chachybaby

Wow. Great guy. Helped me learn how to make tubes. RIP buddy. You will be missed.

Hi guys This may be an old topic. But for a newbie, I poured some baits last year and over the year noticed their colour changing and fading. Why is it happening? Something I did? I used c creek clear plastisol and colorants from bears

Hey guys, Was wondering if I'm doing something wrong when dipping in clear plastisol to coat the eyes on my swimbaits. I'm using a small amount of regular plastisol and mixing till its very thin. Then dipping the head of my baits to cover the eyes. I even tried dipping into water straight after to cool. I think I watched a video from Frank on youtube. They don't come out as nice as Franks. I notice with mine they come out pretty thick and lose that original look, like a bulge around the head and eyes. Is there something I'm doing wrong or something else I could try?? Also, has anyone else noticed with the sticker type eyes, the colour starts to bleed in the sticker after being covered in the clear plastisol?? Thanks in advance, C

thanks guys, will probably end up trying either Bondo or a RTV silicone material, maybe Rhodorosil V-340, if anyone has used this let me know how it went.. been reading it should work pretty good, just a bit on the pricey side

hehe, ya sometimes I feel I'm making these baits to appeal more to myself than to the fish

theres smoke comin outta my ears... mind blowin. Arguably one of the best, if not, best drop-shot fishermen in the world. Simple as that, difference in color contrast between light and dark. here i am matching baits to the exact "T"

I'm just starting out too and from what I've experienced so far (and probably a bunch of us on here will agree) is that its a ton of fun and VERY addicting (in a good way of course). The guys and gals on here are a wealth of knowledge and class acts all the way... As for getting started, I found it useful to start looking up posts on the forum and learning before hand what you personally want to accomplish. These guys/gals have been there and done that time and time again. I would look up especially safety precautions or Do's and Do Not's on getting started. There are "Pinned" posts at the top of each section in the forum. Depending on whether you would like to make baits on a large or small scale, I would suggest for getting started with small batches these items; Pyrex cups that can be microwaved, and used as a pouring device Microwave or hot plate (to heat up the plastisol) Safey glasses, gloves, well ventilated area etc *are a must* (heated plastisol gets very hot!) Plastisol (to each's own, everyone prefers a certain brand, research to see what you prefer, or ask the supplier for samples) Caney creek crystal clear was my first plastisol ever used, have nothing to compare it to, but have no complaints, baits come out great. Very little to no smoke, no odours etc A few of your fav colourants Glitters, salt and scents (if you prefer them) Stir rod Molds (whether you want to purchase or dive right in and make your own, there are very good tutorials on this site on how to do this) I believe janns netcraft has a plastic making starter kit, if you just want to get a feel for things. Check out the other sponsors on this site for more info on where to buy certain supplies. Once you get hooked and are tired with the open pours, you will need injectors,two piece molds etc. the sky is the limit, hope this helps you get started... C

ok thanks guys, its maknig much more sense now. As always, very good explanations. If not using other materials(pop etc), I'm reading a fiberglass resin mold is probably better suited for an open pour mold, that sound right? also, I know this should be in the wire baits posts, but anybody have experience pouring lead into a (2 part) D2T sealed POP-mold ?? Does the D2T,pop handle the heat or is this idea a recipe for disaster? Obviously I'd make sure the pop was completely dry and sealed properly. It'd be a mold for small batch production, not expecting it to last forever. I was leaning towards the bondo mold from what I read for this application and hence my question on the clarification. thanks, C

hey guys, sorry to be such a newb on this one, and its probably been answered somewhere in the mass of replies... but I've been trying to read and understand the numerous posts/discussions regarding Bondo and how to make one and two piece molds. The more I read, the more its confusing me. Body filler, polyester resin and fiberglass resin need to be broken down better since I'm a bit on the slow side. I see on the Bondo website, that the body filler and fiberglass resin are different products. Reading the discussions on this forum people are making molds using a) both products on their own or b)a mixture of the two at the same time (my understanding for durabilty, higher resistance to heat and distortion??) Can anyone clarify the difference between polyester resin and body filler?? Is polyester resin esentially fiberglass resin? Cuz I keep seeing polyester resin pop up alot. Thanks, C

acklands and grainger

how long is a good amount of time to cure the baits? I normally lay them over night on the bench and then bag them a few days later... I wonder if its ok

for mine I used 2 inch bolts in opposite corners. Grinded down the heads to make them flat, secured them and poured. Second half had the indents from them. Mold locks up great so far

thanks frank, I will keep this in mind too. I tried using the sculpey as a master without baking it. The PoP mold came out great, sculpey peeled out of the mold.

nice, thx guys

Hey guys, Wondering how everyone is organizing their silicone tabs and skirt tying materials? I have all these packs in a box and find its a mess and hard to keep track of all the different paterns and colors. I think there is too many to keep in a plano type box, that was my first idea. I would like to keep them organized by colour and not have them all mixed. thanks, C

ok thanks mark, I tried injecting, bait came out perfect, besides leaving a tag end around the bait to be trimmed. If I inject I think the mold needs to be kept more tightly closed together?? or I try injecting very slowly. I'm going to try making the vent grooves anyways, how deep do they need to be and does it have to be done on both sides of the mold?

ya your right, if you don't bake it and try and keep it somewhat clean, it can be used over and over. I'm liking it so far, very easy to work with

nova great point, I will do that next time so I can keep using the sculpey and PoP.

k guys, hopefully the pics provide some explanation.. its not too bad for my first time, baits come out great, just the antenna fill out only half way How would I go about adding vent holes or venting slots?

x2 on placing the rubber collar first then tying above it. For myself I find that much easier, you can concentrate on a better tie knowing the skirt isn't going to move around that much. Just a little more time consuming setting it up

ok great, will try these methods too

guys sorry.. how can I post the pics as a reply?

hey guys, just wondering if anyone else had problems creating a hand pour mold using a sculpey clay master and PoP?? I applied a releasing agent before pouring the mold, but the mold dries very tightly around the master, and since its not plastic it doesn't easily come out after curing. I end up destroying the mold trying to get the damn thing out... I even tried setting some small screws in the top of the master to have something to pull with and equally distribute when pulling it out of the mold. Still no luck. thanks, C

sure I'll get a pic, I think your right, it may be a venting issue where trapped air is not allowing the plastic to flow into that smaller area.

mark, great idea! I've been thinking of ways to make a slot, tried carving etc, never came out right. Thanks for the post