Fluidized bed for powder coating jigs

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.