Painting question

[HMK]

I've been having pretty good luck with fingernail polish. Cheap, pretty quick, don't have to bake, no special tools required. What is the benefit of using powder paint?

[drc]

I have used powder paint for several years and had really good luck with it. It's quick easy no smell and no clean up. I use a candle to heat the jig head and then heat and dip the head 2 or 3 times. you must be careful not to let the flame touch the lead it will smoke it and the paint will not stick.

[FIN]

Powder paint is tuff. Its also some what in expensive as you become better at it. It becomes faster and easier with practice.
The first thing you should look into is a homemade Powder paint fluid bed. They are easy to make and cheap. You can power one from a aquarium pump. powder paint opens possibility's using the brush (tap) method and using a special airbrush for powder paint. I like the glow paints a lot. Jigs with powder paint dont melt like fpolish does. I still paint some with fpolish " fire engine red" because i dont have it in powder.
FIN

[bfish]

unlimited colors in powder paint too.

[Fatman]

It's okay till you try and use plastics - most times it melts and makes a huge mess.

[BuckeyeKdog]

I started with nail polish,
- chips easily, smell gives me a headache

moved to acrylics and air brush for versatility and less odor
- chips unless coated with epoxy. Still use this for a couple patterns that I cannot approach using powders. Also still paint crank baits. I have a jig dryer for the epoxy coating as well as a lure turner for the crank baits

Graduated to PC
more color selection, quick, no smell, durable finish and after having bought ~20# of different colors thus have an almost endless amount of colors. a 10' section of PVC pipe made 40+ cups. An old bag of vaccum cleaner filters provided my membrane. A can of PVC cement Glued the membrane to the bottom of the cups. Bought a 15 dollar bag of PVC test caps, Bought a 6.99 harbor freight heat gun and used an old aquarium pump for air supply. Bought a 19.99 toaster oven from wal mart and was ready to go.

Powder coating although not as versatile as air brushing is a lot easier and results in a more durable finish. Long term cost is very low. Initial set up is less than 50 dollars. You can find 2 ounce jars of powder for 4 - 6 dollars. You can do as many have done and buy powder at harbor freight and if you watch carefully. it goes on sale for 4.99 a pound. limited colors but if you have all 4 colors they sell, you can make an incredible number of combinations. Watch for sales at a few mail order houses and they sell a myriad of colors in the 6 - 12 dollar a pound range. I would strongly advise you to get a couple pounds of high gloss clear as it really stretches your colors and improves flow for powder coating.

Various posts on this list cover powder coating techniques and there is always someone around willing to advise if you get in over your head.

Good luck with your decision.

[skiptomylu]

Not sure where in Texas you are, but if near Dallas go to Barlow's Tackle and buy yourself a alcohol burner for clean heat, will not matter if you touch the flame or not as there is no soot! Been using one I got from them 10 years ago and even the same wick. The. Get or make a fluid bed and powder paint and get them painted and cured, it's as good as painting jig heads gets! I mention this one at Barlow's for a good reason, it has a nice big wick unlike many on eBay or other places. It's simple and good!

[HMK]

I'm about 30 miles west of Fort Worth. I've been wanting to go over to Barlowes, but they aren't open on sat/sun.

[skiptomylu]

Order via phone, that is what I Have to do. I don't buy much from them as they are too high for me, but that item and a few more I get there. I tried a few other burners and didn't like any as well even one I bought that is stainless, but has a smaller wick and that makes a difference to me since I use a counting method to heat the heads and flame size makes a difference. That one has worked well for me. And also alcohol is cheap.

[jigolo]

i done so much flip flopping back and forth there is not just one good paint . i use nail polish threw my air brush i use lacquer thinner to thin it for use in my .2 tip and point three tip air brushes i only power paint coat cause it is easy and quick and that super glow powder paint glows for ever... by the way if using nail polish get a charcoal carbon vapor mask they sell them at home depot and lowes they should be even used when any paint is spray either rattle can or out of a gun. this is cause you will breathe in the over spray which is paint particles in the air that sticks to your lugs and causes problems and health issues.. this is according to my instructors for auto body painting in the classes i took at college to do custom painting that what they suggest to do... by the way harbor freight has good air brushes for like $10 or use to you can also get a 20% off coupon in magazines for hunting and fishing mags... so if looking for a airbrush go to harbor freight...