Viny Paintl vs Powder Paint

[MattRagle]

Can someone tell me the pros and cons of both types of paint. Only looking to use chartreuse, hot pink, and maybe black or red.

[smoothlures]

Powder paint is almost instantly dry, has no smell, vapors, or fumes to breath, is tough after baking in an oven. Lure to be heated to stick (flame, oven, or heat gun). Indefinite shelf life if you keep it dry. I have some almost 10 years old.

Vinyl has to dry, smells, is very very tough. May need thinning, and can form drip noses very easily. Probably can eliminate those with practice.

I like powder paint the best. Crappie jigs get 4-8 seconds in front of a heat gun, dip, swish, and hang in the toaster oven. I turn mine on at 375 degrees 20-25 mins from cold and it cures up nicely. Haven't used vinyl in a long time.

If you're not banging it on rocks and stuff, a cured powder painted jig will last longer than the jig usually does before it meets a limb.

Just my .02.

[Fatman]

I've tried viynl and for me it was a pain especially the fumes!! Switched to powder years ago.

[doggone]

I use a lot of unpainted heads,but keep both kinds of paint.I like to paint a black eye with the vinyl on the powder paint and sometimes a red gill line.

[MattRagle]

I've yet to tie my first jig but have all the materials on the way I may just stick with unpainted as I have seen a lot of people on here use them without painting.

[smoothlures]

Unpainted will work fine no doubt. Could always get a couple oz of a color you like and use that on all of them. No need to buy 10 colors or anything.

[DockShootinJack]

I like powder as well. Never could get vinyl to work right for me. I made a fluid bed out of a few plumbing parts and it got ever better.

[CTom]

I've yet to tie my first jig but have all the materials on the way I may just stick with unpainted as I have seen a lot of people on here use them without painting.

I use as many plain, un-painted heads with plastics as I do painted.

Go naked to get started and sooner or later you'll try the color, but for getting started the less work that you put in the head the less disappointment you'll feel if the tie goes south on you. When the time is right pick up a jar of powder and a bottle of vinyl. Get a bottle of thinner with the vinyl. The vinyl is thick right out of the jug and can deal a person fits who's just learning the ropes of dipping jigs and by thinning it you will lessen the glitches that come with the process. By keeping the powder in the container it comes in stirred [fluffed up] it won't take but a couple minutes of painting to find the balance between head temperature a technique to swirl the heated head thru the powder to get consistent coverage. You don't need to dump a pile of cash on air beds to paint with powder if all you are doing is some work for personal use or friends. If you see a need down the road to grow, then think about the alternatives for painting.

Once you've tried each method you can decide which one works for you. As mentioned earlier, the vinyl can thicken with shelf time, has odors that may be hard to deal with in a family environment and basically takes a while longer to really master. Vinyl can be messy. The vinyl has excellent durability properties. Powder is an instant finish that can go from the bottle to the river in seconds, it can be cured in an oven to increase durability and has an unlimited shelf life.

Either finish will afford you an excellent head finish. Today's plastics are less aggressive towards these finishes and either will tolerate most plastics very well if you should cook up a bunch of heads just for that purpose. Head finish doesn't have to be complicated but a person should at least try each so they know for a fact which product will work best for their needs.

This is a great hobby. Don't rush and most of all keep it fun.

[skeetbum]

I tried nail polish, model paint, vinyl and spray appliance paint. The appliance paint is an epoxy and is great but no detail unless you use a model paint over it and a 2 part epoxy clear over it. I do eyes on my powder coated the same way. All the ways other than powder didn't git it for me for one reason or another. The powder is just the most stable and consistent to my way of thinking. Small learning curve and a cheap toaster oven and you're set.

[Brimfisher]

I am on the a similar curve. All I use now is the powder paint. Like others have said, it is the most consistent and delivers a tough finish. I bounce jigs off a lot of thrash, timber, and docks. The powder just takes a beating. I do use acrylic craft paint that is used for ceramics for eyes. It's cheep. Find it at Hobby Lobby.