighead enough to get a dull finish coat of paint on them.  That way when you bake them you won't have the runs when they get real hot.   Also if you use pliers or hemos and hold the jig by the hook eye you won't have to worry about paint getting into it when you dip.

 

What method are you using to heat the heads?

 

BTW:  Did you notice cadman's avatar?  He is a master at multiple color heads.

[smalljaw67]

I have been where you are.  I left for golf, then quail and deer hunting.  I've been back about 15 years and have accumulated more baits than I can use in 2 lifetimes and still making.

 

When you get your bed made and start dipping in it, try only heating your jighead enough to get a dull finish coat of paint on them.  That way when you bake them you won't have the runs when they get real hot.   Also if you use pliers or hemos and hold the jig by the hook eye you won't have to worry about paint getting into it when you dip.

 

What method are you using to heat the heads?

 

BTW:  Did you notice cadman's avatar?  He is a master at multiple color heads.

 

One of the reasons I use a fluid bed is so I can dip the jighead and then cure it with out nipples. I don't like the method of heating enough so the paint just sticks, what usually happens when you do 20 or 30 jigs like that is you end up with 10 or so with bare spots, to me that isn't a good theing to do unless you really have it mastered. I say that because the only time I ever got nipples after curing was from stuffing the jighead in the small jars, once I used the fluid bed I have probably painted and cured thousands of jigs without a nipple, before the fluidbed I would get them when using glittler and clear or 2 colors but not now.

[Jig Man]

Downeaster 2010 I hope my post was not misleading.  I was not stating only heat until the paint barely sticks.  Heat until the paint is still dull but not shiny.  It only takes a few jig heads of a particular size to figure out the time element.  I heat 3 ways (propane torch, heat gun, and toaster oven) depending on the size, quanity, and use of the jig being made.

[Downeaster2010]

Presently as I am new to the powder paint, I have been using a propane torch, and success has been fairly good.

I can see a lot of tacklemakers use the heat gun, and i believe I will lean that direction.  I did manage to pick up some

good tips online that have helped me a lot.  I fished the tournament scene back in the 80's and early 90's and of

course made my own tackle and rods.  Then I left it for tuna fishing, then retirement and now back to bass.  Once

I started to pour jigs again, I was amazed at all the new products available.  Of course we didn't have computers

to pass knowledge back and forth when I stopped building jigs in the early 90's.  Having a fraternity of brothers

building jigs is a wonderful thing.  I hope to purchase 3 or 4 new jigs molds every year and powder paint and

rubber in bulk.  I caught hundreds of bass of my old jigs painted with rustoleum paint.  I may not catch more with

the new powder, but they sure will look a lot more appealing to me.  I am looking for a toaster oven now, and plan

on building the fluid bed right off.  I am feeling a lot more confident now.

 

Thanks my brothers.

[cadman]

Hang in there, everything gets easier the more you do it. It all comes down to spending a lot of time practicing painting. Patience is a virtue and you will need plenty of that as well.