Powder painting with more than one color

[StumpHunter]

I have tried using a second color over a base color with no luck. It may be my heat source I'm using to heat my heads since I'm using an open propane flame. Does a heat gun work better than an open flame. I may be over heating the heads for the two colors to work.

I have painted the base color and then I dip a Q-tip in the second color and tap the color onto the jig. Then I hang the jigs in the oven and bake them. When they are done I still end up with only the base color on my jigs?

Let me hear how y'all handle more than one color of powder paint.
Thanks.

 

[LedHed]

SH
These are tips from the way I paint. There are different ways of doing this - you will have to find what works best for you.

I find there is better temperature control with a heat gun. If you are using a flame - hold the jig off to the side of the flame to heat it and re-heat. I use an embossing gun and heat the jigs from the side. Have used industrial heat guns before - too noisy.

You want to heat the jig up just enough to get the paint to stick - even when you are doing the fluff and stuff for your base coat. I count and rotate the jig 4 times. While you reheat the jig, for your next color, keep an eye on the paint while you are heating it up. You are looking for a change in the paint. Right when it starts to gloss, take it away from the heat source, then you add your next color. Use artist brushes. You will have to experiment here also; different brush configuration and the brush material. I like the camel hair because it seems to pick up the lighter paint.

I don’t use a base coat and add up to 6 colors using this method. More than that and you have too much paint on the jig.

Plan on doing a tutorial shortly.

Paints are laid out for doing 4 colors (seems to be the standard for me). You add the paint over the cups - saves on clean up - no mess.

View attachment 1

Two heat sources - like the embossing gun for the small stuff.

View attachment 2

 

[fishhunter775]

SH you may try lowering your cure temp, I have found that if you drop down to around 250 degrees and bake a little longer your second color wont bleed off.

 

[Radtexan]

I defer all things multi color to LedHed !

 

[StumpHunter]

Thanks for the info and pics Ledhed. I think you have helped me a lot!!

Fishhunter, I agree with the heat settings. I have not tried that low of a setting but I will try it. Thanks.

 

[Ron Don]

I defer all things multi color to LedHed !

Couldnt agree more!

"You want to heat the jig up just enough to get the paint to stick" This is one of the most important parts to me along with the cure time and temps. Heat the jig too much and you end up getting too much paint.

 

[toadfrog]

I do mine pretty much the same as LedHed. If I do scale patterns I normall use an air brush for that, but it is possible to make them with the tapping method.

 

[ScottV]

I use an alcohol burner to heat my jig heads. On a 1/16 oz head, I'll hold the heads in the flame for 2 sec. then turn it over and again for 2 sec.. I'm holding the jig with forceps by the hook. After heating, I'll grab the head by the eye with a smaller set of forceps, to prevent paint getting in the eye. I'll dip in the primary color and tap in on the jar to remove any excess. Then I'll sprinkle my second color on using a small brush. The head is still warm enough to let the second stick.

If your primary color is put on too thick, it will run when curing it, carrying your second color with it.

 

[baitmaster]

Stump,
I used to use an open flame propane torch also. Man....what an upgrade when I went to the heat gun. I picked up a Wagner in the paint depatment of Home Depot for under $20.00. It has 2 settings for heat and it sits on its own base. Best buy I have made for my powder paint.

I use flex coat rod wrapping brushed to tap the second color on. I get a great deal at Mudhole.com on them once ($5.00 for 100), so that is what I use. They seem to work fine for me.

 

[StumpHunter]

My base coats come out looking good "most times!LOL" but I was not reheating the heads.
Baitmaster, I seen the Wagner heat gun on there web page and I plan to buy one this week. I can see where the heat gun would make a big difference in heating and not melting the heads.
I powder painted 100 heads yesterday but didn't have a chance to play with adding a second color. Think I wait until I get the heat-gun this week.
Thanks for all the help everyone. Y'all have given good info that will help me a lot. I will report back on my results this week.

 

[cadman]

I pretty much do the same as LedHed. To me the key is to use a lower heat setting to keep from burning the paint. There is quite a bit of practice involved in getting multi-colors to work right. Not impossible, but a lot of practice. Also a heat gun in my opinion is one of the best ways to achieve this.

 

[StumpHunter]

Well, I'm in trouble now!
LOL, got my heat gun yesterday at Harbor Freight. The way it is made there was two holes in the side so when I got home with it I made a stop in the shop first to make a stand. Long story short I got one made so I can move the gun when not in use.
Pull out some pearl paint for the base and some red to add with the brush. Man it worked great!!
Here are a few pics. Thanks so much for everyones info and tips. I put them all to work and they all worked.

 

[baitmaster]

Stump,
Great looking set up!

 

[LedHed]

Excellent set up and yeah - you are in trouble....

Try using heat shrink tubing on your hemostats with the red chrome hooks. The jaws on the hemostats I use, for the red hooks, are smooth.

Easy to clean the hook eye when you use low heat.

Try 3 colors without a base coat. Do white on the left and right side of the jig. A dark color on the top and a red or bright color on the bottom.

 

[cadman]

That is a pretty clever set up, should do the job for you just fine. BTW that's a nice looking jig. Like LedHed said try more colors you will be amazed at what you can do and what you'll learn.

 

[StumpHunter]

Thanks guys. My bracket is going to work good, still need to add some paint to it and get some thumb bolts. Used some bolts I had laying around the shop that I had a tap for.
I look forward to trying the three different colors. I can see that there is no end to the color of heads now.
On using the three colors, do you use a brush to add the top and bottom colors.

 

[LedHed]

The one pic I posted earlier shows a set up for 4 different paints - one is an illusion over coat for the black diamond. Make sure you shake up your paint (always check your lids first) before you lay everything out. I use one brush per color. Usually you have to heat the jig twice maybe 3 times to apply the paint. Take your time - you can always reheat. You don't have to load a lot of paint on the brush and light taps work the best.

 

[Lost Pole]

I picked up a Wagner in the paint depatment of Home Depot for under $20.00. It has 2 settings for heat and it sits on its own base. Best buy I have made for my powder paint.

Do u use the low heat setting or any particular nozzle?

Adam

 

[baitmaster]

Lost, yes I use the low heat setting. My gun does not have different nozzles. The lower heat setting gives a little more control of how hot the jig head gets. On the higher setting the jig gets too hot and the powder seems to harden when it hits the jig. This makes color blending with multiple colors much harder and blotchy.
I have seen the 4 color with illusion that LedHed does. They are amazing!

 

[Nightprowler]

Thanks for all the great tips. Has anyone made or using some sort of rack to hold more than one jig at a time. I saw that Len used a self-made clothes pin rack when painting eyes. If you have the paint brush loaded, it wouldn't take much to do a dozen at a time.... just a thought.
NightProwler