bigyen

I could give you a few tips. I learned how to dip tube from this form and made some modifications to bojons process and tooling. Curently I'm in Monterrey Mexico working for a couple of months so I can't post any pictures but I'll do my best to explain what I did. I use 1/4 and 3/8 aluminum rods bent at a 90 deg angle. I mount 3 rods on a small block of wood about 4x1x1/2, this acts as a handel and as a way to hang the rods after dipping. Make sure to polish the rods well this helps the tubes slide off the rods. I use a presto pot to keep my plastic hot and its big enough to dip the 3 rods mounted on the handel. I have 2 long pieces of wood mounted on the back of my bench the same space appart as the rod handel. I use that to hang the rods after dipping. I have room for around 10 handels on my bench so I can basically dip around 30 tubes in a few minutes. You need to make sure the rods are all the same length and bent the same distance from the end. I did that by mounting 30 rods on a long piece of wood. I used a sheet metal break to bend the rods then cut the wood with 3 rods per handel. I use the presto pot for my 1st and 2nd dip and a pyrex measureing cup for the last dip (head) You can transfer the cooked plastic from the presto pot to the pyrex cup and back to the presto pot to cut down on the amount of waisted plastic at the end of your run. Be sure to lube your rods before dipping, I use Pam cooking spray. As for cutting the tails I tried the roller cutter method but found the results to be poor. I use a 3/4 ton arbour press to cut my tails. I mount about 30 box cutter bades on an aluminum fixture and mount that on the arbour press. I have a small platform with a cutting mat glued to to act as a cutting surface. The lines and measurments on the cutting mat are a big help. For the best results on your tails you need to make sure that you cut your tube square to the blades, the lines help with that. I used a small spray of WD40 or Pam on the blades to help the tube slide off the blades. After cutting I dip the tails in some of the fine salt I use for sticks to help separte them. The cost for all of this isn't too bad. The arbur press is around $30.00 at Bussy Bee. I got the rods from a metal place for around $10.00. The blades were around $15.00 and the cutting mat from Walmart for around $6.00. It helps to have access to a machine shop and or metal shop but if you ask around and do some leg work you'd be supprised how easy it is to get access them. Sorry I don't have pictures but if you want more info I could always ask the wife to take some and email them to me and I can post them. Glenn

Hi, I have found that if you paint your bait with some POP before you fill up your mold box like Trout Hawk says you won't have any bubbles on your mold. When I 1st started to make POP molds I really struggled with this problem. I even paint POP into the hook slots on the bottom of frogs and the molds come out with very good detail and never any bubbles.

Guys, Here is a link with some info on the type of beakers I have been using. I don't know if they are 100% safe but I have put 2 1/2 gallons of plastic through mine without any issues in the past few weeks. That said we all want to play safe, if anyone has more info I'd like to hear it. Glenn http://www.indigo.com/glass/beakers.html

I have been using Pyrex Beakers for a few months now for dipping swim baits a tubes. They work great in the microwave. I got mine a a local scientific supply store for around $6.00. Glenn

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Mike, Sent you a PM. Glenn

Thanks for the info guys! Looks like I'll be sure to use USPS from now on. Glenn

I have a question for all of you guys who buy your supplies in the states and have them shipped to Canada. I just paid UPS $35 shipping plus a $60.00 brokerage fee on a $120.00 order of plastic. I feel like I have been hosed!! The last few orders I got where shipped via US Post and all I had to pay was PST and GST to Canada Post when I picked up my order. What's the most economical way to have your supplies shipped up to Canada. Do I have to go through UPS or will the post office ship larger orders of plastic, say 5 plus gallons of plastic. Glenn

Cool thread, I didn't realize how many people from all over the world check out TU. My name is Glenn and I'm from Whitby, Ontario, just east of Toronto. Hi Mark, sounds like your from my neck of the woods. I have been making my own baits and Ice fishing equipment for as long as I can remember. About a year ago I needed something to do in the winter so I started to do reaserch on making soft plastic baits. The 1st good sorce of info was Dels site. Del, thanks for all the great advise and info. I then found TU and thought I hit the mother load. I have learned so much from the members here its not funny and I've even managed to post a few tips of my own. Thank-you TU and thanks to all you guys who take the time to contribute to this form.

I found a pretty good way to heat your plastic for paddle tails. Get a Pryex Beaker from one of those Scientific stores that sell test tubes, scales etc. about $12.00. You can get one that is about 5 inches high and holds about a cup of plastic. You can heat it in the microwave and dip about 10 baits before you need to top up. There are no handles on them so you will need to get a set of those long curved tongs to remove it from the microwave. Not sure if this link will work. http://secure.sciencecompany.com/Pyrex-Beaker-400ml-P6184C645.aspx Glenn

Jim, Would a Fry Daddy work? I don't have one but I was thinking that they may be deep enough and I read that there is a way to adjust the temprature on them. I can't find them up here in Ontario but I was in Homestead at the race last week and saw them in Walmart and I thought that they may work for dipping padeltails. There would still be a lot of "unused plastic" left that may be usefull for tubes, or I was thinking of adding some stabalizer and just topping up the fry daddy when the plastic gets too low to dip.

I was wondering about storing baits for an extended period of time. I won

I need to find a taller container than the 2 cup pyrex one I have been using to dip my paddeltails. This looks like a good idea but what about the safety factor? Seems to me that a can like this would be a bit tippy on a hot plate, or am I missing something here?

Coosa, I have also found a small amount of worm oil works to help remove the baits from the knife. Also make sure that the sides of the knife have no burrs. After shaping make sure to polish the edge with fine emery cloth to make it as smooth as possible.

Thanks Squigster, do you hook the bait as if you were Texas riging it or do you have to work the hook in from the back of the bait?