keeping your eyes clear?

[jigs]

yesterday i cleared they eyes of my jigs before i baked them took me probly 30 minutes. Baked the jigs and the dang eyes closed by up. So i had to go back threw and clear them all, but this time i had to head a needle red hot to get it to go threw. i was wondering if anyone had any tips or tricks that they can share. i am making round head jigs, and round head with a flat hook also.
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[jdrico]

I always clear mine before baking, but I don't bake them as instructed with the powder paint brand (Pro-Tech) I use. It says bake at 350 for 20 minutes. I only bake at 150 for 10 minutes in a small toaster oven and it seems to add the same durability without clogging the eyes back up. Hope this works for you as well as it does for me.
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[papabear47]

Thanks,I am going the 150 degree route and find out if I can get your results.I use a 1 mm drill to clear the eyes at present.
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[jdrico]

You're welcome. You may have to adjust the time somewhere between 10 minutes and 20 minutes. It all depends on the oven you're using. As an example, I can bake them for about 18 minutes in the house in the big oven without the paint running or the eyes closing up, but the little toaster oven I have in the garage only takes 10 minutes. For some reason that toaster oven has some wicked power! Good luck!
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[jigs]

ya thanks i had been trying to cut the heat but i wouldnt of guessed that 150 degrees would work just as good as 350. That will save me alot of time cleaning the eyes.
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[macon123]

I use pliars, needle nose type, and pinch over the eye when dunking in the powder...I've never had one plug up even when dunking in multiple colors.
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[awmiller]

This was something that tormented me when I first started on my own jigs. But I've found a solution that works well for me that I thought I'd share....

Sterno.... I use Sterno to head up my jig. I will slowly head up the jig and then swish it into my powder paint. Then I heat up the jig a bit more and back into the powder paint. I continue this process until I have a nice thin layer of paint. And in doing this, I find that I hardly have eyes that get clogged up. If I do I have my bobbin at the ready. Just heat up the tip slightly and into the eye it goes and the clog goes away. (sounds like a goofy commercial don't it?! hahaha)

And as others have said, I dial back the heat and the heating time. Through trial and error I have found a setup that works much better than what most manufacturers are recommending.

Good luck with it!!

[quote jigs]yesterday i cleared they eyes of my jigs before i baked them took me probly 30 minutes. Baked the jigs and the dang eyes closed by up. So i had to go back threw and clear them all, but this time i had to head a needle red hot to get it to go threw. i was wondering if anyone had any tips or tricks that they can share. i am making round head jigs, and round head with a flat hook also.[/quote]
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[Belasko]

I don't know about the 150, but I had no problems w/ 200 degrees for 15 minutes in my oven. I'll have to try the needle idea for when the jig is still hot though.
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[maniac]

Chances are you are applying too much paint and when you re heat the paint liquifies and runs down in the eye or line tie.
Try heating your jigs less before dipping them in the powder,and then tapping the hook on the top of the jar thus applying less paint to the jig.
[url "http://www.maniaccustomlures.com"]www.maniaccustomlures.com[/url]
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[drunkndirty]

Clean your hook eye completely immidiately after dipping in the paint!

I used to think that this took too long as was just a bunch of fiddle farting around, but it actually saves time in the long run.

I preheat my jigs in a toaster oven @ 325*F for 1/16 and 1/8 and 350* for 1/32. These temps will give you a nice even coat of paint. The paint won't usually flash after dipping in the paint at these temps and makes it very easy to clean the eye thoroughly. After cleaning the eye and any excess paint off of the hook shank, I return the jig to the oven to flash the paint.

I cure all of my jigs at 350*F for 20-30 min and they come out rock hard, so hard as a matter of fact that the lead will dent before the paint will chip!

The way I test the cure on my jigs, is to hold one as high above my head as I can reach and the let it drop on to a concrete floor. If the paint chips it isn't cured enough. I still test one every now and then like this to to make sure, but haven't had one chip in a long time.
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