Painting chatterbait vibrating jig blades

[chachybaby]

Anyone know how to paint and get the dull finish of black chatterbait or phenix blades? 

Doesn't look like paint. 

Edited August 29, 2020 by chachybaby

[21xdc]

Probably electro plating.

[mark poulson]

I am just a hobby builder, and only build for myself and a few buddies, so my way isn't for a production run, by any means. 

I paint them with a black sharpie, heat set it with a hair dryer, shoot on two coats of Rustoleum 2X Gloss clear, and then a final coat of Rustoleum 2X Matte clear.  I wipe the blades with clean acetone first, to get rid of any oils.  The sharpie is solvent-based, and sticks to the clean metal well.  Just be sure it's heat set, so the Rustoleum doesn't make it run too much.

[Jeff Hahn]

I use Sally Hansen fingernail polish to paint my blades.  It may chip off after a while, but is easily reapplied.

[chachybaby]

Thanks all. Excellent input so far appreciate it

[mark poulson]

14 hours ago, Jeff Hahn said:

I use Sally Hansen fingernail polish to paint my blades.  It may chip off after a while, but is easily reapplied.

Jeff, I forgot that I used to do that, too.  Funny how quickly I forget stuff if I'm not doing it all the time.  

[chachybaby]

The dull finish reminds me of brake dust or something automotive 

[basscat28]

I powdercoat mine,a fluid bed or powder gun will get a super thin coat

[CollinW22]

On 9/8/2020 at 11:08 PM, basscat28 said:

I powdercoat mine,a fluid bed or powder gun will get a super thin coat

Do you just heat them up with a torch?

[jigmeister]

duct tape comes in about every color these days . I have stuck it to the blade and trimmed around the edges and it stays on great and rocks won't chip it off .

[chachybaby]

thanks guys

[chachybaby]

i have tried the powder coat method similar to paint jigs, cure them in oven.  So far so good.

[basscat28]

On 9/24/2020 at 11:05 AM, CollinW22 said:

Do you just heat them up with a torch?

A heat gun gets it to the right temp

[chachybaby]

X2 for the heat gun and use fluid bed for nice light coat. So far it's working great. 

[Ballin21]

For the ones who are using the heat gun and fluid bed, how are you guys holding the blade (pliers, paper clip, etc)?

[basscat28]

52 minutes ago, Ballin21 said:

For the ones who are using the heat gun and fluid bed, how are you guys holding the blade (pliers, paper clip, etc)?

Henostats at the “connection” hole when powder coating. Then use a piece of paper clip or wire when hanging in the oven to cure. 

[Ballin21]

@basscat28 Thank you

[Dink Master]

20 hours ago, Ballin21 said:

For the ones who are using the heat gun and fluid bed, how are you guys holding the blade (pliers, paper clip, etc)?

Round Nose Pliers

[Ballin21]

I've tried the round nose pliers the way you have it, and the paint gets stuck to my pliers. whats the trick?

[Dink Master]

16 hours ago, Ballin21 said:

I've tried the round nose pliers the way you have it, and the paint gets stuck to my pliers. whats the trick?

Hold blade with needle-nose pliers when heating.

Use cool round nose pliers to dip your blade.

Don't over heat your blade.

You want a lite coat of paint (velvet looking)  Baking in the Toaster Oven will smooth out and cure the paint

[Ballin21]

@Dink Master thanks. 

[chachybaby]

X2 for the plier method. Also what works great is very thin fly tying wire to hold the blade at first eye. Then heat with heat gun and dip in fluid bed making sure to get very thin coat. The thin wire barely touches the blade making it very easy to take blade off once cool.

Bake in the toaster oven to cure.

For the dull flat look I tried something last night after using flat black powder paint. I took a nail file and lightly roughed up the blade after paint cured. I like the finish and look.