Glass beads vrs salt

[Fish_N_Fool]

Just wondering how many here have been using the glass  sand blasting beads instead of salt and if so how it has worked for you.  Any difference in them other then the no salt taste ? Any advantages to the beads over salt?

[MonteSS]

Beads dont clump like salt.

Beads more translucent (clear)

Beads show flake better

Beads dont affect color recipes

Beads do not weaken plastic

All pluses. Only disadvantage is it will scratch the piston of the injector

[joelhains]

When comparing GBM to salt, the clarity and durability isn't even close. Glass is transparent, salt is opaque. Plastic will bond to glass but not to salt. I've posted this pic before but this is a "core shot" stickbait made with enough GBM to match the sink rate of a GY Senko. You will never get this kind of results using salt!

 

Edited January 2, 2017 by joelhains

[SlowFISH]

Which GBM media are you guys using... read a couple threads about Harbor Freight media... but in one thread it seemed there were more than one media type there and a person had some challenges with it.

 

Also - are there any "special" need when using GBM?  Can you reheat it / melt baits with it over and over or it there a point it breaks down or causes issues?

 

Thanks.... and those sticks look sick.... doesn't look like you can beat the GBM color wise.

  J.

 

[mark poulson]

On 1/2/2017 at 9:21 AM, joelhains said:

When comparing GBM to salt, the clarity and durability isn't even close. Glass is transparent, salt is opaque. Plastic will bond to glass but not to salt. I've posted this pic before but this is a "core shot" stickbait made with enough GBM to match the sink rate of a GY Senko. You will never get this kind of results using salt!

 

Joel, do you use any softener in your stick baits?

[ipt]

i havent tried glass beads yet but my stance is as follows:

salt is cheap & non toxic. maybe the glass is non toxic but i dont want that stuff loose around my house/shop either for myself or for my pets. the only reason to switch would be to get clear baits, that looks like a bonus. in terms of durability,  id rather catch 20 fish on 20 baits than 5 fish on 1 bait.

Edited January 4, 2017 by ipt

[alsworms]

I can't speak from experience as I never used glass beads, but I can say I purchased some baits that were supposed to have beads in them.  Didn't sink and had no action.  When I asked the manufacturer about it, he said they had a ton of beads in them.  Either he forgot to add them or they don't have near the action I was looking for.   Needless to say, that was the last time I purchased from him.  LOL

[mark poulson]

I use the glass blasting media beads to make my senkos,  but I add some salt, too, for flavor.  I really think the fish hold it longer if it has salt.

I use Baitjunky's soft, and add both heat stabilizer and softener,  and I have been able get a senko that is both heavy and flexible. 

I use the basic 2 parts plastisol/1 part salt formula, only for 1 cup of plastisol I add 3/8 cup glass beads, and 1/8 cup salt.  I add 1/4 tsp stabilizer, and 1 tsp softener.

[joelhains]

I typically don't add softener to my stickbaits. I just use a soft formula. I can add softener and will if a customer requests an even softer bait. With glass bead you have the ability to go softer than with salt since the plastic will bond with the glass as opposed to salt.

[mark poulson]

1 hour ago, joelhains said:

I typically don't add softener to my stickbaits. I just use a soft formula. I can add softener and will if a customer requests an even softer bait. With glass bead you have the ability to go softer than with salt since the plastic will bond with the glass as opposed to salt.

 

That's what I found, too.

[FrogAddict]

I've been using the Silica stuff from Do-It and I like the simplicity although I have to admit it is limiting to have all my Senkos opaque.