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Jmericle

New to the site and making plastics

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My advice is to spend a LOT of time reading the posts on soft plastics on this site and custombaits.com. There is an incredible amount of experience and great information. Make sure you read and follow the safety information! 

There are a lot of really good how-to videos on YouTube. On of the best channels for beginner is from That Guy Skimpy. The videos are well done and are perfect for beginners. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8khl9s-fByjspYZLp3eCMA

Good luck and enjoy all the information that is available online!

Andy

 

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After learning the safety part of it & starting to make lures write every recipie down on every lure you make even if in the same colors because thickness of plastic will make appendages look totally different between different lures.  If you use sand cast or artificial stone molds you may also need to tweek recipies to get the look you want.  Although there is a learning curve it's actually easy after you get the concept down. Another pointer is  have fun & take your time when buying molds so you'll get exactly what you want because it can get expensive real quick like. Ask about anybody here that's been at it a while.  :D

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I'm in a somewhat similar boat as you, Jmericle. Be careful, its very addicting. I have found Worlds Worst Fishing on youtube to be a great resource. In this video he does a great job talking about pouring plastics for the beginning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax8QM6CZvvM I wish I had saw this early on.

 

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27 minutes ago, Andam22 said:

I'm in a somewhat similar boat as you, Jmericle. Be careful, its very addicting. I have found Worlds Worst Fishing on youtube to be a great resource. In this video he does a great job talking about pouring plastics for the beginning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax8QM6CZvvM I wish I had saw this early on.

 

Thanks Andam22 I’m already subscribed to that channel and it’s so helpful in how the process is explained. My mold will be at my home in a few days and I will start my first lures with my fingers crossed 

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One thing I've already learned is do not skimp out on molds. I started out with cheaper ones, and then after buying one angling AI mold, I just can't go back. I think the cheaper molds are a wise choice to use as a gateway to make sure pouring is something for you, but i'm currently wishing I had saved the money I spent on a few of the cheaper molds and invested in higher quality molds.

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I agree with Andam22, use molds from the major manufacturers. There is a link on this site. They are all good. 

I have an extensive (!) collection of molds and I am a big fan of the Do-it Essential Series. Great price point and they make a great bait. Some people complain that they bait is not a perfect "shine" like a CNC mold but just as many have no issue with it. I assure you the fish do not care!!!

I STRONGLY recommend:

1. A Digital thermometer (NOT an IR!!!). Most (darn near all !) issues tie back to plastic temperature. You need to get you plastic to 350 degrees for it to completely "change state". Make sure you stir you plastic (with the probe is fine!) to make sure all the plastic is 350. You will find that some molds like "hot" plastic for good flow into the legs etc. and some prefer "cooler" temps like 320 to avoid "dents" due to "differential shrinkage". Large bodied baits like creature baits are good examples. The big body stays hot in the middle long after the "skin" as cooled. You can find good digital thermometers on line or stop by a Hardware big box store and look at the digital thermometers in the outdoor grill section for one that measures to 350+.

2. ALWAYS wear gloves. 350 degree plastic can give you severe burns! Always wear pants and SHOES!!!  When injecting use LIGHT pressure! If  have to press hard something is wrong! You don't want plastic blasting out of your injector towards you!!!

Read ALL of the safety posts on this site and Custombaits.com !  And never let little kids in your injection area! 

This is a pretty safe hobby...but a good does of paranoid is not a bad thing!

Common Issues:

1. My baits turn cloudy or sticky: Plastic never completely changed state. Get it to 350. Also make sure you completely mix your plastic EVERY time you use it! Some plastics are better than others about "hard packing" ie settling. Rotate (avoid shaking) you plastic in the bottle to mix.

2. My legs or claws on baits don't fill:  Mold needs to be warm and you plastic needs to be hotter (330-350) to "flow" better.

3. I get dents in creature baits or Senko type worms: Plastic is too hot.  Let it cool to 320 and then inject. When reheating only take it to the temp that injects the best (i write the temp on mold with a permanent marker. You can wipe it off with WD40 if needed). Experiment with the best temp for the mold and write it down!

4. My plastic gets too hot (Big safety issue!). Heat in short bursts. I heat 1 minute to start. Then in 30 sec. intervals with a stir. In my opinion, cheap low wattage microwaves are a lot better than high wattage because they don't cook too quickly and too hot! 

READ....READ....READ!

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