Bought a few ozs of powder to coat jig heads. No fluid bed. Do I heat heads w/ torch and then dip? Any details appreciated!
Bought a few ozs of powder to coat jig heads. No fluid bed. Do I heat heads w/ torch and then dip? Any details appreciated!
I would not use a torch as you will melt the lead too quickly. I use an alcohol burner, used to use a candle but there was too much soot. The alcohol burner works great. Your heat times will vary based on the size of the jigs. I am generally painting crappie jigs from 1/80th up to 1/16th. Start with about 3 seconds per side of the jig, then a quick one second flip to rewarm the other side, and a quick dip in the powder. I hang them on a cookie cooling rack after the paint dip. There are faster ways to do it, but on a lazy night watching tv, I will crank out a big pile of jigs, just something to do in down time.
Also forgot to mention, use a piece of wire coat hanger or something along those lines to stir your powder paint jars. In storage the powder will pack down, you want it nice and fluffy for dipping jigs. If you shake it you will have dust flying everywhere when you open the jar and it can hard pack again when you set it down to open it up. Just a few tips from my experience.
If I was doing a LOT of jig painting, I would get a fluid bed setup. I typically paint about 500 crappie jigs a year.
Get a cheap heat gun. You’ll figure out how long to heat the head to get a good coating. Too little, it won’t cover. Too long and it will be too thick and make ‘nipples’ when you cure it. Doesn’t take long to get it right. I use forceps to hold them. (Been a long time since I painted them but that’s what seemed to work for me)
As noted above, stir the powder every few dips to loosen it.
I use a cheap heat gun also. The one I bought I was able to use hose clamps to attach to the side of my work table. I just hold the jig with a pair of pliers. I think I paid $20 for it.
The best way to cheer yourself up is to cheer up someone else.
I agree with the heat gun. I’ve used a variety of heat sources and find the heat gun to be best for me. The lightest coat of paint you can get will give you the best baked finish.
For those of you doing the heat gun method, how many jigs do you typically paint in a session? I am doing about 50 jigs a pop and it seems like a long time to be running the heat gun, hence using the alcohol burner.
I normally did @ 50 at a time. Only takes a few seconds to heat and dip each one. Hang it on a rack and do the next one. Once the rack filled up they went into the toaster oven to cure.
I don’t normally do more than 2 dozen at a time. You can also heat a quantity in your toaster oven. Pull one out, dip it and put it back. That may be the fastest way.Originally Posted by TDobb
https://tjstackle.com/
I use a heat gun. This is the most reasonable place yo get powder material
2002 Pro Craft 200 Super Pro- 2005 200 Mercury Optimax, Retired
Empty Nester- Proud Grandfather 5-30-2014-Boy-Aiden, 8-2-2017-Boy-Calen
Harbor Freight heat gun I think it was about $12? The amount of jigs I do at a time is 50 max. The toaster oven I use won't hold anything more than that.
Allen
They are cheap but don’t last. I burned up two of them in just a few years.
Maybe if you only want to buy 2 ounces at a time....
Honora Primum Vel Nullum Omnin Honorem
Really Talking about the Fluid beds he makes. But OP stated a few ounces.
2002 Pro Craft 200 Super Pro- 2005 200 Mercury Optimax, Retired
Empty Nester- Proud Grandfather 5-30-2014-Boy-Aiden, 8-2-2017-Boy-Calen
Just looked and my HG is a Wagner. Has 2 settings, I always used it on low. Stand it on end, the air comes in thru the sides. Did thousands of crappie jigs, and several hundred bass and striper jigs with it. Still hanging in there, although I only paint striper jigs now and that’s because they look nicer to me. Do fish care? I’ve asked them but never got an answer.
Ok, understand the heating, tell me about the toaster oven/ curing please? Thanks for the help!
That was my experience, also. The innards shot out the exhaust and it was toast. Recommend spending more money for a better heat gun. I have a porter cable, I think and it has lasted 8+ years, prolly.
2013 BassCat Cougar
Serial # 1B962763
I guess I got lucky mine from HF lasted almost 20 years.
Get a toaster oven from a thrift store or they’ll be about $20 max at wally world. You hang the painted jigs on the rack and bake them for 25-30 minutes to cure the powder. It gets solid and won’t chip off. Don’t use it for anything else.
Pack of 4 Eagle Jet Gun Torch Lighter Windproof Refillable Lighter Assorted Color
I use these. I saw several guys online that pour/paint crappie jigs using them. Compact and it heats the jig heads quickly.
Reply With Quote
