questions about vinyl jig paint

[crappieseeker]

I know that people say powder jig paint is the way to go, but I know some people use vinyl paint as well. I was wondering if you can find paint like this that will work for jigheads at your local craft store like hobby lobby or do you have to order it on line. how close is the craft store paint to the jig paint on line? Also for any of you who use vinyl jig paint, about howmany heads can you paint with a 1 oz jar? Thanks for the help

[droptine]

I started out painting with vinyl but now I only use it to paint eyes on. I've not found it at a craft store. I usually get mine off the clearance rack at Gander Mtn. for half of original price. I have to throw the xylene to it to thin it back down but it works after a little tlc. I don't know how many heads you can paint from a jar but I know it's quite a few. For me it got to be too much trouble base coating everything in white before the paint layer was put on.

[crappieseeker]

I did not know gander mountain carried it. I have a gander mountain about an hour from me. I looked at our local academy and was hoping they had some to try out but they did not. So I might have to check gander. droptine was it jsut the fact of the basecoat why you stopped using it? Is it durable enough to use and does it hold up well? I tried to use a candle to try a powder paint head to see how it turned out before I bought a heat gun or a little oven. However I could never get it to work with a candle and just wondered if I would be wasting my money on a heat gun if I could not figure out the process. Do you think I was just not able to do it right with a candle or what? I just did not want to order some paint on line and have to pay the shipping and then do the paint too if I might could buy the jigs already painted for about the same price.

[Bronson]

I tried painting and then used a seal coat to finish it. Then I switched to powder painting because it is so much easier and I think the jigs look much better. As a matter of fact, I went back and destroyed a lot of my earlier work and kept the hooks and lead.

A good heat gun will run you between $20-$35 bucks or so. I tried the candle and didn't like it. The ones who do are talking about an alcohol burner. Check with Skip to get info on this.

I do not use vinyl paint for the eyes either but use the cheap stuff from Lowe's. A little $5 can will put the eyes on thousands of jigs. I do dip my jigs in epoxy to preserve the eyes.

I fished with a guy yesterday who is as good a crappie fisherman as I ever hope to fish with and he just used powder coated jigs with no eyes.

A heat gun on high will usually take 8-10 seconds to heat the jig. You should then immediately swish thru the powder coat. There's tons of stuff on this forum on how to do it. Just research thru the advanced search engine and you'll get all the info you'll need. There's video's on the internet, youtube, etc. That's what I did and it was a big help.

A lot of good people on this forum who know a whole lot more than I will help you with any questions you may have.

[mduncan62]

vinyl paint is a big pita as far as I'm concerned. heat gun and powder is the only way I do it now. If your sure that you have no paint in the eye of the jig, then you can bake them and they are almost bullet proof. If the eye is filled and you bake them, you may as well throw them in the trash.

Never paint eyes on them, don't think it matters.

[cub48]

I have been using power paint. Heat the heads with a heat gun.(heating the heads make the power stick) Dip the head tap it and put it on a rack from a old toaster oven. Heat the rack full of heads for 20 + mins let cool use a paint pen to put the eyes on. Pick up old toaster oven at thrift store. heat gun can be replaced by anything that will heat it quick don't heat it to hot or the power will coat to thick and drip.Some people use enamel paint (Rustoleum) the little 1/2 pints at Lowes ect. don't use the latex it may not be hard enough. Just dip and let dry. Some use nail polish. It smells. Another is auto touch-up Paint. Power paint from Harbor Freight. Cub48

[crappieseeker]

thanks for the help. I have watched all the videos and they make it look so easy. Just want to be sure I can do it before spending the money on any more supplies. Thanks everyone.

[Fatman]

Seeker

Everyone runs into the learning curve with powder LOL. It just takes some practice, and if like many others here who tried the vinyl and walked away afterwards with major headaches from breathing the fumes you'll really learn to like the powder. The candle caused you problems because it put a bit of soot on the jighead which the powder paint doesn't like.

Alcohol lamp or heat gun is the way to go, depends on how many heads you're going to do. When you get started if you run into problems let us know and we'll help you out.

[droptine]

Seeker, I also use a small propane torch cut way down low to heat up the heads with for my powder. Tried it before buying a heatgun and it works good for me.
Haven't seen it mentioned, just a thought.

[jusanothajoe]

Seeker, I also use a small propane torch cut way down low to heat up the heads with for my powder. Tried it before buying a heatgun and it works good for me.
Haven't seen it mentioned, just a thought.

X2 I think a small propane torch is less than $15 takes about 2 sec to heat the jig. been powder painting since it came out wouldnt paint em otherwise