Iamscubasteve Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 This is my first post here after reading for awhile. I started pouring my own jigs last year and thanks to the knowledge of the posters on this site things are going much better than when I started. My question is this. Does the candle residue from smoking impact the quality of powder paint applied? When I first started pouring my jigs I did not smoke my molds first and now I am. Before smoking my molds I would have several bad jigs in a setting, today was my first run smoking my mold and out of 300 jigs only 1 was a bad pour, needless to say I was stoked. However, The jigs I poured with out smoking were shinny as a mirror and the ones I did today seem more dull. I have a fluid bed and those non smoked jigs took the paint very well, I can hold them with pliers and smack them on the garage floor and the lead will flatten, but the paint will not chip off. I haven't painted the ones I did today yet, but I am worried that the paint is not going to stick as well on these. Do any of you, that smoke your molds, need to prep your jig heads be fore powder painting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy1976 Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 It shouldn't have any affect as long as you're baking the jigs. I would recommend trying some pb blaster graphite spray from your local home depot in the door lock and handle area. That or there's a brand people use call Frankforts drop out release that's good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Hahn Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 I smoke all of my molds and never had a problem until the other day. Then, I had a problem with powder paint sticking to a few of my jigs, but just in one or two spots. I finally figured it out. I was handling the jigs and trimming off some flash and apparently got some oil from my hands on some of the jigheads. So, I cleaned all my jigheads with a little acetone (although alcohol or some other solvent would work just as well). That removed the oil from my hands and the jigs took the paint just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 Over the years, I have learned to hate smoking molds. I did it several times about 8 years ago and never again. When I tried smoking molds, it never helped with my pours and found out that the soot from the candles also left oil on the molds. So, I have never used it after that. If you want good clean jigs with rarely any issues, use a product called Drop-out made by Frankford Arsenal. Once you try this you will thank me later. It is like putting eggs on a Teflon pan. The lead pours easier, and you only have to apply it once every 10,000 jigs or so, or until you see the aluminum material showing through the dark gray coating. BTW welcome to TU. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 Cadman is absolutely correct here. He put me on to Frankfort Arsenal Drop out spray. I ordered some from Zeiners in Wichita. It is great stuff and really makes molds slick. You will have to have Fed Ex bring it because USPS won't carry it, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iamscubasteve Posted February 28, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2017 Thank for the replies. I didn't really care for all the soot on my fingers when putting the hooks in so I will certainly look into the drop out spray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
