Seeking some help using Ultra Molds Shooting Star

[Stewber]

Hi guys,

I am looking to pick some willing souls brain that is making use of an Ultramolds shooting star system? Please let me know if willing and would be able to skype to discuss?

Alternatively me issue is my plastisol ends up chunky like mushed up jelly in the mixing pots and not smooth honey like consistency.

Am I heating too slowly? Should I be heating faster? 

Also getting a ton of air in the plastisol and lots of hollow baits while struggling through.

Any advice is welcomed.

Regards, Stewber

[CNC Molds N Stuff]

When it was cool in  my shop a couple months ago I was using some stirring pots had issues just not heating up all the way with similar grainy results.  I set some metal plates I had over as much of the openings on the top of the pots as practical and the pots heated up nicely.  I have prestos with gear motor stirrers so I was heating up about a gallon per pot.  I'm not familiar with the UM Shooting Star setup, but insulating them and mostly covering the openings on top might help. 

Since they are stirring I set them pretty hot and check the temperature regularly.  Once it kicks over thoroughly I turn the pots down so they don't scorch the plastic. 

[DaveMc1]

Use a microwave to cook the plastic initially and transfer to the pots once heated. 

[Cub48]

I have the Ultra Molds Mini Shooting Star System. I do preheat my plastic to 350 F while my system is heating up to 298 F this is what i set my system at to shoot two colors. Make sure you clean your injector before you start a new batch. i had some problems with a dirty injector, also pulling the plastic too fast will cause the injector to suck air in . Another thing make sure u are holding the injector up to the valve tight u can also pull air in there. Check your oring at the end of your injector and the ones inside the tubes for nicks. The reason i said clean your injector i had shot a couple batches with no problems then my third batch it was doing good then it started getting air and the colors were not even so the next batch i cleaned it good and lubed and it worked good with no problems. As far as the lumps check the temp of your plastic if it is getting to 350 F then it is the plastic. The lumps could cause the plastic to suck air if it is clogging the passages. Another trick i learned is turn your valves on and heat the system up to about 200F + and take a air blower and blow ports out it will blow into the pot like a soft worm then u don't have another color seeping in. I try to pull one out when it is cold with the plug but if it breaks off i blow which ever is still there. One other thing don't leave stirrers in and let cool take them out when u are done  LOL i found out after my first batch took m a few mins to get out. Cub48

 PS. let me know maybe i can help but i am new with this system too

 

 

[Stewber]

The Ultramolds pots are sealed up proper. I am almost certain that the plastisol is not heating up quick enough. Perhaps should push the boundaries and get the plastisol transparent and then turn down the heat before scorching as you mention.

Hopefully someone also using a Ultramolds dual pot unit will also have some advice on how they are heating their plastisol and what temp they set the pots initially.

Thanks,
Stewber

 

[ute]

The process that works for me and the plasitol that I use: I heat the plastic in the pots, I set the pids to 350 degrees and turn on the stirrers and the heat units. When the temperature hits 350 the units will shut off and the temperature will drop to about 346 and they turn on again. When they reach 350 again I then lower the setting on the pids to 298 degrees. When the temperature drops to about 330 I will start rolling the plastic by pulling plastic into the injector and pushing it back into the pots, this probably isn't necessary but I feel like it might keep the temperature more consistent through out the pots. I make a light of light colored baits and almost never have any scorching of the plastic as long as I get the run done in a timely manner. I am sure there are a lot of different approaches and you have the find the one that works for you and your plasitol.

[Stewber]

5 hours ago, ute said:

The process that works for me and the plasitol that I use: I heat the plastic in the pots, I set the pids to 350 degrees and turn on the stirrers and the heat units. When the temperature hits 350 the units will shut off and the temperature will drop to about 346 and they turn on again. When they reach 350 again I then lower the setting on the pids to 298 degrees. When the temperature drops to about 330 I will start rolling the plastic by pulling plastic into the injector and pushing it back into the pots, this probably isn't necessary but I feel like it might keep the temperature more consistent through out the pots. I make a light of light colored baits and almost never have any scorching of the plastic as long as I get the run done in a timely manner. I am sure there are a lot of different approaches and you have the find the one that works for you and your plasitol.

 

Thank you for your advice UTE... I will most definitely give it a bash your way and revert back.

[DaveMc1]

9 hours ago, Stewber said:

The Ultramolds pots are sealed up proper. I am almost certain that the plastisol is not heating up quick enough. Perhaps should push the boundaries and get the plastisol transparent and then turn down the heat before scorching as you mention.

Hopefully someone also using a Ultramolds dual pot unit will also have some advice on how they are heating their plastisol and what temp they set the pots initially.

Thanks,
Stewber

 

 

Like I posted above. 

