Paint vs dip i was planning to just spray paint my traps this season but id like some opinions when I was a kid I always used walnut hills and oak leaves but im running a few more traps and with the responsibilities of having a family im looking for a little less time consuming method

If you have a lot of traps you are running dying them is quicker and cheaper. Myself I don't run a lot of traps so I spray paint. After a few years I have done a lot mine. After a catch the newly shined up ones get a new paint job in the spring. You can spray paint a few with a rattle can but if you need a big quantity done I would dye them.

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If you are doing a lot of traps, just get a bigger pot and Dyeing will be much faster than spray paint. Half or 3/4s of a 55 gallon barrel will dye a lot of traps at once. Alternatively if you want to paint, you can dip your traps in thinned paint, but I've had mixed results with this. I have always dyed and waxed my water traps. Never tried speed dip, etc. Although I bought some used traps that had been dipped, it held up well (bodygrips) but it was sticky and I didnt like it. Dyeing, particularly if you use walnut hulls or alder bark or the equivalent for your area, rather than buying dye, will be by far the cheapest option.

If your time is worth something, a can of speed dip and a gallon+ of Coleman lantern fuel for the dye is the way to go. Then either let them dry and use. Or dip in Full Metal Jacket. Do this now on a hot, summer’s day.

Or, if time isn’t an issue, do the 5-gallon bucket ( or bigger) over a fire. Add 1-2 bags of logwood dye, bring to a boil, and simmer your traps in it for 5-10 minutes per bunch. Hang and let dry. Then using a double boiler method, melt your wax, dip and simmer about 90-seconds each, pull out and hang to dry.

My time is worth something. So I do the Coleman lantern and Speed Dip method, let dry and then full metal jacket dip.

I started out dying and waxing .And then spray painted a few they done okay. I don’t have a large quantity of traps. For the last couple years I trapped almost every weekend weather permitting from late spring to early fall. I eventually came back dying and waxing.I just like the way they look and operate when I was finished and I had a trap in my hand trying to think about what my next move was.

I just dyed with logwood powder, and then dipped in FMJ. 1 gallon of FMJ goes a long way, it's super easy and lasts a lot longer than Speed Dip. Also no fuel needed.

50-50 Rust-Oleum and thinner.
Holds up very well. Easy to dip the traps in a bucket. Even a 330 with a little help of a brush . But wear clothes you don't care about.
Then each year I touch up the few each year with spray paint. I never used FMJ, but people do like it.