# Painting spoons



## STRONGPERSUADER

Anyone here paint their own. Can someone elaborate on paint, spray guns, blanks, etc? Where to buy. Gonna be off work for a few months or so and it’s driving me nuts lol. I will be painting stinger type blanks. Any info on split rings and hooks also? Seems like painting smooth and hammered metal would be somewhat tricky let alone chipping. Procedures? Thanks!


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## Mrwiggler

STRONGPERSUADER said:


> Anyone here paint their own. Can someone elaborate on paint, spray guns, blanks, etc? Where to buy. Gonna be off work for a few months or so and it’s driving me nuts lol. I will be painting stinger type blanks. Any info on split rings and hooks also? Seems like painting smooth and hammered metal would be somewhat tricky let alone chipping. Procedures? Thanks!



As far as painting, i can't help ya. I buy mine and have a guy paint them. I have found no better place yet to buy blacks, then here:

https://peerlesspredator.com/

The prices are unbelievably low, and finish is second to none.. I have bought hundreds from him, in smooth and honeycomb ( hammered version), and got many fish. Sometimes i just put a spoon sticker on. Usually on the shorter spoons ( 2-1/2" ) or so, i use a # 4 split ring, and # 6 hook......usually a red hook, but sometimes nickel.


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## STRONGPERSUADER

Mrwiggler said:


> As far as painting, i can't help ya. I buy mine and have a guy paint them. I have found no better place yet to buy blacks, then here:
> 
> https://peerlesspredator.com/
> 
> The prices are unbelievably low, and finish is second to none.. I have bought hundreds from him, in smooth and honeycomb ( hammered version), and got many fish. Sometimes i just put a spoon sticker on. Usually on the shorter spoons ( 2-1/2" ) or so, i use a # 4 split ring, and # 6 hook......usually a red hook, but sometimes nickel.


Hey thanks a ton! I’m looking for a 4.25 length and I see they don’t carry them. I see they have really good prices on other parts also.


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## bumpus

Hagensfish.com

I've never bought spoons from them but they have a ton of stuff I have got split rings and daichii trebles before.


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## TRIPLE-J

i get some at lure parts online they have a good selection
ive been doing my own spoons for a long time now 
but have to say i recently found the pearless predator and think im gonnna give them a chance


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## All Eyes

STRONGPERSUADER said:


> Anyone here paint their own. Can someone elaborate on paint, spray guns, blanks, etc? Where to buy. Gonna be off work for a few months or so and it’s driving me nuts lol. I will be painting stinger type blanks. Any info on split rings and hooks also? Seems like painting smooth and hammered metal would be somewhat tricky let alone chipping. Procedures? Thanks!


Send a PM to Shaun, aka Many Eyes on here. He's been painting and making spoons for several years and can answer any questions you might have.


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## STRONGPERSUADER

TRIPLE-J said:


> i get some at lure parts online they have a good selection
> ive been doing my own spoons for a long time now
> but have to say i recently found the pearless predator and think im gonnna give them a chance


Thanks TJ, are you running the 4.75 or the 3.875 PP spoons on the big lake? The pricing seems really good. How’s the quality from lure parts?


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## HappySnag

STRONGPERSUADER said:


> Thanks TJ, are you running the 4.75 or the 3.875 PP spoons on the big lake? The pricing seems really good. How’s the quality from lure parts?


i would powder paint,it is quick and durable.
go to TJ tuckle and wach the powder painting video.
get all colors from HarberFreightTools,best price and go to seling paint by lb and buy cheepest clear powder paint and cheepest blue.now you can mix any color.

https://www.tjstackle.com/

check out aticafish
https://www.ohiogamefishing.com/threads/panfish-jigs.313394/

he has more treds with painting lures


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## Mrwiggler

I have powder painted a few, with the powder paint spray gun, but really did'nt like the results. Candy colored powder sprayed the best, but no comparison to the painted spoons. Costs of equipment, paint , really don't justify powder painting. It's real time consuming, and alot of waste when spraying. You can try to collect some of the overspray, that has collected, but it's a PITA. I went to Peerless Predator spoons, and could'nt be more happier. I usually, not always, catch just as many eyes on spoons with stickers, as i do painted, and you order the quantity you want. If a sticker needs replaced, very cheap and simple. I have also bought from Hagens, but they have minimum order amounts, or pay extra if you don't order enough. If you look closely, alot of Lure Parts online, are Hagens components.


