foul_hook Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 I tried searching but couldnt get the results I was looking for so I'm just going to ask it. forgive me if this is too newbie and has been covered 100 times. I'm talking about bass jigs and I'm using a thin wire mustad 3/0 hook. Q: Is there a secret to keeping the paint out of the hook eye. It's driving me crazy! I'm using a heat gun and just dipping (swishing?) the jig head into the paint. Is there a way to do it that will either 1: not clog the eye or 2: keep the paint off entirely? I've been looking into making one of the air injected powder paint beds, I am willing and able if that will do it. I also have a powder paint sprayer but I feel like I loose a lot of paint that way due to overspray. Thoughts or helpfull advice appreciated. Thanks, Stephen 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 Stephen, Welcome to TU. As far as keeping the hook eye clean. There are a couple of ways that come to my mind. #1 Take your forceps and grab the hook eye with them and then swish it through the powder. #2 If you are getting that much powder in your hook eye, I will bet you are putting way too much powder on your jig. Thinner is always better as it will also reduce paint drips. #3 Look into making a fluid bed, (PM me your e-mail) and I will send you plans, or use a powder paint sprayer. #4 I personally don't like #1. That to me only works on small jigs. If you are painting bass jigs they are bigger and heavier. So what I do is find a drill bit that will fit easily in the hook eye. As soon as you put your jig through the powder paint, immediately take the shank end of a drill bit and push it through the hole until it comes out the other end. There are many other ways I'm sure, as more guys will post their tips to help you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrysbaits Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 Stick a tooth pick thru the eye and clip it as close as you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrysbaits Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 You do the toothpick deal before you heat and swish. leave it in until you done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foul_hook Posted September 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 thanks guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Long Lake Lures Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 When I apply too much paint (which happens more times than I'd like to admit) I reheat only the hook eye (heat gun) and run a small length of wire through the hole and then roll the wire between my fingers to gather up the excess.. Be careful not to heat too much or you may end up pulling off more paint than you inetnded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basseducer Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 When I was still dipping I used high temp silicone masking caps. You heat the jig like normal, place the cap over the eye and dip. This keeps the paint off entirely. After the dip just pull the cap off and it's ready for the next jig. They are reusable and I have used one over 500 times. I asked for samples and they sent them free. Like Cadman said your best bet is a fluid bed. Here is a link. http://www.shercon.com/storefront/ultrabakegroundingcaps.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toadfrog Posted September 14, 2012 Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 Depending on how high the eye sticks up you can use tinfoil . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makokeith Posted September 16, 2012 Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 Good info here. Those caps are cool. I also drill out the eye after dipping. But I wait till they have cooled. When they are done baking the paint blends in with the inside of the eye so you do not have a sharp edge. This way you can tie direct without having a sharp edge. I am going to get some of those caps though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-Minus Posted September 21, 2012 Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 I've tried a lot of different things, foil, high temp tape, silicone caps, I haven't found anything that works really well. The foil I had problems with it getting stuck around the base of the eye. The high temp tape didn't always hold up to the heat-gun, well I guess technically the adhesive didn't hold up the tape itself was fine. The silicone caps had some powder paint get in every once in a while, or left a bare spot around the base of the eye, or popped off mid-heating... But I'm really picky about them. I've even gone back and dipped just the eyelete in paint stripper and wire brushed out the paint off. If you come up with something that works good, let us know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted September 21, 2012 Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 Try holding the hook eye with a pair of pliers to keep it covered while dipping the jig. That is what works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted September 21, 2012 Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 Try holding the hook eye with a pair of pliers to keep it covered while dipping the jig. That is what works for me. I use this method, with a pair of needle nose pliers. It is the easiest way I've found. Just be sure and clean out any excess that gets into the hook eye before you heat cure the jigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted September 21, 2012 Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 Mark my