Beginner Powder Paint?

[RJD]

I built a fluid bed that utilizes 3" diameter and 3" tall cups, and want to purchase some powder paint. Jig heads will be the only items painted. How much powder would be used in this size cup? I was told 2 oz. from one person and 4-6 oz. from another. Multiple colors will be ordered, so wanted to keep the costs down. It seems a lot of people use Pro-Tec. What are the opinions about Columbia Coatings, Powder by the Pound, and Caswell? Thanks.

 

[Jig Man]

Harbor Freight has a choice of four colors by the pound and you can mix several different colors from those four. There is another good outlet in Lubbock, TX and I'll look around and see if I can find it.

Here ya go >>>--------------------------------> http://www.orbittx.com/

 

[Fatman]

Alot depends on what size air pump you'll be running!!! I have a Tetra Whisper 60 with dual outlet and I can run 3 2" beds with no problems. For a 3" bed I'd say you'll probably need at least 3 oz's. You're going to need plenty of cups if your going to be doing a bunch of different colors as it will be a pain to change cups out for just doing a few heads per color. Depending on size jig head you might want to make some smaller beds also for the smaller heads.

Powder Companies that I know of are Columbia, Harbour freight, rosys, powder by the pound, and the one in Lubbock, TX I believe is Orbit. The one thing you have to watch with these powders are curing times as some of them are different from the Pro-Tec curing time.

 

[RJD]

The air pump is a Tetra Whisper 60 with a dual outlet. I am going to either make another fluid bed setup using multiple 2" cups, or utilize a reducer on the 3".

Fatman, how many cups do you think could be run with the Tetra 60 pump? How many oz's of powder do you use in the 2" cups?
Thanks.

 

[Lost Pole]

3 tbspoons on a 2"

 

[Fatman]

Lost got it!!!! Because I do horse head and pony heads I use about 3 1/2 because I have tin foil over the swivel and want to make sure it gets coated completely!!!

You'd have to get a 3 or more valve splitter but I'd have to say maybe 5-6.

and all the tubes and how you have to run em

 

[smalljaw]

I have some protec paint and I have columbia coatings powder and as I run out of a color I replace with the columbia coatings. There is nothing wrong with the protec except for the price. Columbia is a good bit cheaper is you buy it by the 1/2 pound or a full pound and they have a lot of different choices. Your fluid bed with a 3" cup will be great with 4oz of paint, it will work with less but it is much easier to use if the paint is 2/3 of the way up the cup. If you are painting jigs that don't have a collar or are like 1/16oz and under then you can get away with 2 or 2.5oz but if you are doing 1/8 up to 1/2oz on a regular basis like I do well you will want more paint.

 

[AtticaFish]

I made myself a fluid bed (2" cups) and have only used it a handfull of times...... have always had more issues and paint waste than good results with it. Personally, think you can get just as good of a thin coat dipping straight into a jar of powder paint. BUUUUTTTT, you have to make sure you have your head heated to the proper temp and your powder is well 'fluffed' in the jar. If the head is too hot, paint will go on thick. If the powder is not 'fluffed' and mixed up good, the coat of paint will be uneven.

 

[Fatman]

If I'm going to do alot of the same color or a lot that are going to be the same base coat I'll use the fluid bed to get them done then just reheat to do the brush tapping.

 

[CrappieHappy]

I made myself a fluid bed (2" cups) and have only used it a handfull of times...... have always had more issues and paint waste than good results with it. Personally, think you can get just as good of a thin coat dipping straight into a jar of powder paint. BUUUUTTTT, you have to make sure you have your head heated to the proper temp and your powder is well 'fluffed' in the jar. If the head is too hot, paint will go on thick. If the powder is not 'fluffed' and mixed up good, the coat of paint will be uneven.

I experienced the same with a fluid bed as Russ, so i still use the fluff and stuff method.....

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

I've been painting heads for 20 years without a fluid bed,no plans for onr either. Fluff and stuff works just fine for me.