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## STRONGPERSUADER

Mrwiggler said:


> I have powder painted a few, with the powder paint spray gun, but really did'nt like the results. Candy colored powder sprayed the best, but no comparison to the painted spoons. Costs of equipment, paint , really don't justify powder painting. It's real time consuming, and alot of waste when spraying. You can try to collect some of the overspray, that has collected, but it's a PITA. I went to Peerless Predator spoons, and could'nt be more happier. I usually, not always, catch just as many eyes on spoons with stickers, as i do painted, and you order the quantity you want. If a sticker needs replaced, very cheap and simple. I have also bought from Hagens, but they have minimum order amounts, or pay extra if you don't order enough. If you look closely, alot of Lure Parts online, are Hagens components.


Thanks! So when you say no comparison to painted spoons, do you mean like already finished stingers, or do you mean the ones you have painted with non-powder paint?


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## HappySnag

STRONGPERSUADER said:


> Thanks! So when you say no comparison to painted spoons, do you mean like already finished stingers, or do you mean the ones you have painted with non-powder paint?


check this out
https://www.ohiogamefishing.com/threads/applying-pro-tec-powder-paint.293732/

in my opinion beter quality and less mes than regular painting,when you paint you have to mes with finish epoxy that is 2 days work less quality,powder paint 5 ninutes if you make few color lure,one color lure is 2 minutes finish top line quality.

you need only heat gun,taping brush and powder,you dip them for one color,and use taping brush for multiple color's and tost aven finish bake for 20 minutes.


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## STRONGPERSUADER

Thanks everyone for chiming in. Apppreciate it!


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## TRIPLE-J

STRONGPERSUADER said:


> Thanks TJ, are you running the 4.75 or the 3.875 PP spoons on the big lake? The pricing seems really good. How’s the quality from lure parts?


strong i havent used any of the PP spoons yet ive only been using the ones from lure parts online...i use their regal finish spoons they are top quality and ive never had an issue with any ive bought from them...
and they have great terminal tackle to go along with their stuff
personally i like the smaller spoons in the 2 1/4 to 3 1/4 inch sizes... but thats just my choice everyone likes different ones for what they are doing...
if im making spoons for salmon fishing i get whatever is close to the old NK 28 spoons which was 3 3/4 inches...


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## STRONGPERSUADER

Well I found this used setup at a pawn shop so I might give it a try. 4 sprayers, one is a Badger and the other three are Nailaire Vegas. 2 hoses and a Badger compressor. Seems as tho they were used for fingernails but I guess they would work on spoons? Everything seems to work fine with the exception of 2 sprayers that need a few parts. Really cheap online tho. If they don’t work on spoons maybe the squeeze will let me do her nails or at least practice on them....


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## Mrwiggler

Practice makes perfect.....don't get discouraged !


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## dgfidler

I bought an Iwata airbrush and small compressor last winter and experimented with painting blades. I found I had to prime the blades to get the paint to stick. I was never really satisfied with the results. After viewing the TJs Tackle videos, I realized candy powder paint was how you get the results I was looking for. I ordered the Badger 260 mini sandblaster, a powder purple color and candy red color and gave it a try on some peerless predator copper blanks. I basically heated the blank, sprayed the lower portion of the spoon with candy red, switched colors, reheated, and sprayed the top portion of the spoon candy purple. I used the airbrush to paint the dots. These are my first successful home painted spoons. The commercial spoon I was using as the example is on the left. I’ll definitely be getting more colors and building up a nice collection of spoons as I’m pleased with how these turned out.


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## TRIPLE-J

wow strong that looks like a nice set-up


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## STRONGPERSUADER

dgfidler said:


> View attachment 283951
> I bought an Iwata airbrush and small compressor last winter and experimented with painting blades. I found I had to prime the blades to get the paint to stick. I was never really satisfied with the results. After viewing the TJs Tackle videos, I realized candy powder paint was how you get the results I was looking for. I ordered the Badger 260 mini sandblaster, a powder purple color and candy red color and gave it a try on some peerless predator copper blanks. I basically heated the blank, sprayed the lower portion of the spoon with candy red, switched colors, reheated, and sprayed the top portion of the spoon candy purple. I used the airbrush to paint the dots. These are my first successful home painted spoons. The commercial spoon I was using as the example is on the left. I’ll definitely be getting more colors and building up a nice collection of spoons as I’m pleased with how these turned out.


