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Building a Powder Paint Fluid Bed

14K views 24 replies 10 participants last post by  mlsims 
#1 ·
A fluid bed allows one to paint baits a lot easier than dipping them into a 2 oz. jar. The lower chamber is filled with air and the air passes through the filter in the bottom of the paint chamber causing the paint to suspend and be lighter. Just a quick swish of a hot bait and it is completely covered with paint. It is a lot more consistent in application than the dip in the jar method because the paint doesn’t pack as long as the compressor is running.

MATERIALS FOR A 3” FLUID BED

LEXAN for the base

PVC coupler for the air chamber

3” schedule 40 PVC I used the stuff with the foam center to make cutting with a hacksaw easier.

3” PVC lids to cover then new paint containers

NEEDLE VALVE with an insert and sleve

CLEAR VINYL TUBING

FILTER MEDIA So far I have only used brown paper sacks but am also trying coffee filters.

AQUARIUM AIR PUMP
...

MAKING THE AIR CHAMBER

First you have to drill a hole in the bottom 1/2 of the coupler the size of the threaded part of the needle valve. Mine is 3/8”. Carefully thread the needle valve into the hole. Place the coupler on the lexan base and identify its location. I used a felt tip marker on the inside and outside of the coupler. Take your adhesive material (I used silicone from Wal-Mart) and put it on the lexan where the coupler will be. Put the coupler on the sealant and press it down. Add some weight to the top and go away for at least 24 hours.
...

MAKING THE PAINT CHAMBERS

Take your pvc and cut it into 4” sections. Then make sure one end has a flat surface. I rubbed mine on sand paper laid on the work bench. Clean it up and adhere your filter to that end. (I put it on a paper sack drew around the inside and the outside of the pvc with a felt tip marker, put silicone in the marked area and pressed the pvc down, then put a couple of books on top to hold it down.) Go away for at least 24 hours. Tomorrow take an exacto knife and trim the filter to fit the pvc.
...

ASSEMBLY

Once you have the base chamber made and some cups made with filters, you are ready to put it all together. Put one end of your tubing on the pump and the other end on the valve. Make sure both are secure. Put a paint chamber in the top of the air chamber and put about 2” of powder paint inside it. Screw the valve closed and plug in the pump. Slowly turn on the valve. If you don’t see the paint raise then gently stir the paint. Air will lift the paint and you may see some paint volcanoes. If you do, lower the air pressure. You are ready to paint.

I got the pump at Wal-Mart for $15.

All the rest came from Lowes: valve $6, hose $.09/ft, coupling $6, 5' pvc $5, caps $.59@.

The total outlay is about $30. I heat my jigs a dz. at a time in a $5 garage sale toaster oven. The bake the paint on after they are painted.

 
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#9 ·
CaptainMo said:
Not yet...I sure would have liked to have one this morning when I was dipping some lead though. Kind of a chore trying to dip them down into these jars, while keeping the powder "fluffed up".
Once you get it fluffed and keep the air going it stays fluffed.

Have you ever used poison tail jig heads?
 
#11 ·
I just bought the molds to do pts from 1/8-1oz. I have poured up a couple of hundred but am going to have to spring for more hooks. The hooks that fit them are quite pricey.

If I remember correctly, you buy your jig heads already poured. Are you buying them with or without the weedguard? If you don't mind my asking, what are you having to pay?
 
#13 ·
Jig Man said:
Just wondering if any of you guys have built a fluid bed yet.
I am about to build on Jig Man. Have just been rereading this and making a parts list so I can get my shopping done.

What did you settle on for the filter? Also have you ever had to replace your filter?

Im excited. I already placed an order for several colors of powder paint. They should be here sometime next week so I am looking forward to getting my fluid bed built before they arrive. :D
 
#14 ·
Jig Man said:
Have you ever used poison tail jig heads?
Thats what I have been pouring. I finally had my first good pours last night. I found if i laid my mold on the lead pot and let it heat up with the lead and if I left my ladle in the lead as well... that pouring was a lot smoother. I poured about 2 dozen poison tail jigs last night... half 1/2oz and hald 3/8oz I even used my hatcam to record it. I will probably get around to posting that tonight.
 
