Painting dots

[MIkayakangler]

So got a Tjs Tackle airbrush this weekend and having a lot of fun with it. Trying to add trout dots to my lures. Used an oil based paint pen. First try it smudged on me and my crafty wife recommended that I head it up to cure it and that appears to work but will have to see how durable it is. Anyone else do anything like this and know if it will hold up? Hope to get out and try a few in a couple weeks. 

[mark poulson]

Once you have the blades powder coated, you can add details with an airbrush paint like Createx.  Dip a toothpick or fine paint brush into a drop of the paint, and add your dots/detailing.  Once it's been thoroughly dried, top coat with clear nail polish, two coats.

[Anglinarcher]

http://www.lurepartsonline.com/Online-Store/Painting-Accessories/Eye-Dotter.html

[EironBreaker]

Toothpick is good for small dots, I also cut the end off a Q-tip and that makes a little larger dot.  I use craft paint from Wal Mart or Hobby Lobby and it goes in the oven to cure with the powder paint.  It gets hard and chip resistant like powder paint.

[mark poulson]

47 minutes ago, EironBreaker said:

Toothpick is good for small dots, I also cut the end off a Q-tip and that makes a little larger dot.  I use craft paint from Wal Mart or Hobby Lobby and it goes in the oven to cure with the powder paint.  It gets hard and chip resistant like powder paint.

 

I'll have to try that!  

What types/brands of craft paint work for you?

 

[gaspumper]

I use  a craft  paint called  craftsmart,I powder paint my jigs then apply the eyes then put in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 min,the craft paint melts into the powder paint,as Eiron says .The craftpaint says its good at 350 degrees on the label.

[mark poulson]

2 minutes ago, gaspumper said:

I use  a craft  paint called  craftsmart,I powder paint my jigs then apply the eyes then put in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 min,the craft paint melts into the powder paint,as Eiron says .The craftpaint says its good at 350 degrees on the label.

 

Thanks.  I'll look for it next time I'm at a craft store.

I'll also try some of the craft paints I already have.

[MIkayakangler]

The Craft Smart is what I actually got from Micheals last night.  I am bummed it smudged my brown trout pattern.  It will smudge before being cured but even just putting it back under the heat gun for a few seconds cured it enough to handle without smudging before curing it in oven.  My wife recommended the Sharpie paint marker because she had better experience with those in her crafting as far as accuracy in application goes, she used some to decorate plates and cured them in the oven no problem so I'm guessing they would work just as well. 

[gaspumper]

There is 2 types of craft smart craft paint one say good to 350 degrees on the label,the other one doesn't  have anything about heat on it.This is at Michaels.

[mjs]

To make dots I use a cheap drill bit set. 

[MIkayakangler]

I did see a YouTube video of someone who drilled out holes in a spoon and used that as a stencil for dots.  I feel like in a spinner blade that might be a little bit difficult but worth a try. I’ve got a few messed up blades to use. 

[mark poulson]

2 minutes ago, MIkayakangler said:

I did see a YouTube video of someone who drilled out holes in a spoon and used that as a stencil for dots.  I feel like in a spinner blade that might be a little bit difficult but worth a try. I’ve got a few messed up blades to use. 

I don't know how much difference a specific paint job will make on a spinnerbait blade, because they spin so fast.    I've coated the blades with a simulated bass paint scheme, green on top, and the bottom white, and added black accents in the middle to try and simulate a baby bass, but I've gotten more bites with just polished  brass blades.  Maybe the baby bass blades took too much attention away from the spinnerbait body with the hook.  I don't know. 

I think the blades on a spinnerbait are there to draw attention to the bait, and to add vibration, so the bass' senses are on point as the bait passes.  Once the bait is in range, I want the bass to focus on the part with the hook.

With the "they can't eat it if they don't notice it" theory in mind,  I do coat the cupped side of my blades with glo paint, and then go over both faces with clear nail polish and mylar bits (Sally Hansen 'In the Spotlight'), to make it more visible in dark conditions, or in dirty water.  The clear makes the glo polish hold up better, and the mylar bits make it flash if any sunlight hits it, so I'm hedging my bets.

[MIkayakangler]

Haha your probably right thought. I think as fisherman we care more about what a bait looks like than they do.  I doubt a trout 10 feet away from a lure in a 3mph current is thinking "are those dots hand painted?"  As much as the vibration of the blade does the work. 

 

As as far as getting them to the hook. I either use hook dressing that I make from wire casing. I work at a construction company so I take some of the scrap telecom wire and strip it. Put the copper back into scrap and take the shielding and slide it on a treble hook. Or a very bright 8mm trailing bread. Both seam to work for the Browns here in Michigan 

[EironBreaker]

20 hours ago, mark poulson said:

 

I'll have to try that!  

What types/brands of craft paint work for you?

 

Not sure of the brand of hand, I'll have to look in the shop at the bottle.  I got it at Wal Mart.  The bottle is a squeeze type with a flip top lid.  Takes forever to use a bottle up dotting eyes. 

[BLT]

On 3/19/2018 at 9:50 PM, mjs said:

To make dots I use a cheap drill bit set. 

Same here. Have 7 different sizes I use, but do cut off the end of a toothpick for the really small ones.

[Saugerman]

The smooth end of drill bits work very good, as MJS said.  A set of them, and you have about any size dots you  need.  You still can use them  for drilling  afterwards.

[cadman]

I use black vinyl electric tape and then a circle punch used for leather. Tool with 5 or 6 punches is about $9 at Hobby Lobby.

[Mad Moose Baits]

On 3/23/2018 at 7:00 AM, cadman said:

I use black vinyl electric tape and then a circle punch used for leather. Tool with 5 or 6 punches is about $9 at Hobby Lobby.

Before or after heat curing?

[cadman]

1 hour ago, Mad Moose Baits said:

,Before or after heat curing?

 

I cure the paint by baking the heads in a toaster oven first. Once it's cool, I apply the electrical tape dots on the head, and then I clearcoat the head to keep the tape from wearing off. It looks really good. I've used them for kill spots and solid color  2d eyes. The vinyl tape comes in many colors, and it is cheaper  than buying dots from WTP, and with the punch you can make any size you want.

[Mad Moose Baits]

Here is the paint from Michael's. Grabbed some on my break lol

[smalljaw]

Component Systems Quick Coat Lure Markers, they are valve activated paint sticks. The markers come with different tips and there is one to make perfect dots, a little tap makes a small dot, a little more pressure and time makes a bigger dot. I use them for that purpose and the best part is you can put your dots or lines or whatever on top of powder paint and then cure and it will bake into the finish and come out as if you powder coated the marks on your lure.

[Saugerman]

Here is what I use for painting dots, on crankbaits, or lead baits. It is a drill gauge. I got these for free.  Just tape over any one you don't want to use, so paint won't get on your bait. From super small, to large holes.  Picture  added

[FrogAddict]

I use the other end of the disposable paint brushes I buy from Wally World. Since they taper to a point, I just cut them off about where I want them. I then sand them a bit to make sure the end is flat and dip them into craft paint. On my roundhead jigs, I hit them with a bit of solarez once they dry. 

It's a bit of a hassle so I may look into those Component Systems Quick Coat Lure Markers that SmallJaw mentioned.

Edited April 10, 2018 by FrogAddict