Best Method When Powder Coating Jigs

[Henegar]

Hey guys, I got to powder coat some jigs and I'm wonder what is the best method to keep the eye of the hook clean when dipping it in the paint. Thanks in advance.

[Apdriver]

Use a fluid bed. Lots of how to tutorials on how to make one. Very easy, just do a search on here. I use a heat gun to heat my jigs but some use a propane torch. For me the heat gun is best and heat is more controllable. After you powder coat tap the jig on the side of your fluid bed to remove excess powder paint. If your eye ends up plugged or with too much powder paint, now is the time to remove it. The paint is brittle now and will remove easy. After you bake it per the powder paint manufacturers instructions, it becomes very tough and durable and is very hard to remove. Hope this helps.

[DaBehr]

Lot's of good tutorials on the site listed below.

 

Their jig clamps are a VERY handy item !!!!!

 

I just pushed the "easy button" and ordered their fluid bed...works great.

 

http://www.tjstackle.com/

 

On small jigs (crappie type) I just put the end of my pliers over the hook eye while I'm heating them in my heat gun (I got the cheap $30 one at Home Depot and it works great) and then dipping them.

 

For bass jigs, I just clean out the eyes with one of hook eye busters, or a heated needle through the eye before I cure them in the oven (thus the need for those jig clamps!). I've been heating my jigs at 350 degrees for 20 minutes and so far it's worked great.

 

Andy

[mark poulson]

I also use needle nose pliers to hold the jig by the eye while I dip in my fluid bed.  The pliers don't have sharp teeth anymore, so they don't scar the hook eye.  I seldom have any paint in the eyes, but, if I do, I use a pair of split ring pliers to remove it before I heat set the paint in my toaster oven.

[BLT]

   Try to heat the jig only to the temp you need it to be for the powder to "flux" over into a smooth coat. I think a lot of people over heat the jig, and to much paint gets onto the jig/eye.

 

   Heat gun for small jigs, torch for the 2+ ouncers I do.

 

  If I do get to much paint on the eye, I keep a box of round toothpicks by nme to run throug the eye while the paint is still a "fluid".  This removes some of the extra paint, and leaves the eye looking good. For personal use, I don't real care what the eye looks like, but to sell, I want it looking good also.  When done with the toothpick, use a razor at a 90deg. angle on it and just shave it down to use again.

[smalljaw]

Fluid bed works great, I use a torch and after I heat the jig I give it a quick dip in the fluid bed and it is great, no problems. There are 2 ways you end up with too much paint in the eyes when using a fluid bed, the first is over heating the jig by a lot, the second is holding it in the paint too long. If I do small 1/48oz and 1/32oz crappie jigs I will do them in the jar and I use an old light wire hook, I push the point through the eyes while I'm waiting for my oven to preheat, it works really well and the bigger bass jigs don't need to be cleaned out when using the fluid bed.

[DaBehr]

I'm pretty sure I fall into the group of " over heating their jigs". How long should I be heating the jig? I normally do a 12 count on a bass jig over my heat gun set on low.

 

Should you just be getting paint on the jig and then back over the heat to get it to set? I was thinking the powder paint had to set (at least to some degree) on the dip, but that means the jig has to be really hot.

[Jig Man]

I'm pretty sure I fall into the group of " over heating their jigs". How long should I be heating the jig? I normally do a 12 count on a bass jig over my heat gun set on low.

 

Should you just be getting paint on the jig and then back over the heat to get it to set? I was thinking the powder paint had to set (at least to some degree) on the dip, but that means the jig has to be really hot.

 

No it doesn't have to be really hot.  I do mine in a toaster oven.  I heat the heads till the paint will stick to them and be dull (NOT SHINY).  That gives me the thinnest coat possible still covering the head.  Then I bake them for 15 min at 350°.  I always hold my jig heads by the hook eye so I never have to worry about the paint in the eye.  Since my pliers are not in contact with the heat source they don't get hot and have the paint stick to them.

 

Edited September 5, 2013 by Jig Man

[smalljaw]

I'm pretty sure I fall into the group of " over heating their jigs". How long should I be heating the jig? I normally do a 12 count on a bass jig over my heat gun set on low.

 

Should you just be getting paint on the jig and then back over the heat to get it to set? I was thinking the powder paint had to set (at least to some degree) on the dip, but that means the jig has to be really hot.

