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Due to crappy cold eastern Washington weather I have been tinkering in my tackle shop and decided to build a fluidized bed for powder coating my jig heads. Thought I would post a couple of pictures and share how to build them at a fraction of the cost of buying one. I decided to make two of them so I could paint more than one color at a time. Total cost is under $20 and they normally retail between $50 to $90 for one.


A fluid bed allows powder paint to be suspended in air to approximately twice its normal volume. By "fluidizing" the powder, quality and control of the paint application are greatly improved over trying to dip into stagnant powder. In other words, the powder paint will look and feel like water at a slight boil making it easier to dip heated jigs and spinner blades into the paint and to allow a thinner, more even coat of paint. This will save time and money by using less paint per jig. Also with a thinner coat, there is less chance of drips forming during the final curing process. Jig eyes remain open and clear of paint.

Items needed are:

2 each 2" PVC male adapter (home depot)
2 each 2" PVC female adapter (home depot)
aquarium air pump (I used a 60 gallon tank pump with two air outputs, about $12 at Wal-Mart)
airline tubing (Wal-Mart)
board for base
2 each inline connectors (home depot drip irrigation)
2 each inline flow valves (home depot drip irrigation)
Brown paper bags - lunch bags you used to take to school (bags work best!)

Drill a hole in the female 2” PVC adapter and glue in the inline connectors (I used liquid nails but anything you have around will do). Next glue the female 2” PVC adapter to the base (again I used liquid nails but anything you have around will do). Hook up the air lines, cut the paper bag and place over the female 2” PVC adapter and screw in the male adapter until it gives you an airtight seal. You are ready to go.

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Comment by Ron Gayton on February 19, 2012 at 10:03am

Hey Richard,they have pins?my mold uses the wg-12 size.I dont like the 30's or 40's size.Also.the cups for the TJ tackle is $4.50.Although,I just went to walmart and bought the double out pump$10.48,and tubing$1.58 and a duel regulater valve $4.38.Now I just need some pvc and I should be good.$16.44 so far.

The tubing method for covering the weed guards seems to still let heat into the base abd makes the weed guard spread out a bit.I kind of like it though.Then you dont have just one thick weedguard sticking straight up.Looks more like the skirt.I like as little of weedguard as I can get away with anyways and trim them up a lot anyways.

Comment by Richard Shaff on February 18, 2012 at 6:32pm
You can pour them with the do-it mold pins in and glue the weed guards in after they are painted. I tried tubing and other methods to paint them with the weed guards in and I was never happy with what it turned out like. By the way how much are the replament cups for your fluid bed, mine cost about a dollar.
Comment by Ron Gayton on February 18, 2012 at 2:13pm

TJ's tackle sems to be the cheapest in price if you want to just buy one.35 bucks for the 2",and 50 for the 3".I'm not affiliated with them,just saying.I have been pouring all winter and ready for a fluid bed.I am also looking for heat resistant tubing to protect the weedguards when I heat up the jigs.I know some jig molds leave a hole and glue them in later,but mine is molded right into the head.If you know where I can find this tubing,please let me know.I tried all the stores arond here.

Comment by Richard Shaff on March 28, 2010 at 10:58am
Jared
You need enough powder so that when it is suspended (looks like boiling water) it will cover the jig head when you dip it. So you are dipping it in the powder, the advantage is that it is less dense and gives a more even coating with less paint use.
Comment by Woody Landry on March 8, 2010 at 6:16am
Just for grins I tried a few different things such as 1-1/2 in instead of 2 and instead of the aquarium pump I tried a "bait saver" pump. Trust me use what Richard says to use it is much better....Oh well it was worth the try because I had it at the house...LOL
Comment by Dave Pings on March 7, 2010 at 11:05am
How do you change colors without making a huge mess?
Comment by Richard Shaff on March 3, 2010 at 4:17pm
And finally the 2" is as small as you want to go to allow for easily dipping the jig heads.
Comment by Richard Shaff on March 3, 2010 at 4:16pm
Woody the answers are:
1. Yes you still must heat up the jig heads.
2. I made 2 because I like to coat multiple colors so it is just easier.
3. You do need some way to adjust the air flow and it is enough air when the powder takes on the characteristics of slow boiling water.

Richard
Comment by Woody Landry on March 3, 2010 at 6:02am
This is really neat got a few of questions. Forgive me if they sound stupid but I am just getting into powder coating. 1st do you still heat up the jig head prior to dipping? 2nd why 2 in can you use smaller ones like 1 inch? 3rd the inline flow valves do you need to set how much air is going into the female adapter if so how to you know when you have enough?
Comment by Joel Alinen on January 12, 2010 at 7:37am
Thats a slick set up!

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