Those look great, nice job. What’s the purpose of the sand blaster and what kind of primer did you use? Thanks.


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## dgfidler

The ‘Powder Paint Airbrush’ that TJs tackle sells is really just a badger mini sandblaster. It’s suitable for spraying powder. 


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## dgfidler

No primer. Just heat the spoon and spray the powder. Because it’s ‘candy’ powder, it lets the metallic surface of the spoon come through. You can also get opaque colors, but they cover the metal. I’ll be using a combination of both. For example one of my favorite spoons is the ‘blueberry muffin’. It’s purple with pink dots in the top and has a chartreuse bottom. Those will be done with opaque powder colors because the effect I’ll be going for is not metallic. 


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## STRONGPERSUADER

TRIPLE-J said:


> wow strong that looks like a nice set-up


Thanks! A fishing buddy who knew I was looking for one told me he seen it at a pawnshop. Lucky.


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## STRONGPERSUADER

dgfidler said:


> No primer. Just heat the spoon and spray the powder. Because it’s ‘candy’ powder, it lets the metallic surface of the spoon come through. You can also get opaque colors, but they cover the metal. I’ll be using a combination of both. For example one of my favorite spoons is the ‘blueberry muffin’. It’s purple with pink dots in the top and has a chartreuse bottom. Those will be done with opaque powder colors because the effect I’ll be going for is not metallic.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thanks! I’m going to check out those videos also.


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## TRIPLE-J

yea well looks like a good start for ya ...
im with wiggler on the paint stuff I used to paint everything.. anymore I just tape them...that way I can make whatever changes I want right there on the boat as im fishing...
a pair of scissors and a hole punch to make eyes and im good to go
theres usually a guy at the sportsmans show that has about any shade of tape you could want so I go there and buy a few feet of whatever I need every year ...throw it in a small storage container and leave it in the boat


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## HappySnag

dgfidler said:


> No primer. Just heat the spoon and spray the powder. Because it’s ‘candy’ powder, it lets the metallic surface of the spoon come through. You can also get opaque colors, but they cover the metal. I’ll be using a combination of both. For example one of my favorite spoons is the ‘blueberry muffin’. It’s purple with pink dots in the top and has a chartreuse bottom. Those will be done with opaque powder colors because the effect I’ll be going for is not metallic.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


go here,there is good powder painting info there.

http://www.jigcraft.com/index.html


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## STRONGPERSUADER

Well I went the powder paint route and painted a few today just messing around and trying to figure it out. This was all done with a powder paint gun from Jans Netcraft. The gun is going to take some getting use to. I had some blank spoons a friend of mine gave me. I have ordered a bunch from PP also. I obviously have a lot to learn but I can see it getting better. One thing is I think I’m getting the spoon to hot before applying the powder. Maybe too much at a time also. Thanks for all the input guys and any creative criticism is welcomed.


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## TRIPLE-J

STRONGPERSUADER said:


> View attachment 285419
> View attachment 285421
> View attachment 285423
> Well I went the powder paint route and painted a few today just messing around and trying to figure it out. This was all done with a powder paint gun from Jans Netcraft. The gun is going to take some getting use to. I had some blank spoons a friend of mine gave me. I have ordered a bunch from PP also. I obviously have a lot to learn but I can see it getting better. One thing is I think I’m getting the spoon to hot before applying the powder. Maybe too much at a time also. Thanks for all the input guys and any creative criticism is welcomed.


nice start strong.... used a blue nose just like the one you painted and tore up the steel on them last year...there are some really good powder coat videos out there...


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## STRONGPERSUADER

TRIPLE-J said:


> nice start strong.... used a blue nose just like the one you painted and tore up the steel on them last year...there are some really good powder coat videos out there...


Haha thanks man. Same here on the blue nose. I’ve been watching a few and reading some on it. I’m going to be off work for awhile so I will stay at it. Gives me something to do.


