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joelhains

Shooting Laminates

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I've been having some issues shooting laminates using Bass Tackles Twinjector. I can't get seem to get both colors of plastic the same temperature. I cook my plastic in the microwave using measuring cups. I might be able to cook the plastics together at the same time and then I might get one good shot but I am unable to maintain the temperatures consistently. I'm thinking of setting up with presto pots. I would need two of them obviously. My problem with that is I would like to find an option that hold less volume of plastic. are there smaller electric pots with temp control? any other tips to getting the plastic to be at equal temps?

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Damn, I didn't even notice you're in Ohio when I suggested that.  In that case, no, I don't think that will help your cause with it being that cold outside unfortunately.  One other thing I can suggest before you make the jump completely would be to bring all your stuff inside that would benefit from not being cold.  Molds, injectors, pyrex cups, plastisol, etc just to keep it at a decent room temp within the house.

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How much plastic are you cooking at a time?  I live in SW Arizona, and shoot in my unheated work shop.  When its cool I don't get more than one good injector fill laminating unless I have 3-4 cups of plastic in the cup.  I don't have a hot plate, but I can see where it would help, but when the air temps drop its going to cool your plastic quickly.  

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I don't have the twinjector I have 2 individuals with a blending block.  I quit using pyrex and went to norpor silicone cups.  I heat them at the same time.  When I put my injectors into the block I can feel which one is flowing better and put more pressure on the other one to balance out the shoot.  It works for me.

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With your lat statement I can see why you are having trouble. You don't have the heat mass to keep it hot for long. But with a griddle it has to help some. There is no magic way to keep plastic hot. If you use presto pots with two cups in it will be hot but after a couple of shots there won't be enough plastic in there to suck up. I stop using my presto pots when get to about two cups maybe more. 

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I have the Twinjector system from BT as well.....I'm also in Ohio. One thing you might want to try is to back down to mixing one cup of each color. Two cups seems to be allot of plastisol to try and heat up at one time. I use one microwave and pyrex cups just as you are. I do notice a temp difference of the two separate cups as well. I have a digital infrared thermometer that I use to check the temps. When they get close to 350 I will remove the cup that is closer to 350 and heat the cooler one. It normally takes 20-25 seconds to get them close to a balanced temp that way. This has worked well enough for me. My garage is heated. When it gets really cold (like last winter) I wrap my injectors and molds in heating pads to help warm them up and maintain temps once they are warm.

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I live in Michigan and use a non heated shed in the winter to play around..i have a griddle to get the molds up to temp a micro for the plastic and two pyrex cups for the plastic  I have the plate up full   450 I think preheat my cups on the griddle  molds and injector to..heat plastic up in cups in the micro at same time get the gloves on mix the plastic well keep heating it and mixing to get the heat even in the plastic then pull the twin off the griddle dump in plastic ,purge and shoot...I get a few shots in before I got to start all over....on the cheap side I go to the salvation army to get my pyrex griddle or anything else....check out franks video on how to use the twin jector  look at the griddle he has I made a cover from aluminum plate like what he has to keep the heat in...good luck  once I inject I go right outside with the mold to cool it faster....your no going to get much but a few is good  DONT HEAT IN YOUR HOUSE OR USE THE SAME MICRO THAT YOU USE FOR FOOD.....

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