MyFishFinder Forum
MyFishFinder Tips and Techniques => Jigging => Topic started by: Trakndwg on May 16, 2012, 06:43 AM
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I just painted up a bunch of different size and color jigs with powder paint and hardened the paint in the oven. Now I have a bunch of jig eyes to clean out. I have little jig pics but this paint is so hard the pics just bend >:(... Do any of you guys have any tricks for quick and easy jig cleaning? :)
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I always use the point of a hook. That works good for me.
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I use powder paint on my jigs as well. The quickest way I have found is with a lighter and a paper clip. Open up the paperclip, heat up the end with a lighter, push it through the eye and wiggle it around. This prevents the paint from chipping around the eye. ;)
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The paint cleans out much easier if you do it before baking them...
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If you take a sharp nail clipper, push it over the eye of the hook to the shank, just below the eye. Squeeze it and twist the the clipper a half circle in each direction. This usually loosens up the paint over the eye. Sometimes, a light snip right across the hook eye is needed to flake the paint away. Saves the points on your hooks and leaves a clean eye.
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I use a jig buster it looks like line clippers but with a point in the middle on one side and a hole on the other side that the point fits in when you press it down, works great.. I never knew they made em until this year.
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I always use the point of a hook. That works good for me.
X2 - easy peazy multi-purpose tool
- without the need to have yet another Fishermen's tool...
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If you take a sharp nail clipper, push it over the eye of the hook to the shank, just below the eye. Squeeze it and twist the the clipper a half circle in each direction. This usually loosens up the paint over the eye. Sometimes, a light snip right across the hook eye is needed to flake the paint away. Saves the points on your hooks and leaves a clean eye.
Probably a good way to ding up a sharp nail clipper. Probably fine if you don't ever try to clip your nails with it. Cya....
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i have alot of jig heads that i powder coated and hardend in the oven before clearing the eyes and they are pretty much useless. Sometimes the point of another hook will clear them out but if it dont clear out easily then i put them asside and dont use them. Now i make sure they are cleaned out real good before baking them.
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Yep, clean before baking. Even then if the powder is too thick it will still run and clog the eye while baking.
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VASOLINE!
A friend of mine uses a little screwdriver and puts a dab of vasoline on the eye, before he dips them in the paint. Wipe off when dry and this leaves no paint to clog the hole. :)
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Eye buster. Sold all over the place.
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Thanks for all the great tips guys. I sure wish I had cleaned those eyes before I baked the jigs. :-\ Next time I'll remember. I think I have one of those eye busters around here someplace. The heated paper clip sounds like a good idea too. Some of these jigs are 1/80th so maybe a hot needle will do the trick. I appreciate everyones input. I knew I'de get some great feed back. ;D
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Chuck a finish nail (brad) in a drill. The end of the nail will be sheared off, not conical, so it will act as a reamer. You will most likely have to go through both sided. A jig eye buster will be harmless to the powder coat, don't bother.
I bet you wont make the same mistake again! ;D
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I think a drill press with a fixture would work well if you have many to do. ::)
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I seen a tool for that in Walmart and Gander Mountain, it looks kinda like a set of nail clippers in shape and has a point on the one end. You press it together like a set of nail clippers and the point pushes through the paint. Other than that you could try a fine drill bit and a drill press.
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:rotflol: :rotflol: :rotflol: :rotflol: :rotflol: Need to use a fluid bed for better technique with those smaller jigs. It'll keep the eyes from plugging to start. Only way to clean them once cured is with a heated probe. Straightened hook, needle, etc.. I use a larger jig cut off and sharpened. The head becomes a handle. Really no need to cure those little jigs. Phone a friend. ;)
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Chuck a finish nail (brad) in a drill. The end of the nail will be sheared off, not conical, so it will act as a reamer. You will most likely have to go through both sided. A jig eye buster will be harmless to the powder coat, don't bother.
I bet you wont make the same mistake again! ;D
NEVER! :D
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:rotflol: :rotflol: :rotflol: :rotflol: :rotflol: Need to use a fluid bed for better technique with those smaller jigs. It'll keep the eyes from plugging to start. Only way to clean them once cured is with a heated probe. Straightened hook, needle, etc.. I use a larger jig cut off and sharpened. The head becomes a handle. Really no need to cure those little jigs. Phone a friend. ;)
If I had been thinking I would have called you first! Duh! I had the jigs, the paint, a couple hours to spare... Who woulda thunk I could get myself in trouble with a little job like painting jigs? :D
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Here's another time-saver:
Just use a candle or a Bic lighter to heat up the jig, dip in the powder, tap off the excess powder, then heat again and you're all done, no oven to mess with!
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Here's another time-saver:
Just use a candle or a Bic lighter to heat up the jig, dip in the powder, tap off the excess powder, then heat again and you're all done, no oven to mess with!
Plumbers torch (propane), works like a charm... ;)
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Agreed... I dont mess with baking them. I heat and dip each one, usually a dozen then clean each one, then go back through and re-heat over a candle/torch. Almost as durrable as baking. Plus they are usually lost before getting too beat up and also, the beat up ones work just as well. The fish dont care, people do. If they survive till the really beat up stage they get saved for ultra rocky jig eating areas... 8)
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A little birdie (actually a big Italian birdie ;D) told me an easy way for you guys to keep the eyes clean. Just put a toothpick in the eye before you dip it. Pull it out after the paint hardens and voila!
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Plumbers torch (propane), works like a charm... ;)
Yeah, a Westinghouse J-34 would do the trick too, but that's a bit of overkill when all you need is about 200 deg. of heat on a little jig head. :D :D
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Yeah, a Westinghouse J-34 would do the trick too, but that's a bit of overkill when all you need is about 200 deg. of heat on a little jig head. :D :D
I guess it depends on how many jigs you're painting at once. I tend to do mine in batches. I just finished paintting up 10 dozzen heads. I probably won't paint up another batch for a couple months.
Also, the hotter the head the better the paint sticks and covers evenly. Even after the initial dip into the powder, a hotter head allows the paint to coat more evenly.
On the down side, those little jigs melt fast! :laugh:
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I appreciate all the help. I ended up fixing the problem with a wood burning kit whith a needle like tip. Worked great problem solved. Next time I gotta remember to plug those eye holes before I paint jigs! 8)
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Before I paint I usually stick a bit of toothpick in the hole of the jig, once it hardens I just pull it out and, voila, no paint in the eye.
When I buy jigs that have paint in the eyes I use a small pointy cone shaped head on my dremel tool to open the eyes, works like a charm.
WW