Proper Fluid Bed Function

[steve187]

Well, I've been in and out of here for a couple months lately. Finally got back out to the barn to play with the tackle a bit and I have some questions. I was using the fluid bed painting white. The cup medium was a coffee filter. Occasionally I would get some minor volcanoes and they seemed to only go away when I closed the air off completely. Otherwise I really couldn't tell the fluid bed was doing much. It seemed like when I stirred the paint a little bit it worked just as good whether the air was turned on or off. Am I missing something ?

On another note I have been enjoying the use of the skirtmaster tool. Thanks guys for that info. I still don't have the thread tying accomplished yet but have made some headway using copper wire.

[pirkfan]

Well, I've been in and out of here for a couple months lately. Finally got back out to the barn to play with the tackle a bit and I have some questions. I was using the fluid bed painting white. The cup medium was a coffee filter. Occasionally I would get some minor volcanoes and they seemed to only go away when I closed the air off completely. Otherwise I really couldn't tell the fluid bed was doing much. It seemed like when I stirred the paint a little bit it worked just as good whether the air was turned on or off. Am I missing something ?

On another note I have been enjoying the use of the skirtmaster tool. Thanks guys for that info. I still don't have the thread tying accomplished yet but have made some headway using copper wire.

That's certainly not the way mine works (netcraft model). You should see a significant increase in the volume of the powder coating when you turn the air on...like almost doubling in volume because of the added air. Should almost be like a liquid.

[sdsaw]

Like pirkfan said, you should see an increase of volume of your powder.

I have to admit, mine does not work perfectly (like on TJ's Tackle site) but it does work "good enough"

You probably need to experiment with your filter material

I had to try different types before mine worked properly with the pump I am using (dual outlet from walmart)

Coffee filter, brown and white paper bag, hypo-allergenic pillow case then finally old style computer paper (the kind with holes on both edges) which worked

[toadfrog]

I've worked on your problem in the past when I was trying to re-invent the mouse trap so to speak. Because there is no way to stabilize the air being passed through the powder uniformly and the powder is affected as it is used. I've installed fans , motors, vibrators filters of every type. Finally I just bought a powder air brush. I live happier with that. Don't get me wrong the fluid bed is good , you just have to deal with the odd occurances.

[Richard Prager]

I've always wondered what it was suppose to look like when working correctly. I've read where the powder should look like lightly boiling water. I don't know about that. Mine works great, like others have said, when you see the increase in volume. The powder will settle and pack when sitting, so you do need to loosen it up before you start using it. I think if your jig gets coated and the eye doesn't get covered, then it is working just fine. I mix mine up, turn on the pump and when it starts shooting up powder, I back it down a bit. Some powders and certain colors seem to be a bit more difficult as they seem to clump up a bit from the humidity. The best results I have had are with the powders i got from Cadman (the powder is finer) and the most difficult are the proTec, especially the ones with flake. Just my findings. Those are the only two, other than Harbor Freights I have tried. HF works ok it just has a nasty odor to it. For the membrane i have been using the paper from the express mail soft envelopes.

[steve187]

OK guys, thanks for the responses. I don't believe I am really noticing much of an apparent volume change when I turn the air on. I have been using a brown coffee filter. I think I will try some other mediums and see where that gets me.

Thanks

[Jig Man]

I don't get much of a rise in my paint until I stir it a bit. It seems to really settle out in the garage.

[cadman]

OK guys, thanks for the responses. I don't believe I am really noticing much of an apparent volume change when I turn the air on. I have been using a brown coffee filter. I think I will try some other mediums and see where that gets me.

Thanks

if you are not getting a volume change, than you are either not letting enough air into the filter chamber or your air pump isn't strong enough to push the powder up. So you will need a bigger air pump.

[steve187]

if you are not getting a volume change, than you are either not letting enough air into the filter chamber or your air pump isn't strong enough to push the powder up. So you will need a bigger air pump.

Ah ha ! I've been using a coffee filter as a medium. My pump is a dual outlet aquarium pump I bought at a Target or K-Mart . I better try to do a little experimenting with a couple other mediums and see what happens. I never really see a volume change with the exception of those silly volcanoes and that is a different matter.

Thanks Cadman

[cadman]

Ah ha ! I've been using a coffee filter as a medium. My pump is a dual outlet aquarium pump I bought at a Target or K-Mart . I better try to do a little experimenting with a couple other mediums and see what happens. I never really see a volume change with the exception of those silly volcanoes and that is a different matter.

Thanks Cadman

Steve,

A couple of other things. I like to use vacuum cleaner bags, they have worked for me better as of late. Also if you have white in the fluid bed cup, it will require more air to push it. White as far as I'm concerned is the heaviest of all the powders. I have done extensive research on white powder paint, and all of the manufacturers and chemists I've spoken to have told me that. It is the chemicals in the pigment that make it heavier, as white powder does have to cover better than other colors. With that said I have gone through at least 40 different white powder manufacturers which I did not like. I finally had a white powder custom made which goes on thin and to my liking. Finally the last thing to assess is height of powder cup. Many guys want to dip longer blades or spinnerbaits into a deeper powder cup. That is fine but that deeper powder cup needs more powder and more powder means you have more weight which in turn menas you need a really big pump to push the air through the chamber and into the cup. I'm not saying this is your case, but just some things to look at and analyze. Good Luck

[orionn1]

I pour my powder straight into the cup. Am I suppose to be putting another medium such as coffee filter, vacuum bag in the fluid bed before putting in the powder? I usually get good coverage on my heads but I would say my volume doesn't double , it probably only increase by a quarter but I do get fluid like movement. I am not sure if it is suppose to be a little smokey. I get the boiling water effect but it seems to smoke off a lot of powder paint if that makes sense?I do often get volcanoes too though and I usually turn it down. Any suggestions

thanks