Powder Painting Blades

[esoxbuckeye]

I've just recently started into the realm of powder painting spinner blades. I've used both a fluid bed and dipping the blades in a jar. One problem I've ran into when using forceps to dip the blades is I obviously don't cover that part of the blade. I let the blade cool then reheat and grab a different part of the blade to cover the unpainted part. I've found my forceps stick to the painted area and damage the area I've already painted. Does anyone have a suggestion as to how I can eliminate this problem and get full paint coverage on my blades.

[cadman]

I do this all the time, except this will only work when you paint only on one side of the blade. I use a heat gun, a torch will work as well (this will not work with an open flame, because the heat source has to be forced from the top down).

#1 Heat your blade from bottom up.

#2 Sprinkle powder paint on your blade until you cover it with paint.

#3 Re-heat so it glosses over and you see that your blade is covered with enough paint.

#4 Take blade and lay it on a piece of steel or aluminum bar with the edge of the hole where you had your forceps on, sticking past the piece of aluminum or steel bar.

#5 With the blade hole hanging over the edge of the steel or aluminum bar, take your heat gun or torch and lightly heat the spot (where the forceps were} where there is no paint (don't burn the paint)

#6 Once its heated well, take your powder paint and with an artist brush dip it in the powder, and then sprinkle on the powder paint onto the bare spot on the blade while holding the powder jar under the blade so you can catch the excess powder falling down.

#7 Once it is covered with powder, take your heat source and run it over the new paint to melt it into the existing paint. It will all blend in.

#8 If you don't have enough powder on it repeat step #6

Although this seems very long it really isn't that hard to do. It by no means is as easy as air brushing, but this is the only way I have found to cover up bare spots where forceps are used to hold the blade. The reason you can't do both sides is like you mentioned, you have to grab it somewhere. I've tried to turn the blade over on it's painted side, on a piece of steel, but as soon as the paint heats up it gets ruined.

One other thing you can do is get some bigger forceps and you can file the top jaw into a full radius or diamond point, and when you hold your blade in the jaws, you will get a round or diamond point shape on your blade by the hole. Then just leave it like that with no paint on it. It will look intentionally and professionally done. If you want I can show you some pics of some finished blades, PM me your e-mail. Hope this helps.

If anyone else has any great ideas let's hear them. I want to learn toooooooooooo.

Edited February 6, 2010 by cadman

[smalljaw]

I use a spray gun to paint blades and I found a way to hold it so you can do both sides without ruining the blade. This will work with the brush method as well but it won't work well trying to dip it because of the way you hold the blade. First get a pair of small needle nose pliers, the kind of pliers you need will have a very fine grip toward the tip of the jaws, you can take your blade and actually hold it by the sides, but you must do it at the end of the jaws, it will take some practice because you have to maintain a consistant pressure, not too hard but not too soft, once you have the blade secured in the jaws you can heat the blade up and then take a brush or gun as I use and apply the paint and then simply turn to the other side and apply paint again for a completely painted blade, once both sides are painted drop in a cup of water to harden the paint quick because now with both sides painted you don't want to set it on anything until it is set and the water will give it an instant set.

[esoxbuckeye]

Thanks guys for the suggestions. I think that will help me and get my blades looking better!!!

[reeves]

I use the airbrush as it seems to give me a more even amount of paint over the surface of the blade. Another nice feature is that you can shoot glitter through it without clogging.

I hold the blade with a pair of narrow nosed hemostats right at the tip of the blade by the hole. I never really worried about that one little spot that doesn't get covered with paint because the split ring will wear off the paint in pretty short order once in use anyway. It only takes the paint about 20 seconds to set and then I transfer it to an opened up paperclip and hang on my oven rack for baking.

I tried doing them in my fluid bed but always ended up with too much paint on the blade which all collected at the end of the blade when baking.

Hope this helps you.

[psv]

I do it this way. Not the best solution, but it works for me. I use artist brush to put powder on the blades.

[esoxbuckeye]

What type of airbrush are you using with powder? Are you just using a hobby sandblaster? When you airbrush with powder do you waste a lot of powder through over spray? I'm not at all familiar with the process of airbrushing powder paint and want to learn more about it!

PSV, Is that a dowel you used through the eye on the blade?

[psv]

It's bamboo chopstick from Chinese store . 99c for 20pc. I also use them to mix powders and epoxy.

Edited February 8, 2010 by psv

[EironBreaker]

I've painted some buzzbait blades and spinnerbaits. I just used a heavy guage wire, 0.51 I guess with a hook bent on each end. Put the blade on one end, heat and dip in a fluid bed. Then I hang it on a rack to cool. Takes a little practice to get right, messed up a couple to start but doesn't take long to get the hang of it. After it cools, I run a sharp knife on the inside of the hole to smooth it if there is a big mark or just leave it and bake it. Use a clean smaller wire to bake it and you'll have a very small mark left over when completed. I don't do many and buzz blades are easier. This wouldn't work when you wanted a couple of colors or just one side though.

[gunnr]

I do beads/bodies for one bait at a time by using .031 wire bent in this shape. The tension holds the beads/bodies from the inside. I then either use the fluid bed (one color both sides) or use a film container with small holes drilled in cap to shake on if I'm doing multiple colors or glitter. After they cool slightly, I squeeze the wire together to free any paint. When cool, slide bead/body up the wire, reheat wire end and wipe off any paint, put bead/body back, bend hook on top and hang in oven. This also works with lighter blades. Hope this helps.