pliers are wide tipped so they cover the entire eye even on large hooks but with pointy pliers I can see how some paint might get into part of the eye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljaw Posted September 21, 2012 Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 I've found that when I have my temps right and using powder paint with a fluid bed I don't have much of a problem with paint in the hook eye. Yes, there is a small coat of paint in the hook eye but the eye remains open to the point on my larger bass jigs I can tie a palomar knot using 17# flouro or 65lb braid without any interference. On my smaller jigs I will paint a buch and before I cure them I use a jig eye buster and it is fantastic, you simlyput the hook eye in it and push down to get the little point into the hook eye. Once I get it in I give it a few quick movements up and down and since the powder isn't cured it just cracks off the hook eye completely and it only takes 2 or 3 seconds a hook. I usually paint 10 and then clean the eyes and then do 10 more and repeat, it takes about the same amout of time to do that as it would to put a tape or something over the eye. and then remove it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted September 21, 2012 Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 Mark my pliers are wide tipped so they cover the entire eye even on large hooks but with pointy pliers I can see how some paint might get into part of the eye. I paint mostly 2/0 and 3/0 light wire jigs, so my needle nose pliers, which are cheap aluminum pliers with aluminum jaws, are just the right size. Plus, from years of painting, the grooves in the jaws are almost smooth, with a slight circular impression from built-up powder paint around where the eye goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallmouthaholic Posted September 22, 2012 Report Share Posted September 22, 2012 Hold your jig by the hook and dip on an angle into your fluid bed -just to the bottom of the eyelet. Keep the heat away from the eyelt by heating the bottom of the jig w /a pencil,butane torch. These work well to remove a painted eye- http://www.ebay.com/itm/JIG-EYELET-CLEANER-IDEAL-REMOVE-PAINT-JIG-EYE-/271041926693 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly Posted September 22, 2012 Report Share Posted September 22, 2012 I still do the same that I have for a long time. I use modeling clay squish it around the eye and screw locks. Pull it off before I cure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly Posted September 22, 2012 Report Share Posted September 22, 2012 I almost forgot I throw away the used clay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldfart9999 Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 I use a large pair of needle nose pliers, that seems to do the trick. If I get too much powder on the eye I just scrape it off with an old pocket knife before I cure them. If you make a fluid bed, and I would advise it, follow Cadmans instructions, make it out of 3 inch pvc though, it works better, I'm not sure what size Ted used but I used 2 inch and at times it's too small. Rodney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAWJigs Posted October 6, 2012 Report Share Posted October 6, 2012 I cut the eye off a 3/0 poison tail hook and when I dip I push it thru even if not needed. I have noticed when I do that, there are less of my jigs getting the hook eyes drilled out after cure. I have tried the fluid bed and it works very well, but I would rather shake and go that way because I have a system ... I can't get use to the fluid bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustedhook Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 Stephen: This is what I do. I buy 1/8" heat shrink tubing and pre-cut a bunch to a length of about a 1/4 inch. Place it on the hook eye just far enough to cover the eye. As you heat(I use a heat gun) your jig head it will shrink to cover the eye. After dipping(I use a fluid bed) in your paint remove the heat shrink and then bake. Rustedhook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triple_S_Customs Posted November 9, 2012 Report Share Posted November 9, 2012 When I do umbrella rigs I have a wood block with a piece of .041 wire nailed to it. I set it close to where I'm working and As soon as I pull them out of powder I poke the loop and with it still on the wire scrape all the paint off of the wire and it will pull off clean. It only takes a couple seconds longer but makes life so much easier!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkman Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 When I do umbrella rigs I have a wood block with a piece of .041 wire nailed to it. I set it close to where I'm working and As soon as I pull them out of powder I poke the loop and with it still on the wire scrape all the paint off of the wire and it will pull off clean. It only takes a couple seconds longer but makes life so much easier!!!!! excactly what I do...works great but slow...but I rather it be slow and done right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 (edited) Erick, Try holding your jigs by the eye with a pair of needle nose pliers when you dip them. I rarely get paint into my eyes that way. Just be sure the pliers have coated handles, or they may eventually get too hot to hold, unless you wear gloves. The pair I use are cheap aluminum pliers, and they work just fine. That really speeds up the powder coating process for me. Edited November 12, 2012 by mark poulson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
