painting lead eyes

[cklenske]

I have some plain dumbbell eyes that I have used on some flies plain, but I have a pattern that uses painted eyes - white with black dots. What is the best stuff to paint them with? I have some good old Testors model paints left over from the kids. My wife also has some acrylic paints that she might let me use if I say "pretty please". Or is there something that would work better?
Thanks.
CJ

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The only limitations we have are the ones we put on ourselves.

[biot midge]

cklenske,
Either of those will work. I have used acrylic paint from the craft stores with good results. The brand that I am using now is Delta Ceramcoat.
Steve

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"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went"-Will Rogers

[kengore]

You can buy a kit at the local craft store of paint made for glass and ceramic (I think it's the Delta Cerma-coat) that has a dozen colors in little plastic pots on a stick. Good value if you need several colors. I prefer them over the larger bottles since I don't use them often and they tend to dry up.

I have also had good results using finger nail polish.

BTW, I learned a neat trick for painting dumbell eyes, place a few in the teeth of a large comb for painting. Easy to handle and you can get to both sides at one time.

I would take the time to top coat them with epoxy or 'Hard as Nails' for extra durability.

A smal finish nail or brad stuck in a scrap of wood makes a great tool for dotting the 'eyes'....

[kjgallaher]

CJ,
Another trick I have learned is to paint the eyes with an undercoating of white. Then the top coat colors will be brighter and more true to their color than painting over the dark lead. I agree with covering them with epoxy. If you are using the eyes to tie Clouser minnows. you can weight until after tying the fly, then cover the eyes and head of fly to make the fly more durable. I learned that trick from Bob Clouser himself at a class of his I took.

Regards,
Keith

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"Time's fun when you're having flies." Kermit the Frog

[cklenske]

Thanks for the ideas. Painted some up this morning, and they look pretty good - just black dots on white, but they look as good as the ones I have bought before. I'll try some other colors when I get the chance.
CJ

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The only limitations we have are the ones we put on ourselves.

[flymaker2]

kengore-

Great tip on usung the Comb!

cklenske- I usually overcoat the finished colored eye with clear fingermnail polish.

I have been using waterbased acrylic paints from Michaels and applying them with the base of a drill bit; one large one for the eye and a smaller one for the pupil. The bits make perfect circles. Dries very fast and the Sally Hanson's Hard As Nails clear polish protects the paint and makes the eyes shine!

Rich

[cklenske]

Rich,
Another good idea. Thanks. I just keep learning new tricks here all of the time.
CJ

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The only limitations we have are the ones we put on ourselves.

[flyfishmt]

Great tips!!! Bobby pins also work great for holding the dumb bells while you paint them. But, I guess that puts you back at the "pretty please" spot again.

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"Lovin every minute of it"

www.wolfmountainfly.com

[Tony.A]

I also use a comb. I spray paint my eyes with a white Krylon primer first. I then spray with Krylon fluorescent, green yellow,red, or orange. You can use two colors, one on the top of the dumbbell and another on the bottom. After it dries I use a black dot for the eye, using a small nail or drill bit. I then over spray with Krylon crystal clear.

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Keep tyin and flyin

[RG/AR]

I have to go along with the bobby pin idea, have been using it for years and have found nothing that works better.