Pony/Horsehead Jig Painting - 2mm Heat Shrink!

I scanned through the forums looking for info on painting these jig heads while keeping the swivel clear. I found three methods: aluminum foil, heat shrink tubing and the "water" method. I have tried the first two, but my OCD won't let me even attempt the water method!

Aluminum foil worked fine, but my fat, clumsy fingers make it difficult to wrap around the swivel. It works though, and quite well.

The heat shrink tubing also works, and I have an assortment of sizes from a box I bought from Harbor Freight. The sizes are all metric and the 2mm fits over the crane swivels perfectly, not too snug, but tight enough to stay in place before you shrink it. 1/8" (3.175mm) would be a little too large. The 2.5mm stuff was very loose and I had to be very careful to keep it on place until the heat gun shrank it a bit.

The metric stuff may be a little harder to find, but hobby shops that deal with Radio Control stuff may have it. I found some on Amazon and several internet RC stores.

Tried them all, not sure I had the right heat shrink tubing or not though. All worked, but it still use the tin foil because I am use to it mostly.

Thank you for the tip. I will have to keep my eyes open for some of the metric stuff.


Bobo

Shrink works. But is highly time consuming.
Water works better all around.
Try it.
It's just a cup of water.
No purchase. No sizing, shrinking and peeling
Have pics somewhere if u need close ups

Foil works the best for me. I help peel them off with a carpenters knife. Always be careful.

Using the tin foil I always mash it after it's covered so it makes the foil wide so after it's painted I can take my stats and grab the tin foil on the wide way and a little pressure and it makes it easy to take off.

I know that foil and heat shrink both work, I also believe the water method works as well. The problem for me would be the part where you just dip the swivel in the water. Since I have the fine motor skills and dexterity of a gorilla on Xanax, I don't even want to attempt that! That's also the reason I use plastics instead of tying jigs. It's a major success for me to put those on straight and the jigs I have tied... well, let's just say they have provided my wife with some serious laughter.

The only purpose of my original post was to let people know about the 2mm shrink tubing and how well it fits over the crane swivel. Removal is pretty easy (for me, anyway). Just a couple of pinches with hemostats and it comes right off. It's much faster than me putting the foil on in the first place!

Since starting the tin foil it's what makes it easier for me, but everyone has the method that works for them.

Seabrat, I get my shrink tubing from a electronics supply store. It comes in 4 ft lengths for less than 2.00. Your right the metric from harbor is what I started with.

I ordered some and can't wait for it to get here