Painting Jig Heads

[Lotech Joe]

I have a bunch of 1/8th oz. round head, lead jigs. I bought the lead heads unpainted because painted ones are more than twice the price. I picked four colors for starters and decided to use Testor's model car & plane paint in red, green, yellow & black. I mounted the jigs in my vise, jig head down, and dunked them to apply the paint. Yellow turned out to be so light a color that it took two coats. The other colors only took one coat to cover them well.
Does anyone else here use Testor's model paint to paint their jigs?

 

[CrappieHappy]

they look good, i have not used testors, but have read where others have.

 

[quivira kid]

I'd bust the eyes open, then clear coat them...

 

[BucktailJiger]

Yes sir I have . Can get really creative painting them .

 

[LedHed]

Have tried Testors, it's OK, can get expensive. Cheaper, for me, to powder paint 1/8th oz jigs.

 

[StumpHunter]

Nice colors. I have not tried Testors paint neither.

 

[Lotech Joe]

I open the eyes with a fly tying bodkin while they're still wet. Then clean the bodkin before the paint on it dries. No need then to bust the eyes open when they're dry.

 

[Jig Man]

Nice colors....

 

[Radtexan]

Looks like it works well...Try some powder paint if you havent,,much better color selection,less expensive,and no drying time.

 

[Lotech Joe]

That would be a brand new expense and I'm on an extremely limited budget. I understand that I would need at least a toaster oven.

 

[AtticaFish]

The testors looks pretty good, nice bright colors - let us know how it holds up. I think they do have a pretty good selection of colors for models. Simple nail polish holds up suprisingly well if you put a clear top coat or 2 on it. I would most likely put Sallys Hard as Nails clear over the testors as well.

The cost of the powder paint is actually pretty low espically (sp?) if you are only planning to use a few basic colors. I held off for a long time thinking that i could not afford it, but a jar of powder goes a LONG way for the investment and wish i would have started with it a long time ago. I waited as well till i could get a toaster oven before i started with powder, but they can be found pretty cheap at goodwill, salvation army or flea markets.

 

[Fatman]

Lotech

I'll vouch for the Testors' even though I use powder paint I still like to get the paint brush out and paint a bunch. There is a 6 pack of flourescent colors check with your local lobby store they should be able to get it for you. Don't dunk the heads, I know it sounds quicker but it really isn't, brushing it on 1) puts a thinner coat on which dries faster so you can do a second although on some colors you won't neec a second coat and 2) you won't waste paint which makes it last longer 3) you can get some hobby syringes that have measuring lines on them and mix up different colors from the base set or single bottles.

http://www.testors.com/product/0/9132X/_/All-Purpose_Fluorescent_6_Color_Paint_Set

With the testors I use two coats and then seal with a two part epoxy, although component systems has a one part which they say has less smell and works just as well as the two part. Janns and Barlows carries it, if you plan on fishing any plastics you need to put epoxy over it or you're gonna have a mess.

For anyone who still likes painting there's one brand I'll warn you away from it's nothing but a major pain in the butt. The brand name is Faskolor - looking at the bottles the colors look great but trust me it ain't worth the money or hassle for painting jig headsor other lures.

 

[jjsjigs]

I have used Testors. I love the fact that I can mix the paints on a pallet... and precisely get the shades and hues I'm going for. Allow your heads to dry completely WITHOUT clearing the eyes. Once dry, take a small nail or a sawed off shank of a hook and hold under a flame for 10 seconds. Once this metal rod is hot, put it through the eye. Not only does it make a nice clean "no-fuss" eye-opening experience... LOL! It kinda cauterizes the paint on the hook eye. It works out nicely.

 

[Fatman]

Painting with a brush you won't get any paint in the eye. I get a piece of styrofoam packing crate and push the points in when done painting. Makes a nice drying rack.