Jig paint problem

[LakeAnnaBasser]

Sometimes when me and my dad bake the jigs in the oven the paint like drips and creates a nub. We bake it at 350 degrees for 20 min. Are we doing something wrong. Heres a pic

[Cory20]

When you get a nub like that it means you're getting too much paint on the jig.  I'm guessing that you're hanging the jigs upside down in the oven to cure.  Those two combined are giving most likely giving you a nub.

To help avoid getting too much paint on there:

Make sure the jig head is hot enough.  A few seconds with a torch, 15 minutes in the oven on 350, etc.

Make sure the powder paint is as fluffy as possible before you dip.  

Dip just long enough to coat the lead.

Forcefully tap the hook shank on the jar to knock excess off.  

After dipping and knocking, immediately cool with a dunk in a bowl of water.  This helps stop the paint from "running" and sticking to something else.

The nub when curing:

Curing lead head up will make any excess paint run down the hook shank where it is easy to knock off.

Depending on the size of the oven that you're curing in and how many jigs you're doing at once, this might work for you.  Take two of the spring type clothes pins to make a sturdy base.  

Two pieces of metal clamped together could do the same thing in a neater fashion.  I haven't found the metal yet.

What are you using to keep the paint out of the weed guard hole?  My attempts have all been functional, but clumsy.

Good luck

Cory

[LakeAnnaBasser]

Thanks thats good help. I dont block the hole. We would just find the same sized drill bit and drill the paint that got in out. That is a pain though. What do you do to keep the hole from getting paint in it.

[Cory20]

I've used un popped pop rivets, finish nails, aluminum foil twisted up and pushed in there, bamboo skewers.  Probably a few others, what ever is in the junk drawer.

[Cory20]

Oh yeah, just found this from the good people at TJs tackle

Curing Times for Pro-Tec Powder Paint:

White - 10 minutes at 375 F

Yellow Chartreuse - 10 minutes at 392 F

Green Chartreuse - 10 minutes at 392 F

Blaze Orange - 10 minutes at 392 F

Black - 10 minutes at 350 F

Hot Pink - 10 minutes at 392 F

Flame Red - 10 minutes at 392 F

White Pearl - 13 minutes at 325 F

Clear - 12 minutes at 340 F

Bright Green - 10 minutes at 392 F

Yellow - 10 minutes at 400 F

Red - 15 minutes at 350 F

Purple - 15 minutes at 385 F

Glow Overcoat - 10 minutes at 375 F

Brown - 12 minutes at 390 F

Blue - 15 minutes at 375 F

Silver - 10 minutes at 375

Gold - 20 minutes at 375

All Glow Colors - 10 minutes at 375 F

All Transparent Colors - 10 minutes at 392 F

Watermelon - 12 minutes at 390 F

Pumpkin Brown - 12 minutes at 390 F

350 for 15 min is a safe bet

[bowtech_182]

I think you might be preheating the jighead too hot and leaving it in the powder too long.  I had the same problem my first couple batches with the majority of the problem being preheated too hot.

[dampeoples]

If you can swing it, pick up a Fluid bed from Ben (TJ's Tackle), and that'll allow you to be a little less consistent with the heat times, oven times, etc, as the bed suspends the powder in the cup, and it's way, way easier to paint them, especially in quantity.

One other thing to check is your oven, make sure it's the right temp, you would be surprised how much they vary from what the thermostat reads, especially in different places in the oven. I picked up a toaster oven for around $20, and when I set it on 260-275, it is really 350, I found that out the hard way, my first run, I set it to 350 for 15 minutes, I'm guessing it was 420 or so, ruined a batch of 100 shakey heads!