cbj11lbs Posted May 30, 2013 Report Share Posted May 30, 2013 hey everyone, can somebody recommend a good system to keep a drum of plastic from hard packing and to keep it well stirred? hard packing even in 5 gallon buckets has plagued me with getting baits too soft and i want to be prepared for a large expensive drum so my baits firmness/softness will be consistent. thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallmouthaholic Posted May 30, 2013 Report Share Posted May 30, 2013 Change your plastisol supplier and kiss hard packing goodbye. i won't tolerate and/or use any plastisol that hard packs-been there,done that 5 years ago. MF,Chemionics,Spike-it and Calhouns plastisols do not have a severe hard packing problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbj11lbs Posted May 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2013 right now I use spike it pourasol, if i let it sit for a few days it hard packs on the bottom. maybe I should go through it faster..it doesnt pack as bad as lurecrafts in my opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNC Molds N Stuff Posted May 30, 2013 Report Share Posted May 30, 2013 I use M-F (5 gallon jugs) for most things and Pourasol (2.5 gallon jugs) for handpours. I don't really have a hard packing problem. I just pick up the jug and shake it. I have been told that for drums of M-F you install a barrel pump and just crank the pump for a few minutes with the nozzle running back into the barrel to mix it thoroughly. If I ever start buying barrels I'll probably set up a barrel stand with rollers and a small electric motor like on a small cement mixer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroutSupport.com Posted May 30, 2013 Report Share Posted May 30, 2013 i worked in a science lab in college and we used magnetic mixers. Has anyone tried that for plastisol. basically one would put the container on top of a plate. Under the plate is a spinning magnet. An additional magnet would be added inside the plastisol container... and it would begin to spin mirroring the magnet under the plate. This may or may not work. I would think it would help with smaller bottles but not sure if a strong enough magnet set could be deployed in a larger canister and the thickness of the settling may inhibit the magnets interaction. After the material is completely used one simply removes the magnet and places it in the next container. I've been happy with Spite It Pourasol. Bruce and Mike have been real helpful in helping me find a solution to a problem I was having with shrinking and stiffness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNC Molds N Stuff Posted May 30, 2013 Report Share Posted May 30, 2013 (edited) I've got a magnet fish tank cleaner brush that kinda works that way. LOL. Edited May 30, 2013 by Bob La Londe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbayte Posted May 30, 2013 Report Share Posted May 30, 2013 what about using one of those paint mixer thingys? That vibrate to mix...I think that would work if one could get one cheap enough, or make one, just set to vibrate periodically,maybe on a timer...just thinking... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbj11lbs Posted May 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2013 drum agitators that are made for 55 gal drums start at $500 so I might look in to making something on a timer..the timers are cheap themselves but making something that will stir may not be. in old days when zoom started ed would use a stern mount trolling motor and set her on low haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 (edited) Here is how I do it. First the drums from Spikeit have a lid that comes off. I use a paint mixer on a corded drill to mix in the drum then pump it out into the five gallon pail. The five gallon pail has a gamma lid on it so the top spins off to mix before you pour. The fives have a flat bottom and mix in a minute with a cordless drill and a smaller paint mixer. Not hard just a system that works for me. Not to much cost as most of it is not special. The drum mixer I did weld on a rod to extend it to be long enough to reach the bottom of the drum. While I don't consider Spikeit as one that hard packs it does settle so mixing is a must. The jugs it come in let it settle in the corners and is hard to loosen up. Edited May 31, 2013 by Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbj11lbs Posted May 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 Hey thanks Frank..I have a good paint mixer on a drill for the 5's so should I mix the hell out of it every time i pour? I usually only mix it up every so often and then I do see a layer of resin on the bottom, I think its resin on the bottom when it hard packs. Next batch I get im going to stir all the time ha. How often do you stir the 55 gal drum? Do you keep it stirred everyday even if you are not using it or does it ever sit? thanks man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 Drywall guys use mixers on 1/2hp drills to mix their mud in 5 gallon buckets. It is a pretty stout mixer, which could probably be extended so it's long enough to mix a 55 gallon drum of plastic. Plastisol is a lot thinner than drywall mud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gone2long Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 I thought I read somewhere about a bubble type thing that they just lowered into the drum and put on a timer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 Hey thanks Frank..I have a good paint mixer on a drill for the 5's so should I mix the hell out of it every time i pour? I usually only mix it up every so often and then I do see a layer of resin on the bottom, I think its resin on the bottom when it hard packs. Next batch I get im going to stir all the time ha. How often do you stir the 55 gal drum? Do you keep it stirred everyday even if you are not using it or does it ever sit? thanks man I mix mine every time I pour in the five. The drum only when I am getting fresh plastic out. The 2.5 gallon jugs are hard to get the corners to mix. Then I use welding rods in a bunch to break it up then the mixer. Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backwoods1975 Posted June 1, 2013 Report Share Posted June 1, 2013 could u make something like with wheels so you could lay the drum on its side and spin it? Then put a valve in the bung. Just a thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass-Boys Posted June 1, 2013 Report Share Posted June 1, 2013 the last 2- 2.5gals I got from Spike it, hard packs way more than the 1st 4 -5 batches I got ?? i know of a guy that uses an old trolling motor in his barrels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass-Boys Posted June 1, 2013 Report Share Posted June 1, 2013 (edited) could not add this to the last post ??? shoot i guess I could have,, the edit tab was not hi-lighted so I figured it was not working .... Douh !!! i will be switching to Bait Junky's plastisol to try out. Edited June 1, 2013 by Bass-Boys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painter1 Posted June 2, 2013 Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 We deal with materials in drums, with various viscosity, every day at work (industrial coatings and linings). We have some 5 gal paint shakers but drum shakers are slow, expensive and can be dangerous for a single person to handle. We use air motors to drive mixing paddles at low speeds. You don't need a lot of air to do this. An air motor is cheap and reliable so long as you oil it. Maybe hook an air line from your shop compressor to the air motor with a lamp timer at the electric outlet to turn the compressor on for a bit every day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass4Me Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 could u make something like with wheels so you could lay the drum on its side and spin it? Then put a valve in the bung. Just a thought Just what I was thinking when I started reading this post. I would buy the biggest ball bearings possible and drop several of them into the barrell. Them roll the barrell about once a week for a couple minutes to help prevent hardpacking. The only change I would make is to have the barrell on rollers, but sitting up at a 45 degree angle. Also maybe buying a used bench top drill press and mount a paint mixer on an extension rod. Just set the drill on top of the drum insert mixer into drum and lock rod into drills chuck and tighten, turn on then walk away as it mixes This drill will be more powerful than hand helds and no strain on the arms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 This sounds good but I have noticed I have to move the mixer around the bottom to get it all mixed up. Laying it on its side sounds good but turning a 500 pound drum on its side could be a challenge. There are already drum mixers that lay on the side just not sure if it would be an advantage or not. It would take more room for sure. Could just put a spigit to pour from. http://morsedrum.com/products/201-image.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backwoods1975 Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 My thoughts were towards a cradle used for oil drums that work like a dolly but allow one person to lay a drum on its side. Then it would only be a matter of adding casters so it could be spun. It would work but may not be a time savings or conveniance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backwoods1975 Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 after looking at your link frank, we are talking about the same thing. However I was talking a home made jobbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baitjunkys Posted June 19, 2013 Report Share Posted June 19, 2013 I havent did it yet. But someone suggested a old trolling motor. Should work very well. I plan to bend the shaft and pount the prop at a 45 degree angle to the bottom. I wondered how the motor heat would affect the plastic. Im figuring it will have zero effect. Set it on low and walk away for a hour or 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