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## huntindoggie22

Get some clear high gloss powder coat and put on after they are done. Turns out nice










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## dgfidler

I think that’s a really good start. How are you doing the edges without excessive overspray coating 1/2 the spoon? I’ve been trying to replicate the ‘boy girl’ on a silver blank and want a pink edge and a blue edge with silver in the middle, but I end up with a spoon that’s half pink and half blue and purplish in the middle. I had some success using ‘high temperature tape’ to mask the area from overspray but it produces crisp lines and I want that spray effect


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## TRIPLE-J

damn doggie that purple thunder looks awesome....i mean they all look awesome but thats been one of my favorites for years great color


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## STRONGPERSUADER

huntindoggie22 said:


> Get some clear high gloss powder coat and put on after they are done. Turns out nice
> 
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> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Now those are badda$$. Nice job!


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## dgfidler

Doggie, I’d like to learn how you do the cross cross pattern in powder. That’s awesome. I think I could do it in paint with drawer liner material, but with powder?


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## STRONGPERSUADER

huntindoggie22 said:


> Get some clear high gloss powder coat and put on after they are done. Turns out nice
> 
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> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Those edges look great. Any tricks to it?


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## dgfidler

One thing I’ve been doing is making variants of the ‘blueberry muffin’ spoon. One of my favorites. Some with solid chartreuse, some with transparent chartreuse (green antifreeze) and pink transparent (rv antifreeze)


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## dgfidler

STRONGPERSUADER said:


> Those edges look great. Any tricks to it?


Yeah, if I could master those edges and crisscross pattern, I’ll be all set. 


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## dgfidler

My next experiments to get edges like that we’re going to be to place high temp tape on underside. Breathe on it to make some powder stick. Dip just enough to get some color, heat, then dip just the edge then remove the high temp tape 


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## STRONGPERSUADER

dgfidler said:


> Yeah, if I could master those edges and crisscross pattern, I’ll be all set.
> 
> I seen the material for that pattern online somewhere, just can’t remember where. Where do you get the high gloss clear coat PP from?
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## huntindoggie22

Thank you


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## huntindoggie22

I buy it by the lb of of eBay. It’s around $15 a lb with shipping. 


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## STRONGPERSUADER

huntindoggie22 said:


> I buy it by the lb of of eBay. It’s around $15 a lb with shipping.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thanks! Are you painting, clear coating, then baking?


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## huntindoggie22

STRONGPERSUADER said:


> Thanks! Are you painting, clear coating, then baking?


Yes I am 


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## huntindoggie22

dgfidler said:


> Doggie, I’d like to learn how you do the cross cross pattern in powder. That’s awesome. I think I could do it in paint with drawer liner material, but with powder?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I paint all my spoons with an airbrush and then clear them with high gloss clear powder and bake. 


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## dgfidler

Sounds like I need to not give up on the airbrush. Doggies spoons are my end goal. Thanks for the info!


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## STRONGPERSUADER

HD, Painting with powder paint and a powder paint airbrush correct?


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## huntindoggie22

STRONGPERSUADER said:


> HD, Painting with powder paint and a powder paint airbrush correct?


No the only powder I use is the clear or pink, white or chartreuse on the backs if I want. 


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## STRONGPERSUADER

huntindoggie22 said:


> No the only powder I use is the clear or pink, white or chartreuse on the backs if I want.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Ok. Thanks a ton!


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## dgfidler

Doggie, one last question. Are you using water based paints for these results or solvent based. I’m getting the feel that my disappointment with painting lies in my desire to use createx water based paints. The water based paints just don’t want to stick to steel in my experiments. 


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## STRONGPERSUADER

Well I got a few more powder painted this evening since I got my blanks from peerless. I have to admit they are looking better but I will definitely need to airbrush for some detail.


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## silver shad

Great looking


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## STRONGPERSUADER

silver shad said:


> Great looking


Thanks!


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## TRIPLE-J

looks good strong...now youre gonna be hooked lol


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## STRONGPERSUADER

I painted a few more today, I quickly made a template out of a spoon blank with my dremel but the cuts are pretty crooked lol.


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## TRIPLE-J

hey strong how do you like the way the peerless spoons look???
they look pretty good from the pics but i have yet to see any


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## TRIPLE-J

and the new batch looks great 
i see the bug is starting to get ya lol
did you get any of the UV blast to put on some of those?


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## STRONGPERSUADER

TRIPLE-J said:


> and the new batch looks great
> i see the bug is starting to get ya lol
> did you get any of the UV blast to put on some of those?


