do you all use a method to keep the powder paint out of the eyes or how do you get it out of there - it's taking me too long:eek:. I just make the heads for my own use so if I can't find a better way I'll end up going Au-natural.
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do you all use a method to keep the powder paint out of the eyes or how do you get it out of there - it's taking me too long:eek:. I just make the heads for my own use so if I can't find a better way I'll end up going Au-natural.
As soon as you dip it, hold it over the flame/heat source for a few more seconds. The eye will fill up, then take a bodkin and poke it from one side. Let it cool and it'll pop right off, then cure it and you won't ever have another full eye.
If one does slip by you, heat up a bodkin and stick through the eye and it'll melt the paint like butter.
i use a hemostat to hold my head by the eye so when i dip in powder it wont get in eye
JJ
I use a size 6 jighead,clamp the barb closed on the hook and just put it through there a couple of times,then just use my nail while it's cooling off for the toaster oven and it all comes off.A completely bare hook eye.
+1 jiggin joe
I use needle nose pliers on the eyes and dip the jig..
I use one of these:
Lincoln Electric Tip Cleaner, Oxygen-Acetylene Torches - KH575 at The Home Depot
The wires are different sizes and have a small round file on them, just push it through the hook eye after dipping in the powder. I find the wire size that fits the eye the best before painting.
I just take a little extra time and don't like using my stats to need to clean them after every few. I keep wood tooth picks for each color I use in a small container and get out what colors I am painting with. As I dip the head and as soon as I pull it out I stick the tooth pick through the eye and if need be I do it again after putting it back in the flame for just a second. Now sometime even with this when I cure the heads the eye will close back again. When this happens I clean it when I tie it and I do this with a old bodkin I keep just for this. I keep a cigarette lighter where I tie and heat the bodkin and stick it through the eye melting the paint out when I do this. Sometimes it may take an extra time , but usually not that long of a thing. Been doing it like this since I started and works fine.
I may need to get one of the tools in the link above as I have been looking for something like a very small round file for this, but have not been able to find exactly what I am looking for, but will look at that thing next time I go to Home Depot or Lowe's.
Skip
Same here and each eye comes out clean and clear. Takes a few seconds more but sure way less time then cleaning out each one after the fact.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jiggin_Joe
Pete
Stats or a small pair of needlenose when being dipped and haven't cleaned one since. I hold the jig in my thumb and index by the bend of the hook, count to 3 slow, then flip it over and heat the other side. When heat transfers down the shank and begins to warm to the touch, I grab the eye with the needlenose and do a quick dip left, then right, tap off the excess and hang it to cool. No paint in the eyes. If I dont paint the whole shoulder I don't sweat it cuz it's covered anyway.
walmart has a tool called a bead reamer in the craft section where the beads are, works great. even after you have cured.
I guess I am the only person who uses the "eye buster" tool?? About 2 bucks and works great.
nope :) i use one also,i just went to walmart and bought a little pair of the jig eye busters and then after i get all my jigs powder painted i go back and clean out all my eyes and then cure the paint it may take a little time but well worth the trouble
I'm like TNT and use a jig eye buster.You can get them from Cabelas,BPS and other places like that.I bought one 15 years or more ago and it's cleared over 100k eyes for me and still cleaning.Great investment for under $3. I clean the eyes before I cure them.
Looks like I have several different methods to try, thanks to everybody for all the help. I hope that I find one I'm comfortable with and if I do I'll post it. I sure am glad I found people who are willing to share their knowledge, Now I just need a few Gps coordinates of your best brushpiles - HA
Eye buster tool won't work on the small jigs I use for bluegill. I now use vinyl and avoid the eye. For the rare one I paint shut I use hot needle. Illinoisgiller
Giller,I've cleaned out eyes down to a #12 sickle with mine.With that size eye it's harder to find the eye than it is to clean it. I've been using my buster so long that perhaps it's worn down enough that cleaning even tiny eyes isn't a problem. I wish I could find some #14 jig hooks.
Bushwacker Lake in Missouri 135 N , 88 S =)
The tool I bought came from one of the big box stores. The male side is too large to fit in the hook eye. It still works somewhat on powder painted eyes. but vinyl just gives too much without chipping and not worth the time.
Much easier to just avoid painting in the first place. ole giller
That is basically what I do with my bodkin and only if after I cure it it's got paint in the eye to close up again. My tooth pick with managing the time I have the jig head in the flame keep most open enough. However like you when I don't get the time right or any other reason I just have more paint than I need and it fills in during curing then I always have the bodkin I can heat and it will melt the paint right out of the eye enough.Quote:
Originally Posted by Illinoisgiller
Still going to look at using that tool for after I use the bodkin on some color that makes it hard to get out clean. I kind of like the eye painted as long as it's open for tying on.
Try this it has worked for lots of people. If you don't like holding the eye of the hook with hemos or pliers then you can also dip the eye in some cold water and the paint will not stick to it. It works just try it no sense in wasting time trying to poke paint out of the holes when you can keep it out in the first place.
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/jig-t...ting-jigs.html
I have a pair of needle nose plies that are just flat metal on the inside of the jaws, after I dip the heads in the powder I just draw the eyes through these pliers and the eyes are clean and no scratchs or burrs on the eyes.
I'll check and see if they have a name on them, don't even remember where I got them except that I originally bought them for working with wire for Mepps style spinners.
Fatman
Me too. Fast and easy.Quote:
Originally Posted by tntjigman
I use it before I start tying,just to clean all the paint off.