akriverrat Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 what do you guys think is tougher of the two. the powder sounds alot easier just heat dip and cure. i am thinking about getting an airbrush since powder is somewhat limited when it comes to some really custom paint jobs. is there paint out there that can be heated to 350 degrees and covered with a clear powder coat for a glossy protective topcoat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reeves Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 Which is the tougher of the two? I don't think there is any contest. The Devcon being an epoxy should be the tougher. While powder paint is classified as 'chip resistant', it is not 'chip proof'. Epoxy is by far one of the toughest finishes out there. The clear powder is as you noted far easier to apply, and that for me carries some weight in making a decision. As for multiple colors, you said powder is somewhat limited. Not so. I can hear Cadman's jaw hitting the table as he reads that. He has an excellent tutorial on applying multiple colors with powder paint. It takes alot of practice and patience, but once mastered it is very excellent. I have used Createx acrylic paint with an airbrush to paint accent colors on spinnerbaits and then cleared with powder, and it produces an outstanding finish. I paint a base powder coat, airbrush the colors desired, giving it plenty of time for it to dry, and then using a heat gun and NOT a flame (it must be an indirect heat source) allowing the lead to heat up slowly and then dip in the clear and tap off excess. Bake to cure both the base color and the clear. You can also add glitter to your clear for a sharp looking finish. If I confused you with any of this, either PM me or post another reply and I will do my best to clear it up for you. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akriverrat Posted April 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 thanks for the reply reeves but you misunderstood what i meant by powder coating being limited. i do multiple color jigs myself using brushes and a fluid bed to apply. what i actually had in mind was really intricate painting that dosent seem possible with powder painting due to limited time and application process. if i wanted a face on one of my jigs with teeth and lips and eyes i am not aware of how to do that with powder. shadowing, splattering, stacking, masking all limited as far as i know anyway. if i am missing something fill me in, its just that ive never seen anything powdered like something you would find in the painted hardbait section. not to insult anyone and not trying to start an argument jsut looking to expand my capabilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reeves Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 Yes, I guess I did misunderstand your question. Sorry bout that. For the real fine detail work you are describing, I don't see how powder would work in that application, but could be wrong as I have absolutely zero experience there. As for the other method described in my previous post, that does work as you want to give it a try. I am curious to see if any other members have a solution for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 akriverrat I know this is a little late, but I am finally getting a chance to read up on all the threads and posts on TU. Also I had this ringing in my ear, like if someone was talking about me. Hi George. Now down to business. Now as far as harder of the two finishes, I will agree with George. In my opinion, Devcon 2T is the stuff for me. I have been using it for years, and I have never had a problem with it. Also I only use Devcon 2T on jigs that require 3d eyes, or per customer request. On all my other jigs, I use a powder topcoat. On jigs for myself, just paint and bake....Now you mentioned that you want to get into the artistic side of jig painting. I thought I was the only one who was a glutton for punishment, and kept on trying to push the limits with powder paint. This is what I can tell you. Based on what you posted, some of the things you want to do would be impossible with powder paint. So you are right in saying, that you will have to start airbrushing your fine details on. I will not dispute that fact. However here is some general info for you, you can keep somewhere hidden in the back of your brain as useless information...... I have painted and used well over 100 colors and brands of powder. They all work really well, some better than others. I can tell you that at one point, I wanted to make a bluegill powder painted jig. There were reds, browns, blacks yellows and blues. Before I even got into trying to use the stencils, I had a problem with colors blending. I wanted to add some blue on the jig, and evertime I did, the jig looked fine until I put it in the oven to bake it. Well when I did, the blue blended into the yellow, and made green. BTW, the same thing happens with purple. I've tried blue first and then other colors over and around it, and then different problems. So to cut this short, you can make some beautiful powder painted jigs, but powder paint does have limitations. I've tried stencils, heat tape, etc...they have their limitations to especially with heat, when everything has to be hot to get the paint to adhere. So if I were you go for it. Air brushing is just something more to learn, and expand your horizons............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munkin Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 I have used Createx acrylic paint with an airbrush to paint accent colors on spinnerbaits and then cleared with powder, and it produces an outstanding finish. I paint a base powder coat, airbrush the colors desired, giving it plenty of time for it to dry, and then using a heat gun and NOT a flame (it must be an indirect heat source) allowing the lead to heat up slowly and then dip in the clear and tap off excess. Bake to cure both the base color and the clear. You can also add glitter to your clear for a sharp looking finish. Doesn't the heat ruin the paint? I am trying to figure out a better way to paint spinnerbaits. Allen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reeves Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 Great question Allen! It can ruin the paint if you are not real careful. I ruined several before I finally got it down. This is why a heat gun must be used. As you heat, constantly be moving the bait allowing the heat to hit mostly the powder painted area and just passing it through the heat over the airbrushed areas of the bait. Watch those areas closely and if you see a wrinkle starting, get it out of the heat, Like I said earlier, you have to take your time and heat the bait slowly. It does work and has a very glossy deep finish to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagacious Posted April 11, 2008 Report Share Posted April 11, 2008 I can vouch for what Reeves said above. In my case, I just heated the painted jigs in an oven, then dipped in clear powder paint and cured as usual. 350*F isn't really that hot-- but the longer you preheat your painted jigs, the more the color tones may be affected by the heat. The magic behind a heat gun may be that you can really limit the duration of the preheat, and that may prove critical in some applications. Like anything else in life, you will need to practice a little with your equipment and paint to get the results you want. I used waterbased paint. Vinyl paint will not work for this. what do you guys think is tougher of the two. the powder sounds alot easier just heat dip and cure. In my humble opinion, there is zee-ro question as to the answer. Cured clear powder paint is significantly tougher than Devcon 2-ton. Try removing cured clear powder paint from some hook hangers, and you'll answer that one right away. My fishing lures take considerable abuse in the ocean here, so whenever possible, I'll be topcoating with clear powder paint. Hope this helps, good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
