Can You "Thin" Powder Paint?

[Sandwich Maker]

On a lark, I bought some of Harbor Freight's powder paint and it seems heavy pigmented. Was wondering if you can add clear powder paint to it to "thin" it?

[radtexan]

Absolutely !

[skiptomylu]

You can add clear I just can't say how much to thin it. I just don't know. I am not even sure how much it helps, but probably some.

Skip

[fish_4_all]

Oh the fun of mixing powders. Only way I know to lighten a powder paint is to use white. I have done this with some mixed success depending on the colors. Red , yellow, and orange went lighter. Black, purple, green, and most other dark colors speckled morte than it lightened them. All of the colors speckled and did not mix in a way other paints will but brighter colors did seem lighter even though it was just speckled. Adding clear might lighten them but you run the risk of speckled coverage with the head color showing through in places.

I have done it with many colors but never tracked how much to use so I can't help there.

[skiptomylu]

I used some clear in Black way back when I started and it didn't hurt anything and the jig heads painted with it were still black.

Skip

[smoothlures]

I've found with heavy PP like most blacks if you just don't get your jighead as hot it will still put a fine even coat on for you.

[shipahoy41]

I have thinned by adding white and also by just using a complimentary clear/white combination. Usually I will get a clean jar and do trial and error until I was satisfied. 2 parts main color and 1 part other.

[Sandwich Maker]

Thanks for the replies. Smoothlures is right on about less heat. It's decent paint, esp for the price, but extremely thick powder. I was just wondering if adding clear would thin the texture down to something like ProTec and other jig specific paints. Didn't have but a little clear, mixed it with a small amount of the HF paint and it seemed to do the trick. Bought the black and white and in it's off the shelf state, I wouldn't consider NOT baking, as it puts a thick coat on and I think would chip easily. They reccomend 400 degrees for 20 minutes, seems to work well.

[jusanothajoe]

A fluid bed will thin the thickness of the paint on the heads alot.

[skiptomylu]

Wow SM that is high heat and long time huh? Most of Pro-Tec, not all they rec 400 also, but just 10 minutes so I go 11 to give the lead time to heat a little.