Painting weights and jig heads

[Bassattack]

Alright . I'm tired of paying too much money for painted worm weights and jig heads.  I want to paint some on my own.  Anyone out there do this a good bit?  Start from scratch and tell me the secrets.  Need to know even what paint to buy or not buy.  Where do you buy it?  Help

[bigjim5589]

It depends on how durable you want the finish to be, and how much expense you're willing to endure.

Enamel works fine, a spray can will paint a bunch, or you can paint them with a brush, both fairly cheap. An air brush works well too, if you have it.

Nail polish works well, but will cost a little more for larger batches of weights or jigs. I use it for fly tying mostly. Lots of colors to choose from too. You'll get funny looks when buying it! Fumes can be a problem too, so good ventilation is needed.

Vinyl paint works good, just dip it & let dry. It's durable too, unless you're banging rocks or concrete. Some colors may require a white under coat to get the best results. The fumes from this stuff is nasty, so good ventilation is required.

Powder paint is the way to go if you want the best durability, and it has the advantage of no toxic fumes to deal with. Just heat the jig head or weight, and dip in some paint to coat. After coating the paint can be cured in an oven for about 10 minutes, and will be super durable. The down side is this is a slow process when painting a lot of heads & weights, unless you buy additional equipment. But for small batches, it works fine.

I hope this helps!

[islandbass]

Bigjim gave you the scoop.

The powder stuff is very easy to use as even someone as clumsy as I can use it without too much trouble.  The only thing I will add that I have found makes the process easier is this. They say to use a lighter to heat your jig heads, but I find it much easier to use a can of sterno (very cheap) and hold the jig head over its fire with a pair of pliers or hemostats (even more convenient)for about 10 seconds. They are practically done right after the dip and there isn't a mess.

It's kind of fun and will give you something to do if winter can stop you from fishing.

-ib

[Bassonly]

I had some loose lead weights laying around so I got out my jig painting stuff and powder painted them... I heated my oven up to 350, and stuck some light wire through the hole in the weights. I bent the end sharply so it wouldn't slide off, and made a hook out of the other end. I hung it on the rack in the oven and when they got hot i shook it around in the powder. Came out pretty good.

[hesjustbassin]

After the initial powder coat, lower the temp of the oven down to 200-225 and bake the paint on. You will get a much more durable paint, and it will not be as dull.

[GotstaFish]

I bake all my paint between 225 and 250. This is 100 degrees less than the recommended temp, but if you bake them twice as long as recommended at 250, they will be much more durable and have a better finish. Costs more and is more time consuming but if you want a great finish that is durable as well, powder is the only way to go 

[Ron Fogelson]

what kinda powder?  where can you pick some up just to play with?

[hesjustbassin]

I get mine by the gallon from stamina

[GotstaFish]

I get mine by the gallon from stamina

Stamina does have the best price on the web but now your giving out our secrets 
If you want some Fogy give me a ring and I'll send you some. I get an even better price than Stamina 

[Ron Fogelson]

Thanks Karl, I was just looking to play around a little without getting in deep. 

I could just spray paint a few to see if I like it, but now days all I use is Gambler's FL Rattling weights and they are coated black with a rubber compound in the center so they wouldn't hold up to any heat.