Custom Baits - Forum
Jigs, Spinnerbaits and Sinkers => Painting and Finishing Lures => Topic started by: CrabbyBass on 04/09/13 00:12 UTC
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Hey all! I had a question for those of you that powder paint jig heads with weed guards. What is your process to keep the weed guard holes open? The first time I did it, I wound up having to go through and drill out the weed guard holes as they were too small after painting. The next time, I put the pins back in the holes and then painted. The pins are now all covered in paint. Please let me know how you guys do it. Thanks in advance!
Chuck
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hey Chuck I've only been at it for a few months but can tell you that I bought the Teflon pins and they work great. I have two ways of doing it the first is I heat the jigs in the oven without the pins in then as I take each jig out I insert the pin dip in powder and either remove pin immediately then quench in water or leave in then remove after or you can put them in the jig heat in oven and dip in powder have not had any issues this way and the nice thing about the Teflon is you can take them over to the sink and with a knife scrape them clean the cured paint will chip right off.
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I use a heat gun to heat the head of the jig without the pin in it and dip it into the powder paint. I have a stand that holds them upright ( so I don't get cone heads ) and bake them in a toaster oven at 400 for 40 minutes. Let them cool and take an 1/8 inch drill and clean the holes out. Then I tie the skirt on. Not a rubber band fan here. Then I glue the weed guard in using supper glue gel and paint the eyes on. This why the pin is always clean and the weed guard is out of the way to make working with the jig easier. I do have a friend that he pours the head with the weed guard in it and wraps each one with heavy duty aluminum foil before painting and baking. To me that's a lot of work and you have to work around the weed guard the whole time. I have a small cordless drill that I use and once you do a few it's pretty easy and fast.
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I do pretty much the same as Lamar. I think I bought my battery operated drill at Harbor Freight for about $10. I usually go in spurts where I wii pour a hundred or so jig heads at a time. I'll then powder coat them (without pins), bake them off at about 350 for 30 minutes (TJ's Tackle makes a nifty holder that holds the hooks upright while baking, thereby avoiding "teardrop"), and then drill them. I then tie the skirts on using rubber and wire. Once tied, I'll slip a small rubber band over the skirt to keep it out of the way while I super glue in the weed guard. I'll let the jigs sit for several hours to allow the glue to cure and walaa..perfectamundo. It works for me.
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I am a "newby" at this lead thing...and I've been researching the heck out of it on the internet and there are some pretty good videos and info on TackleUnderground and on especially on http://www.tjstackle.com/ (on how to paint).
I've been doing really well with inserting the Teflon Pins into the mold...making sure the pins go just up to the hook shank...carefully closing the mold (!) and pouring. The pins stay in pretty well through the powder painting process (fyi..the Fluid Bed that TJ's sells is well worth the money...I get a lot better results then just dipping them in the powder paint). Curing them at 350 for 20 minutes and then pulling out the teflon pins. The paint scratches off the teflon pins easily with your finger nails.
Curing the jigs makes the Powder Paint super hard, evens out the paint and gives it a really nice shine. And I agree with Denny...that holder that TJs sells to hold your jigs in the oven is the way to go! I have 3 of them now. Super easy to use...holds the jigs securely.
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are you guys getting that drip on your jigs if you just hang them on the rack? I don't get them at all when curing I just hang on the rack and cure for 20 minutes.
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I would get the drippy teardrop things frequently when hanging the jig by the hook while baking. That problem has gone away completely since using TJ's hook holder.
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wow I wonder what I'm doing different as I don't get even a hint of the drippy thing and I hang mine. I also only get about 2 in every 50 with a clogged hook eye. easy fix I just heat the end of a paper clip and push right through.
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Gone2long, are you baking the jigs while they are hanging ? If so you shouldn't be able to heat a paper clip and melt it into the painted eye. The tear drop head or what I call the cone head is from hanging upside down while baking the paint. The paint will melt a little before it cures. But once it cures it's done and shouldn't remelt at all. I like to go super hot for 40 minutes. That baby won't chip after that.
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It could be that I got more powder paint on my jigs. Are you using a fluid bed? There for a while I was just dipping them in the jar. I've since started using the fluid bed and the hook holder and the teardrop problem no longer exists. Good idea re the paper clip...I've been using a needle.
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For clarification...the needle is used before baking.
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Thank you guys! I will probably go with the Teflon pins. They are pretty cheap. I forgot to mention when I used the drill bit on the holes, the paint chipped. I didn't like that.
As far as cone heads, I have never had that happen to me, then again I use a fluid bed so maybe that is the reason. I do like the clamp you guys are talking about though. I may have to pick up one or two. Thanks!
