Powder Coating Jig Heads

Before powder coating we painted our jig heads and just about everything else to do with fishing tackle with that awful smelling nasty fumed lure paint. That was a job that waited for summertime so we could do it outdoors. Powder coat doesn't smell. The only downside is you need to vacuum the mess when you are done. I will take the vacuuming over the fumes any day. I use Pro Tech powder paints and I prefer the "candy" colors which are translucent. You can see through the color. This can come in handy for some applications. I also use some glitter specifically designed for fishing tacle for an added touch. Don't use craft store glitter. The high temps will melt it as it is not designed for the high temps used in molding plastics or applying to heated powder coated lures.

Before I powder coat I need to clean the bare jig heads and remove the metal tines that used to hold the plastic body to the jig head. The tines and the extra lead on the hook shank will distort and deform the plastic body so I just cut it all off with a pair of side cutters and knife. This is real easy if you used soft lead to start with. I also use a wire brush attachment on my drill to further clean the surfaces. Used jig heads that have dulled can be made shiny again with the wire brush application. I don't need the tines to hold the plastic body on because I use super glue instead. Once I have the plastic body on as straight as possible, I pull the body back about an inch and apply a drop of superglue to the hook shank. Push the body over the glue to the head and hold it a few seconds. Wallah, Even a mean old tuna will have a tough time separating them.

Pro Tech powder paint and I purchased my glitter form Lure Craft. I use size .015 and 2 ounces will last you a very long time. The Pro Tech powder paint is available at most local tackle retailers and most online retailers. If you were to go into business powder coating you can also find sources to buy it by the pound. I have yet to empty a single 2 oz bottle.

You will also need an old toaster oven. A pair of pliers, side cutters, and any kind of imagination. I made a fluid bath out of some PVC fittings and an aquarium pump. It is not necessary but just a little bit easier. Keeping a very light air flow through the powder paint keeps it fluffed up. I used a piece of a paper grocery bag for a membrane. You can make your own or buy almost the exact same thing for way too much or just use the paint directly in the jar. All you need to do is close the lid and shake the paint vigorously to keep it fluffed. Fluffed powder coats easier and more evenly.

You can also use a real cheap paint brush to add a second color if you have some talent and a steady hand. My talent and steadiness are lacking so I did not show the picture of my lack of success at multiple colors.

I set the toaster oven to a temp of 375 degrees. I made a wire hanger across the top to hang the jig heads on and I let them cook for about 15-20 minutes.

Once the jig heads are good and hot I open the oven and remove one at a time with a pair of pliers. Close the door to maintain temperature in the oven.

Dip the jig head into the powder paint quickly until it is fully coverecd and remove it. Tap it gently against the fluid bath or the jar to remove excess.

This is when you can sprinkle on some glitter with your fingers. A little goes a long way.

This is also the time time add a second color. I painted some white along the bottom of the jig head using a cheap paint brush.  Results were mixed at best. I would need more practice if I really wanted two tone jigheads.

Put the jig head back into the oven to cook for 15 minutes or so. Afterward you pull it out to cool or just shut off the oven and let them all cool once they have all been painted. Do not let them touch each other while they are hot. They will stick together and they don't come apart without messing them both up. Extra time in the oven wont hurt anything.

It is a real nice touch to add stick on eyes. Surprisingly these eyes will last and stay sticked to the jig head even after repeated uses in saltwater and being munched on by albacore tuna. Once again, buy the stick on eyes the same place you buy your paint and glitter. The glue is made for fishing applications. Craft store eyes are not. The plastic lure bodies however will interact with the glue and loosen them up if they are stored in a jumbled fashion. So store them with the heads all at the same end of the lure box.I use flat eyes and also 3D eyes. The 3D eyes give your swimbaits the bug eyed look.

To get just the shade of candy green I wanted, I applied a coat of candy yellow first and after it cooked in the oven for 15 minutes, I pulled it out and dipped it again in a dark shade of candy green. The translucent colors are see through so the end result was darker that the yellow but greener that the original candy green. The purple from mixing red and blue this way is much darker than the regular candy purple. The colors once cured will not bleed into another color when you dip for a second time. It is the oven heat that cures the paint.

The hotter the jig head or lure, the more powder paint will stick to it when dipping. So one thing to do is put on a base coat and sprinkle your glitter on it. After it cures in the oven take it out and let it cool. At room temperature, only a very fine dusting of the powder paint will stick to the first coat. You can use this second very thin coat to seal the glitter as it only sticks to the first coat, or you can use this fine second coat to alter your color as I did to get the right shade of green.

 The candy colors are translucent as I have said. They are see through so anything on the lead part of the jig head will show through. If you paint a discolored lead, it will be discolored. 

 One of my favorite tricks is to put a round rasp file with real rough texture in my drill motor and really rough up the surface of the jig head. This creates a lot of mixed angle surface area to reflect light. Than after coating it with powder coat, all those imperfections show through and in the sunlight the effect is stunning. The paint fills in the rough parts and it really adds a glow to your jig head or lure. Do the fish care? I don't know but it gets oohs and aahs from other fisherman.