How does everyone clean out the eye of the hook, or keep the paint out. I am powder painting them it is tough to clean .Cub48
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How does everyone clean out the eye of the hook, or keep the paint out. I am powder painting them it is tough to clean .Cub48
I just take my time and don't even get any on them.
I usually use a pair of straight hemostats and a pair of curved hemostats. I grab the hook at the gap with the straight hemostats and move it back and forth for about 8 seconds over a heat gun on high. I then take the curved hemostats and grab the eye of the hook and make sure the eye is completely covered, then swish it thru the powder coat, take it out and tap off any excess powder paint. I then put it on a wrap that I will put in a toaster oven when I have enough to cure.
Whenever I accidentally get some in the eye (which is rare when I handle it this way) I use a paper clip and straighten one end and heat it over the heat gun, then run it thru the eye of the hook. Do this before curing and it should clean it with no problem.
i use the hook point from an old hook
Crimp a split shot on the eye. That is if you pour your own shots.
I use old hook point also, I will dip tap and poke the hook threw. If it cools to much I will heat the hook point up and poke it threw. I like the hemostat on the eye, that is something I will try.
I have an old pair of flat nose pliers and the insides are smooth. Any that get paint clogged up in them I just squeeze lightly and pull and it pulls it right off and doesn't hurt the eye
I don't worry about getting paint in the eyes. When I get through painting jigs, I take a drill and just drill the eyes out. I can hold about 7/8 hooks at a time and just drill out the eyes. Works for me......
lightwirehooker
I bought a tool from BPS that is designed to punch the paint out of that hole. It wasn't but about 3 dollars.
lightwirehooker, what size drill do you use?
Pretty similar method here to, but I use pliers. Squeeze to crunch and then an old hook through the eye. I don't really need to but some of my customers go nuts when theres paint in the eye. Personally I'd rather sell them 100 and an eye popper. Don't overheat the jig before dipping and you really won't have to do anything, but there are a couple colors that are tough. All the rookies want painted eyes and clean hook eyes and GPS coordinates.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fatman
Carried a hook to local store and kept trying until had one that was perfect. I think it's .032 but not certain. I powder paint about 350 at a time then drill all the eyes out. Makes fishermen happy......Quote:
Originally Posted by BarryG
lightwirehooker
I use a dremal tool, much like lightwirehooker uses a drill. Just find a bit that fits through the hook eye.
Thanks to Bronson i use the hemostat method and love it!
I buy el cheapo heat shrink at harbor freight 3/16 cut in lengths about 1/4 in. Slip a piece over theeye and heat it up it will shrink around the eye,dip in powder paint and remove heat shrink, i pour my own rrs and i put that on the swivels also cuts down on clean uo time.
I like the heat shrink too. I use it to cover swivels but have not used it on the eyes. I bought a cheap rotary tool at Harbor Fright to clean out the eyes. Was only a few bucks and is smaller than a dermal, I have a dermal also but I like using the smaller tool on the eyes.
Hemostats work really good. If you are doing vertical jigs it is hard to use the hemostats and then I use my Bodkin. The Bodkin works really well.
I use a small piece a wire in you one a make sure that you have the eyes cleaned out before you tear them in the oven.
needle nose pliers
grab hook by the eye
apply heat
dip jighead in powder paint
tap off excess paint
drop in water
finished!
no paint in eye to deal with!!!!!
they way i do it is i will take a paper clip and heat it up and it goes right through it without chiping the edges of the eye
I use round toothpicks after I dip them. Can be time consuming, but I'm in no hurry!!!
If your eyes are filling you are getting the heads too hot. The hotter it is the more material will stick to it. Just a second of heat per side is all that is needed. Or you are leaving the head in the powder too long.
when I'm in a hurry, I use the old hook point method, but when I'm patient and want better results, I use my Dremel tool and drill them out.
I use the end of a toothpick. It works well and makes a nice holder too. Good luck.