psilvers Posted June 9, 2007 Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 I put on my base coats with a fluid bed, but I was thinking of coloring the back by airbrushing powder paint onto a hot jig? Does anyone ever add colors to a powder painted jig by airbrushing the powder? Thanks for any help/insight you can provide. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly Posted June 10, 2007 Report Share Posted June 10, 2007 People using the air brush say the problem is air in the brush cools the jig. So you are constantly reheating the jig. It is easer to sprinkle on the jig with a paint brush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LedHed Posted June 10, 2007 Report Share Posted June 10, 2007 The brushes, like Kelly has posted, is much easier and you can do multiple colors. The majority of my jigs are 3 and 4 colors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psilvers Posted June 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2007 Thanks for the info. I had seen the technique of sprinkling on with a brush, but I don't seem to get a nice even coat. I was using cheap brushes, maybe a better brush would do better. I also tried making a paste of the powder and painting it on the jig and that didn't work. So, last night I went and bought an airbrush. I think I can control waste because I bought one of the better airbrushes which regulates spray athrough a couple of different mechanisms. Thus, I should be able to have pretty fine control. I was just worried about how good it would be spraying a powder vs. spraying a liquid. Thanks again for the info. I might even start putting a basecoat on and painting other colors with liquid paint. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psilvers Posted June 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 Update: I bought an airbrush and have been using canned propellant. It is a Badger Crescendo(?). I am using the largest pore. Does anyone have any ideas? It sprays a bit, but not a real good stream. BTW, on some other jigs I am thinking of going to vinyl paints. How do they hold up? Thanks, Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dayooper Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 PSilvers, If you can, try to steal one of your wife's make up brushes. They work really well (just tell her she looks beautiful with out make up ). Vinyl paint holds up alright, but not near as well as powder paint. Benjamin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psilvers Posted June 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 Thanks Ben. Your fluid bed does a great job. I am just trying to paint the backs of these little boogers. When I use a brush it either gets melted or clogged with paint. If I put the brush in acetone between jigs will it stop the clogging? Thanks, pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dayooper Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 Pete, What we do is dip the brush in the powder paint and then hold it an inch or so over top of the bait and then tap the handle to make the paint fall out of the brush. We don't actually touch the brush to the heated jig. We have made a video to put on our website that shows these different techniques, but it is still at the editors. Hopefully we will get this up soon so so can have a visual. Hope this helps. Thanks, Benjamin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psilvers Posted June 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 Ben, I'll have to try this again. I did try sprinkling, but I didn't get an even flow. It may have been the jig wasn't hot enough, or I need a different brush. Thanks, Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljaw Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 Badger makes a hobby sandblaster that works great with powder. You will waste some powder but you can salvage alot by using small cardboard boxes as a spray both. I hang small bags on the inside of the boxes and just change the bag as I change colors so I can recycle the unused powder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psilvers Posted June 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2007 Thanks for everyone's help. I finally tried the brush method on a small jig (Ultra Minnow 1/4 oz). After a few tries I have it down. I was trying this method on a larger jig (1 1/2 oz spearhead) with a lot more area to cover and I couldn't get it even. That is fine - there are other ways to handle that. Thanks again for everyone's help. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pirkfan Posted December 29, 2007 Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 I also use the badger sandblaster to spray powder paint, as well as their very inexpensive external mix paint gun. Both work well. I use a hot air gun to heat the jig, dip it in a fluid bed for the base coat, back to the hot air gun to finish the melting of the base coat, and while it's still hot, spray with one or two colors of powder in the badger guns. Because the base coat is still melted, the powder sticks well, then back to the hot air gun to complete the melting. (I just spray over a garbage can, the countershading uses very little powder, I don't attempt to salvage it). This gives a nice blended countershading. I have several guns hooked up to an air distribution manifold so I can just grab the color I want to spray, then just heat cure and paint the eyes. Part of the trick with the sandblasters is to keep the air pressure low (about 20-25 psi), so the powder doesn't come out in a fog. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LedHed Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 pirkfan When you “paint the eyes” are you powder painting the eyes also? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pirkfan Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 No, I use testor's model paint, use a hanging drop on an appropriately sized nail head, never figured out how to do it with powder paint. For a 3 d look, just put a drop of clear epoxy over the painted eye the same way. Recessed eyes make this very easy. With them, you can do both eyes at the same time, paint the eye color (I like yellow), wait a couple of hours for the paint to at least partly dry, then use a sewing pin to do the pupil in black. If somebody's figured out how to do it with powder, I'd be very interested in hearing, this is the slowest part of my paint process. I've wondered what fish think of my baits with the "jaundiced" eyes, but they work and the eyes are very visible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
braveviper Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 I also use the badger sandblaster to spray powder paint, as well as their very inexpensive external mix paint gun. Both work well. I use a hot air gun to heat the jig, dip it in a fluid bed for the base coat, back to the hot air gun to finish the melting of the base coat, and while it's still hot, spray with one or two colors of powder in the badger guns. Because the base coat is still melted, the powder sticks well, then back to the hot air gun to complete the melting. (I just spray over a garbage can, the countershading uses very little powder, I don't attempt to salvage it). This gives a nice blended countershading. I have several guns hooked up to an air distribution manifold so I can just grab the color I want to spray, then just heat cure and paint the eyes. Part of the trick with the sandblasters is to keep the air pressure low (about 20-25 psi), so the powder doesn't come out in a fog. Could you post a picture of the final product? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LedHed Posted December 31, 2007 Report Share Posted December 31, 2007 pirkfan Think Component Systems has an eye painter – thought I saw one on their web site (it was a while ago). I use 3D eyes now, too lazy to paint. Have read (but can’t find it now) where you can use a pencil eraser for an applicator. Rough it up or moisten it before you pick up the paint. Stencils are a real pain with powder paint – thinking about messing with stamping now. I have the Paasche AEC air eraser but never got around to trying it – got stuck on brushes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pirkfan Posted December 31, 2007 Report Share Posted December 31, 2007 Ledhed...I took a look at the Component Systems eye painter, I think it's for liquid paint, not powder and looks expensive vs nail drop technique = really cheap. I can line 'em up and do a lot of eyes in a hurry for a lot less than stick on eyes, maybe not as purty, but I doubt the fish really inspect them all that closely. I just noticed the similar threads topics at the bottom of this page and one described using a straw to apply powder paint for eyes...I'm going to look into that one...maybe small metal tubes? (THIS SITE ROCKS) Braveviper, I'll take a look at what it takes to post a picture on here and give it a try after the holidays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pirkfan Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 Braveviper, just uploaded an image to the gallery of 3 jigs spraypainted with powder coating. Haven't figured out how to attach that image here!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
braveviper Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 Ok lemme see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