 

You can tell if your jigs are too hot if you get smoke, or strings, I would think you would be better off using a higher setting on the heat gun for less time. I have to respectfully disagree with jig man, I have be told directly from the people at component systems, the makers of Protec powder, that their formulation is designed to gloss over right before your eyes before curing. His way works for him and you may want to try it but it would probably require a toaster oven to heat your jigs as you need to be precise doing it like that, too much heat it glosses, to little and you get bare spots and when that occurs you reheat and dip and now you have too much paint, it just seems to hard but as I said, it may work for you so don't rule it out because I can't do it.

[Kasilofchrisn]

On my small jigs I use forceps to hold the hook by the eye and dip in the fluid bed.

On my bigger stuff say 4oz-25oz I dip then clean the eyes out then cure.

Small stuff heats over the heat gun and big stuff heats in the toaster oven first.

[smallmouthaholic]

Tips for powder painting-

 

1- clean your jigs in acetone

2- use a product called Fluff(available from Component Systems) mixed w/ your powder paint

3- I heat all jigs w/ a small butane torch- make sure liquid acetone is put away and sealed

4- i no longer bake jigs in a toaster oven

5-if you must,use an airbrush and shoot w/ two-part ,water base epoxy over the powder paint

[gone2long]

I too use a toaster oven and I have it down now where I don't get clogged eyes as once you learn the settings on the oven you can get it to glaze over, not quite shiny not quite dull then into the oven for the cure, and I'm talking about some small hook eyes that's what works for me. Oh and in my world a fluid bed is the gold standard.

[Jig Man]

I too use a toaster oven and I have it down now where I don't get clogged eyes as once you learn the settings on the oven you can get it to glaze over, not quite shiny not quite dull then into the oven for the cure, and I'm talking about some small hook eyes that's what works for me. Oh and in my world a fluid bed is the gold standard.

Yep that is where I am.  I do jigs from 1/32 - 1 oz this way.  It took a while but it works, but I'm not in the selling business I only make for myself and am never in a hurry.  I did the torch for many years and the heat gun never gave me what I wanted.

[joelhains]

I use a heat gun for my jig powder painting. I do jigs as small as 1/32 and as large as 1 1/2 ounces. For the smallest jigs, I hold them over the heat for a 3-5 second count and on the largest jigs I'll hold over heat for up to 12-15 seconds. This is with my heat gun set to high. I also rotate the jigs as they are being heated to ensure even heating. When doing bass sized jigs I use the wire hanger that comes on the end of Do-it molds to clean out the hook eyes. for smaller jig heads I use smaller diameter wire to run through the eyes. I rarely have issues with the eyes filling back in as the jigs cure in the oven with this method and it gives a very professional looking finish.

Edited September 5, 2013 by joelhains

[RAWJigs]

for my light wire 60 degree hooks, I cut the hook eye of a 60 degree hook off and push it thru the painted eye, if it needs it or not. My flipping hooks I cut the eye off a 4/0 poison tail (91768 i do believe) and push it thru , NO MATTER WHAT! I have had over 500 jigs painted with this method.

[BLT]

Never had the need for acetone. Had jigs sitting for months and never had an issue.  I would worry moe about using a butane torch. I would think that it would leave a residue on the jig, but it must not seeing as it works well for you.  A bet I would have lost lol.

[smallmouthaholic]

Never had the need for acetone. Had jigs sitting for months and never had an issue.  I would worry moe about using a butane torch. I would think that it would leave a residue on the jig, but it must not seeing as it works well for you.  A bet I would have lost lol.

Acetone evaporates extremely quickly and is an excellent metal cleaner. Clean them,set on a cloth and 5 minutes later heat w/ a torch.. Put away any liquid acetone before lighting the torch. I do all of this in an exhaust booth. I used vinegar for years- never again. Better paint job w/ less heat w/ the acetone prior cleaning.

 

Edited to add- less heat equals no paint in the eye. I only apply pinpointed heat to the lead. A heat gun( which i have) takes too long and heats the eye of the jig resulting in a paint enclosed eye.Dip and swish /remove quickly from your fluid bed. Fluff mixed in the powder paint is the real deal for ease of application.

Edited September 7, 2013 by smallmouthaholic

[BLT]

Nice follow up, thanks!  I just have never seen a reason to need it for myself......unless I eat something greasy and don't wash up good enough and get grease on the jigs lol.  Yea, that happened one time. Dang pizza grease lol.