I am running a pair of the large SS pot setups. I cook in a microwave initially and transfer to the pots. Takes WAY too long to cook in the pots for me. Within 20 minutes I can have a gallon ready to shoot, with 5 minutes to go on the initial heating I preheat the pots (empty) to around 315* and transfer to the pots as soon as colour and flake are mixed, then I can get another gallon cooking immediately after. I have 2 setups so I don't have to wait for the pots to cool to change colours, I just swap them out and can have another colour going in as long as it takes to cook it. 

[Stewber]

5 minutes ago, DaveMc1 said:

 

Like I posted above. 

I am running a pair of the large SS pot setups. I cook in a microwave initially and transfer to the pots. Takes WAY too long to cook in the pots for me. Within 20 minutes I can have a gallon ready to shoot, with 5 minutes to go on the initial heating I preheat the pots (empty) to around 315* and transfer to the pots as soon as colour and flake are mixed, then I can get another gallon cooking immediately after. I have 2 setups so I don't have to wait for the pots to cool to change colours, I just swap them out and can have another colour going in as long as it takes to cook it. 

 

So you mix your color and flake in the gel state plastisol before adding them into the SS pots?

I find my SS system fluctuates rather dramatically between the PID's kicking in and turning off. Are you also experiencing temperature fluctuations between set temp and final temp it registers?

I will definitely try your way as well.

Thanks for the advice DaveMc1

[DaveMc1]

2 hours ago, Stewber said:

 

So you mix your color and flake in the gel state plastisol before adding them into the SS pots?

I find my SS system fluctuates rather dramatically between the PID's kicking in and turning off. Are you also experiencing temperature fluctuations between set temp and final temp it registers?

I will definitely try your way as well.

Thanks for the advice DaveMc1

 

No, I completely cook the plastic in the microwave (bring it to 350) before it goes in the pot. mix colour, flake and salt and dump it in the pot. 

 

I am not using Ultramold's PID's to control it, using different ones. Mine will vary about 10 - 15 degrees for the first 10 minutes I get plastic in it and settles to keep it within a few degrees of the setting. 

[Cub48]

Stewber i don't know how old your system is but seems like i read somewhere where Ruper had changed the PID  controllers so u might check with him. Maybe they are not stable enough.  Mine drops a few degrees then kicks back on like about 2 to 3 degrees. I also read someones reply not here but on another that when they heated in the pots they set it on 350 F and let it kick off 2 or 3 times then drop the temp to 298 F .Later Steve, Cub48

[Stewber]

Thanks Cub48.

I got my system from Rupert in November/December last year, I hope it has the alternative PID's as you mention. I will definitely try the heating process advised and then revert back.

Thanks you for all the comments thus far.

[Stewber]

Okay... so I put the temp to 350 for about 8 turn ons and downs and then turned it down to 298. The mix once again went chunky and was stupid difficult to draw from the tanks. It did however cure faster.

I have the stirrers going constantly from startup... I am starting to think the stirrers are causing the chunkiness and jello type consistency.

thoughts?

Should I leave the stirrers off until Colour and glitter are to be added?

[Baitjunkys]

Is the reading in F or C?

I guess if it was 350C you surely wouldn't have lumps, so disregard.

 

Edited March 25, 2017 by Baitjunkys

[Stewber]

1 minute ago, Baitjunkys said:

Is the reading in F or C?

I guess if it was 350C you surely wouldn't have lumps, so disregard.

 

 

Good question... I will need to check. But I am sure if I was hitting 350C it would burn up.

It seems as though the gel state is developing is being disrupted by the stirrer.

Would help a ton if someone with an Ultramolds SS would be able to Skype and assist if/were possible. Having trouble getting hold of Rupert and them.

[Baitjunkys]

Take the temp with another device, If it is gel, it is not getting to 350..

 

[ute]

What type of platisol are you using? Soft will require less heat than Medium, Medium less than Hard. The plastic that I use will go through the chemical change at about 330 degrees and shoots great as low as 295, but like a said, this varies with brands and hardness.

[Cub48]

Sounds like either u have bad plastisol or your plastic not getting hot enough. My plastisol goes from white to clear then gel to syrup consitance at 350f , get u a digital thermometer don't use a infra red i have one it don't read right. it reads good at low temp but after about 250f the reading not correct  is this happening in both pots or just one? one other thing is your power source enough to power what u are running . But this would go back to the plastic not getting hot enough. If u have a microwave heat a cup up to 350 F with the same colors and glitter and see if it has the chunks if not look at the system if it does change plastisol.  could the chunks be color or glitter u have added. The plastic will burn if u take the mixers out unless u stir it. Cub48

 

[DaveMc1]

Your plastic isn't hot enough if it is chunky. As I posted earlier, microwave it and add it to the pots once its at the proper temp. Make sure the pots reach full temp before you add the plastic. 

 

The PID's on the SS setup are reading the temp of the base plate that the heating element it embedded in, NOT the temp of the actual plastic. 

Edited March 26, 2017 by DaveMc1