Spinner Bait Painting

[JSC]

Make a few spinners baits for my self all along and have started powder painting jigs with out to much trouble but would like to know the trick to Powder Painting Spinner baits .. Bending the Wire ? (which I do not like to do, but what I did) Larger "Cup" ?? "Dusting" them with a brush ?

Sure would like to know the easiest way.

Thanx

JSC

[oscarsteel]

I did use a 4" fluid bed I made myself for spinnerbaits. Now I airbrush them and coat with devcon. I think its much harder than powder paint. Also better paint options...........Oscar

[turkeylegs1246]

Component Systems Inc. - Lure & Jig Paint Supplier makes a powder spray gun. I bought one but haven't used it. It works like a cross between a sandblaster and an air brush. Not very expensive.

I've powder painted spinner baits by heaping powder on a disposable coffee filter and dipping with fair results. Easy cleanup. Fold the filter in half and pour back into your powder container. It's very technique orientated. You've got to dip quickly or you apply too much paint. Then it drips when you cure the bait.

[turkeylegs1246]

If you've got an old fluid bed with an extra cup you might try to saw both sides down to allow you to dip the spinnerbait head down to where the powder is fluid. Lower the head with the wire and hook protruding through the saw kerf. That might work. But likely pretty messy?

[reeves]

I paint all my spinner baits and buzz baits in a fluid bed, with a 3" cup. You have to fill a little more powder in the cup, enough to cover the complete bait and just a bit on the wire when you dip. I hold the spinner bait at the R bend dipping hook first until the bait is completely submerged, give it a little shake and remove and tap excess off. Wipe the dry powder off the hook and hang it for baking.

I wouldn't recommend cutting any slots in the cup, you will have powder everyplace except where you want it - just my opinion.

[JSC]

Thanx Guys

I want to keep it with powder paint and not get into any more painting equipment

(Really not much at painting) .. I think I will use the tips as to making a 4" cup (Shallow) and dipping as per George suggestion. Anyone have any more suggestions or comments on using a shallow 4" cup ???

JSC

[turkeylegs1246]

George has a lot more experience than I. He nailed it. I wouldn't have thought to dip the hook as well as the head. I'm wondering if he heats just the head with a heat source or if he preheats the head, hook and wire in an oven. The hook shouldn't have too much powder on it if he heats just the head and wiping the powder off the hook should be a no brainer. If he preheats everything cleaning the hook of excess powder might be more difficult? Just my $.02.

[reeves]

Some guys use a heat gun to heat the head and others use a propane torch to accomplish this. I use the torch. I heat ONLY the lead part of the bait, not the hook or wireform. Naturally in this process heat is going to transfer into both, but not enough to make the powder stick. You always want a little paint on the hook and the wireform to prevent water from having any access under the paint.

Holding the wireform at the 'R' bend, apply heat to the lead only portion of the bait, dip hook first into the fluid bed (swishing as you do), remove and tap excess. Wipe any excess powder from the wireform and hook with your fingers and hang for curing. It is really pretty simple and takes a little practice to get your timing down, but once you do, you can really fly. The most important thing here is Practice, Practice, and more Practice. Hope this was of some help in clarifying the process.

[reeves]

Forgot to mention also. You can preheat jigs in an oven and really speed up the operation but not spinnerbaits or buzzbaits. On a jig it is ok for the hook to get hot because you will be holding it by the hook and not dipping the hook into the powder, therefore no paint on the hook. But on spinners and buzzers, you have a hook on one end and wire on the other of the lead and powder is going to get on and stick because of the heat. Thus the process described above.

[JSC]

Thanx for clearing up the heating George as most think of heating in a oven and all parts being coated and I can see where a torch for this would be better than the heat gun as it applied more direct ... maybe with a heat gun if you held the bait by the wire that you could detect the heat application and know when to "Swish" it ?? Will try it shortly.

JSC

[pikeman1]

I use a 4 inch cup that is about 2 1/2 inches deep for my spinnerbaits for the base color. I heat with a multiple setting heat gun, and when I dip, hook and body go in the paint. I get very little on the hook and its easy to scrape off before baking. The rest of the colors I tap an with a paintbrush. I also made my own fluidbed and it works great. If you have any questions just pm me. Pikeman1

[turkeylegs1246]

maybe with a heat gun if you held the bait by the wire that you could detect the heat application and know when to "Swish" it ?? Will try it shortly

That might result in getting the spinnerbait too hot. Experiment a little. Try 5 second intervals of applying the heat. The larger the bait the more heat, longer heat times, you will need to apply. If I hold a jig by the hook and apply heat to the head I have seen the lead melt before I felt the heat in the hook. If your preheat times are too short you likely won't get any paint adhesion. Heat too long and you can melt your casting before you detect the heat.

[spnrbatr]

I shake the powder paint right out of the container it comes in. It takes some practice but I get good even coverage, no paint on the hook or the wire. I have not tried the fluid beds yet. Would like to borrow someones before I bought one.

[Spike-A-Pike]

There are a few members that can provide you the plans for building a few yourself or sell them to you along with the powder paint itself. If you have an old aquarium pump that your not using any more, you already have one of the more expensive parts. You can find short sections of 3" and 4" PVC pipe at Lowes and Sears hardware stores. So, for just a few dollars, $25.00 max, you can make one every bit as good as a manufactured one.

[Basseducer]

JSC,

I have been using the powder spray guns for some time. You can get some really great effects with multiple colors. I think they are worth the money.

TJ

[JSC]

Been looking at the "Powder Spray Guns" .. Thanx for the input .. anyone else using them ??

JSC

[dashepard]

I would like to get a powder paint air brush gun but, what kind of air source would you have to purchase?

[Basseducer]

They shoot at only 5-8 psi so any small cheap compressor will do. However there may be a need to shoot liquid paints and fill bicycle tires and stuff like that. I would invest in one that could handle those things. One thing to keep in mind, you can get away with low horsepower as long as you have plenty of volume (bigger tanks).

TJ

[reeves]

I have one and use it occasionally. Originally bought it to spray clear powder with glitter on blades. That worked great. Like stated, it takes very low air pressure to operate. I made the mistake of forgetting to turn down the pressure because I was so anxious to try the thing. Wow, what a mess when I pulled the trigger. Also a good tip from Basseducer on using it for multiple colors, I can see where it would work great.

[dashepard]

What type of compressor? Will the spare pump that I have for my fluid bed work? I feel stupid for asking but I would really like to get one of these guns but I do not want to spend over the top cash for a new compressor and the gun as well. I wonder if Hobby Lobby has these in stock?

[Basseducer]

You can get away with a really small one as long as you can get 5-8 psi out of it. I don't know if the air pump you speak of will do it. Do you have any way to test the pump for psi?

TJ