Powder paint jig heads

[wily]

What is best way to powder paint on a budget?  I am heating head with torch...then dip in paint...then back to heat and re-dip a couple times...then on a rack in a toaster oven...but I'm getting coneheads with paint...think I'm dipping them too much?   Should I just dip once?

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

I think a fluid bed is the way to go   http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/271262319701.   I have had great luck with one of those. Still have to heat the heads up and dip them, but it makes the paint much more even

[wily]

I hope to get a fluid bed some day...mine are hanging upside down...and the paint dripped like an icycle...do you think too much paint?  Or too much heat in oven?  Thanks

[moguy1973]

Too much of both.  They really don’t need to be that hot and they don’t need to be dipped very long. Instead of a blow torch I use either a hair dryer on high or a heat gun on low. 

[MOPanfisher]

I use a small torch, don't pause or  lead foes "bloop" and fall off.  Only one dip is necessary.

[Gavin]

I agree with Moguy. Heat with a ciggy lighter, dip in the powder once, clean the eye then bake in the oven for a half hour.

[Dutch]

I have been painting with powder paint for over 20 years and have gone through lots of learning curves.  I've heated with candles, torches, cigarette lighters, toaster ovens and heat guns.  Dipping into bottles is the hardest way to paint as the paint packs after a few dips and has to be stirred or shaken again.  A fluid bed is the way to paint if you do very many and want consistent results.  The fluid bed has air flowing through the paint which keeps it floating in the cup and just a swish of the jig covers the head completely.  When I first decided to get a fluid bed they were pretty new on the scene and were selling for around $400.  I decided to make my own.  So a trip to Lowe's and Wal Mart spending only $30 I made one with 12 cups.

If you want to keep the drip off you heads, only heat them enough to get a very light dull (not shiny) finish on them.  Then you can bake them and get good results.  If you hold onto the hook eye you can paint without getting paint in the eye.  It is important to have a steady low heat to get the jigs warm instead of smokin' hot before you paint them.  I have been doing this with a heat gun for several years.

Toaster ovens are notorious for having varying heat.  Just because it has a knob with numbers doesn't mean you can trust it.  The one I have been using for the last 15 years cost $2 in a garage sale.  Testing time and settings has gotten me to a place where I can cure them for 20 minutes and have very good hard jig heads.

If there is any way I can help you out please feel free to send me a pm or comment on this thread.

 

[moguy1973]

I bought that same pump for my DIY fluid bed. 

[Dutch]

Yep that pump was the expensive part ($9) at Wally World.  The second most expensive was the $3 flow control valve.

[wily]

Thanks for the tips...i melted a couple heads with the torch to start...suprised me how fast that happened.

The heads turned out pretty good.

I tried to paint 10 or 15 of em...and only had a couple that weren't messed up...most had a big dollop of paint.  I dipped em at least 3 times...some were deformed by the heat...so I don't have that quite right either

I think I'll turn down the heat in toaster oven and try a couple more....maybe grab the brides hair dryer and try that too.  I almost bought a heat gun but didn't.

Wish I could get the hook back on the ones that are messed up...think it would be ok to melt the lead/paint off the hook in the hotpot?

Thanks for the help