#15 ·
Jared I hope you didn't order those 2 oz jars of paint. There isn't really enough in them to make a cup for a fluid bed with the size pvc that I used.

I am using 3 types of filters (brown paper grocery bag, shop vac filter, and coffee filter). The coffee filter is necessary for the heavier industrial powder like from Harbor Freight Sales. I have never had to replace a filter.

On your PT mold, you may have to smoke it to make it work well. I don't like to smoke them so I cracked mine with penny roll paper for the first several hundred jigs. I finally got tired of that and smoked it. The smoked mold with good hot fluxed lead poured like a dream.
 
#16 ·
Jig Man said:
Jared I hope you didn't order those 2 oz jars of paint. There isn't really enough in them to make a cup for a fluid bed with the size pvc that I used.

I am using 3 types of filters (brown paper grocery bag, shop vac filter, and coffee filter). The coffee filter is necessary for the heavier industrial powder like from Harbor Freight Sales. I have never had to replace a filter.

On your PT mold, you may have to smoke it to make it work well. I don't like to smoke them so I cracked mine with penny roll paper for the first several hundred jigs. I finally got tired of that and smoked it. The smoked mold with good hot fluxed lead poured like a dream.
well crap lol yes I did order the 2oz jars lol

is it possible for me to make a fluid bed with a smaller diameter pvc? say like 1.5"? I just bought everything for the 3" tonight. If I can make one out of 1.5" then I will just keep the 3" and make a 3" and a 1.5"

what do yo mean by "I cracked mine with penny roll paper" What does taht mean? Im guessing you dont mean you literally cracked your mold hehe

How do you smoke a mold? and how often do you need to smoke it? do you just smoke it before you start a pouring session or do you pour it before you pour each jig every time?
 
#17 ·
is it possible for me to make a fluid bed with a smaller diameter pvc? say like 1.5"?

I have seen pics of them made from 2". You might make up a cup or two and see how much 2 oz of paint covers. I buy my paint from ProTech and Harbor Freight by the pound. I stock red, yellow, blue, black, brown and white. I can mix colors to get my greens, purples, rootbeers, etc.

what do yo mean by "I cracked mine with penny roll paper" What does taht mean? Im guessing you dont mean you literally cracked your mold

Cracking a mold is putting something between the sides to give it more venting. I used 2 penny wrappers before I smoked mine.

How do you smoke a mold? and how often do you need to smoke it? do you just smoke it before you start a pouring session or do you pour it before you pour each jig every time?

I hold the mold over a candle flame and let the black suit get all over everything on the inside of the mold. When I am done smoking it then I wipe all the flat surfaces with a paper towell. I really hate to do it as I am kind of persnickity and don’t like messes but one has to do what works.

I have only smoked it once and done a lot of pours since then. I’ll resmoke it when it quits pouring good heads.
 
#19 ·
Jared said:
doesnt cracking the mold make more flashing on the edge of the jigs? aka more clean up?
Only until you get the correct crack size. After that it works pretty well for that particular cavity. The smoking has done the entire mold and eventhough it is ugly as a mud fence it works. I like the PT so well that I have just about quit using my other bass jig molds.
 
#23 ·
Jigman,

I am trying to build a fluid bed myself and I have a question about your design. Is the paint container attached to the air chamber, or does it just sit in at the top of the air chamber. If it is not attached or screwed in, is it stable enough. Also, does it matter what type of pvc pipe being used? Should it be schedule 40, sewage pipe, or dwc?
 
#24 ·
If you are considering making a fluid bed make it out of 3" schedule 40. I made mine out of 2" and it can be tough to dip the larger jigs. I buy my powder from Powder By the Pound, their RAL colors offer a large selection and the prices are very good. The one thing I did do was to buy a release agent, it works very well and applys cleanly, one spray lasts for a long time. I have Flat Eye Arkie, Poison Tail, weedless & non weedless ballhead molds, I also have a dropshot weight mold and would like to get a casting jig mold of some type, maybe a shakey head mold also.
Rodney
 
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