Thanks! I have a few pearl colors but no UV or glow as of yet. Stingers are an 1/8” longer and may be just a little bit wider, I will compare them when I get a chance. I will post a bare bronze and stainless.


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## dgfidler

I made a sealed box from scrap plywood with holes in the top and a hole sized to accept my shop vac’s hose to create vacuum formed templates. I haven’t figured out the best way to cut the patterns yet.


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## STRONGPERSUADER

dgfidler said:


> I made a sealed box from scrap plywood with holes in the top and a hole sized to accept my shop vac’s hose to create vacuum formed templates. I haven’t figured out the best way to cut the patterns yet.


That looks great. Can you explain the concept?


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## dgfidler

Yeah, you heat the plastic sheet with a heat gun and the vacuum pulls it down and makes a little mold of whatever is on it. 


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## dgfidler

These were painted with createx wicked orange and opaque black with some 4030 additive (supposed to help adhesion to hard surfaces). I made vacuum formed templates to paint these. I used a dremel to cut the template. I think yours look just as good if not better. The ‘real’ spoon I was trying to emulate is in the middle.


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## STRONGPERSUADER

Yours look good man. I got a lot of fish on that stinger this past season along with the “monkey puke” copy I posted earlier. I tell ya, powder paint is tough as nails but I think you’re somewhat limited with it. I’m trying to stay away from mixing and hardeners. That would be more like a job to me and wouldn’t be fun anymore lol.


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## TRIPLE-J

hey dgfidler where do you get the plastic to make those vacume molds ????
those are awesome i would like to try that


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## dgfidler

It was just generic stencil plastic in 8 1/2 x 11 sheets that I bought in a craft store. It’s not specifically made for vacuum forming. I measured it with a caliper and it’s .014 inch thick. I did purchase some vacuum forming plastic specifically for vacuum forming and found it to be too stiff. I think the clear plastic (transparency paper) used for the old school projectors would also work fine. 


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## TRIPLE-J

ok cool thanks i want to try that out


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## HappySnag

STRONGPERSUADER said:


> View attachment 286013
> I painted a few more today, I quickly made a template out of a spoon blank with my dremel but the cuts are pretty crooked lol.


find Whitney punch in harbor freight,you can punch the stencill in blank spoon,dots,lines,circle's.you can solder legs on stencil blank spoon,when you paint you put blank same size under stencil.
go to seling powder by lb,and look for special price,buy 2 lb cheepest clear and you can mix with powder paint make candy color.
harber freight has cheepest powder paint,red,yelow ,black,white,
get from seling powder paint cheepest blue and you can mix any color yourself.
i was snuping around horber freight and i find powder paint,one pint $5 ,i scramble find out what is pint.pint is close to 16 oz then i know that is good price.fishing store charge you $5 to $9 for 
4 oz.
my fish like the Powder paint from Horber freight.


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## dgfidler

I’ve painted up a collection of the most popular colors in spoons. I want four small spoons and two larger sooons of each color. When a color combination is working, I want to have multiples of that color. I am moving on to create matching spinner blades with the idea being that I might be able to entice negative fish by slowing way down and presenting the same color combination in a worm harness. Here, I’ve created spinner blades similar to my favorite spoon, the blueberry muffin. If I catch a couple fish on the spoon but the fishing is otherwise slow, I’ll try worm harnesses. Anyway, being able to paint your own stuff is fun and is an inexpensive way to build up your spoon and blade collection. Next, I’m going to start painting shallow diving cranks to match my spoons with the idea being that cranks might catch fewer shorts with all the small fish in the lake. Eventually I’ll have ‘matched sets’ of blades, spoons, and cranks. This whole idea came to me based on personal observations that the ‘shrimp’ reef runner little ripper produces just as good or better as a spoon behind a diver. I then bought some red/gold spoons and found when the crank works the spoon works also. That’s what gave me the idea of a ‘matched set’. I have no idea about the worm harnesses, but it doesn’t hurt to paint some up and see.


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## dgfidler

View attachment 289957


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## dgfidler

These are all the colors I painted for spoons. I figure if one of these colors doesn’t work on a particular day, I might as well give up.


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## STRONGPERSUADER

dgfidler said:


> These are all the colors I painted for spoons. I figure if one of these colors doesn’t work on a particular day, I might as well give up.
> View attachment 289959


Good job! They look great.


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