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Ok lets see here,
Lamar yes I hang them and bake them in a toaster oven, and Denny yes I made a fluid bed no better way to get a quality jig
I heat the jigs without Teflon or base pin for 15 minutes @350-400 then pull one out at a time push the Teflon into the jig dip in fluidized powder paint, remove Teflon pin then quench in water, if a hook eye is clogged you can clear it now before you put the painted jigs without Teflon or base pin into oven for the recommended time per color. I've had only 2 in the last 100 cause me grief putting the weed guard in and me thinks that was more a molding issue during the lead pouring operation.
Oh and note: be very careful when removing from oven after curing if they touch they are Siamese for sure ;) Also wonder if by me quenching them in water before curing is a plus for the drippy thing?
(http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q80/mrbilky/2013-04-07121542.jpg)
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Ah ha, now I get the saying, "There's more than one way to skin a cat." Fine looking jig heads. I use a Wagner heat gun to heat the jig and then dip it in water to cool it down.
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Ah ha, now I get the saying, "There's more than one way to skin a cat." Fine looking jig heads. I use a Wagner heat gun to heat the jig and then dip it in water to cool it down.
I don't do the water dipping after powder painting. I think I need to do that. Thanks for the tip Denny! ;)
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So let me ask....Baking the jig heads prevents the guard from flaring out when heated? I got tired of them flaring so I modified my Do It Molds and use Y guards which I like a ton better anyways. I made my own fluid bed and it works like a champ, but I just couldn't get the guards from going crazy on me.
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not sure if I'm understanding you correctly but my method is to do everything first I.e. powder paint and cure then super glue gel the weed guards in last so they are not exposed to heat at all, the guards flare due to heat.
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This is what I have done for about 3 years and have done thousands without incident.
Mold head with aluminum base hole pin, remove pin, twist off sprue, use a knife to make sure sprue mark is smooth.
I use 1/8" wooden dowel rods ($.30) and cut them with side cutters (I get about 32 per dowel rod).
I put the dowel piece in the head, heat and dip head, if I have paint in the eye (usually because there is slightly too much paint) I run paper clip through the eye and hang.
10 minutes later I bake the heads hanging by the hook in my toaster oven for 20 minutes at 350.
They are now done, the guard hole is clean, eye is clean and no drips.
If you get drips hanging them by the hook, you have too much paint on the head.
I have tried using teflon pins and don't care for them. Yes, they mold great, but I had too many of them slide out when in my work pile prior to painting and they don't go back into a poured head well.
Tim
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That's all good information, Tim. I used to use the dowel pins, but for some odd reason I got away from it. I'm going to give them another try. I especially like the paper clip idea. Having to clean out eyes is a pain. Thanks.
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TTDuckman -- What heat source are you using to heat your heads for powder painting?
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Funny! I hadn't been on here all day today. I went to Menards are was looking for something to use before ordering the Teflon pins. I picked up an 1/8" poplar wood dowel rod. I guess great minds think alike. ;D I cut the dowel down and put the pins in the jig heads already. As soon as the kids are in bed, I will be doing some painting.
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" As soon as the kids are in bed, I will be doing some painting."
Chuck...why would you want to paint your kids?
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" As soon as the kids are in bed, I will be doing some painting."
Chuck...why would you want to paint your kids?
Have to get back at them for all the crap they put me through everyday ;D ;D ;D
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Howdy all! I have been powder painting since it came out and found by using a heat gun to heat the jig and not the oven to heat it I can get more in a cold oven to bake. I have also found by using a fluid bed you control on how much paint you are putting on the jig and you are getting a better finish. When using the heat gun you just have to count how many seconds be for you dip and then I blow till cool then drill it out and hang it. If you heat it to hot you will get more paint on it then what you want and you will end up with drips after baking. I have found its a hole lot easier to clean the eye of the hook before baking then after. If by chance the eye of the hook is closed after baking DON'T DRILL IT OUT because it will put a sharp edge on the eye that will cut you line. Just take a paper clip or any wire that will fit though the eye of the hook and heat it till its red hot and it will clear the eye real easy. I have found if you want to powder spinner baits without painting the hook you just heat the body and not the hook. By putting the body over the heat and the hook not, when you dip hook first in the powder the end of the hook isn't hot so the paint won't stick. Just take a brush and clean the powder off the hook then bake............Woody
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Hey Woody! Welcome! That is all great information right there. Thank you! What do you like to use as your fluid bed filter? I was using brown paper bags cut down into squares. I am just curious what you use. Thanks again!
Chuck
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Hey Woody...That's a great first post. I look forward to many more just like it. Welcome.
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Thank ya for letting me join your group. I'm sorry I don't make fluid beds ,I bought them because I had a small business for 21 years making tackle. Now I'm retired but still making for me. I have a small workshop and I fish almost every day.............woody
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That's gotta earn some type of a "Quality 1st Post" award... I'll see what I can do about that. We're very happy to have you on board here Woody. Have a seat and don't be shy.
Jerry