Jump to content
saint308

Air Bubbles revisited

Recommended Posts

I know this has been covered before, but I must be doing something wrong. I am talking about the very tiny air bubbles caused by humidity. Down here in South Louisiana you begin sweating as soon as you walk outdoors because the humidity is so high. I have tried to cook the plastic slower for longer periods of time. For example, 2 minutes stir, 30 secs. stir, 30 secs, add dye and glitter and 30 more secs. Still air bubbles are there. They seem to go away, but as soon as I stir they come back. Any suggestions? GABAssnerd, how do you handle the Georgia humidity? Thanks. Saint.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well...this is a DEEP subject for me!!!! The humidity is always high here in the summer months so it has been a pain in my side...

I started keeping my plastic inside where the humidity is significantly lower and the temperature is regulated well. Remember, swings in temp from high to low and visa versa also can cause humidity.

I only take the one gallon jug that I (used to) seperate my plastic into out to my work area. All the others are in the house and I also use some plastic wrap over the jug lids (on the outside of the jug only!!!) secured with rubber bands...

I know that Del, Calhoun's and others have suggested a slower heating process will reduces the bubbles....BULL!!!! :censored: I have heated in 30 seconds increments (whew!!!) with the same result as the method Saint308 described....same results...bubbles!!!

I have conducted extensive trials with various plastisol samples...The results of MY OWN PERSONAL trials are that humidity is not causing my bubble problems but the microwaving process with certain plastisol does.. I'm sure if you leave your plastisol out in the humidity that more bubbles will form in any manufacturer's product.

I have resolved my bubble issues once and for all after my studies..Since all microwaves are different and techniques vary greatly, trial and error may be the only way to get around the bubble issues!!!

Jim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jim: I started pouring with Calhoun's. The first gallon was perfect, no bubbles until I got to about a quarter left in the bucket, then bubbles started. I tried a new gallon of calhoun's, thinking it was the plastic. Bubbles from the start.. The only thing I can think of is the temp outside has gotten hotter from when I first started pouring. Thanks. Saint.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well Saint...that is a good discussion point. There are just to many factors to narrow it down. One thing is for sure, if you open the bottle/jug and you get bubbles immediately, they are NOT from what you have done...period (unless you have added h2o for some reason 8O ).

It could be from the factory as Calhoun's is in Georgia where the humidity is high. It could be from the shipping between Del and Calhoun OR between Del and you.

Others will tell you, it can be hit or miss with the bubble deal as I have received as many bubble free buckets as bubbly buckets.

Hopefully, the factory can make an additive to reduce the problem but if you are pouring your fisrt cup and there are bubbles....It came with them!!!

Jim

PS Look at the top of the inside of your microwave some time also. You may find a good bit of condensation collected (caused during the nuking process) and it may be ready to drip into your next cup of plastic!!! A wise man taught me that one!!!

You got mail John :D ....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Del:

6-10 minutes...you have got to be kidding right!!!!??? I slowly rock my plastic or mix it 1-2 hours prior to using it...

This 5 gallons I have is the same frothy bubbles that is being explained as above.

During my "study" I conducted, one of the things that I did was shake the crap out of the plastic, wait 15 minutes and pour. Low and behold, some plastisol hade almost no bubbles at all while others had the same frothy mess...

My frothy bubbles have been happenning from the beginning of my 5 gallon bucket...no more now..no less now...

I have used Calhoun's plastisol in the EXACT same manner for at least a year now with no changes in my technique...

I have poured thousands of baits to this point successfully, I'm not going to change my technique of heating or pouring over a "questionable", useless (to me) bucket of plastisol. I have conducted my trials and tests on 3 of the 4 major plastisol brands with significant results TO ME...

Each pourer must decide what brand is going to be right for them and what is going to make your pouring an enjoyable experience, not work...

Jim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm leaving town for a few days now, but when I get back I think I'll put a vacuum on some cold plastisol and see if some entrained air comes out.

It just may be that the plastic is taking oxygen or nitrogen into suspension naturally, or slightly "decaying" and forming a small amount of gas that stays in solution.

just thinkin'

jm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a little Calhouns plastic that has been mistreated in every way described in this thread, like cold storage of part containers, shaking, humid weather, etc. It has lately been providing a head that would make a good beer proud. Well, I exaggerate a little, but it has given me quite some bubble trouble. The fix, as long as I'm in experimental mode, has been to just wait it out on the stove.

last night, I put a few ounces into the same fruit jar I use to vacuum degas plaster when I'm making a mold. I put a high vacuum on it and it bubbles quite a bit for a few seconds. After 3 minutes there were just a few small bubbles. I heated up a pan full and WALLA, very few bubbles.

I also did this with another brand of badly mistreated plastic, and it worked as well.

I would assume from these results that any volatile contaminant in the plastic would tend to out-gas and cause bubbles as it is heated. Water has been identified as a culprit, but I suspect that a little alcohol, or benzene, or whatever from contaminated equipment in manufacturing would also cause the problem. At any rate, vacuum seems to cure it. I don't think any component of vinyl plastisol has a vapor pressure high enough to evaporate under vacuum at room temperature. You could put a gallon in a glass bottle and vacuum treat the whole gallon in ten minutes. As long as the plastic didn't get into the vacuum port, you could "slow rock" mix it at the same time. Plastic containers, of course, would collapse>

I used a wide mouth fruit jar for the vacuum chamber. I just drilled a hole in a lid, slipped a Schroeder valve (refrigeration connection, available from Graingers) into it and buttered it up inside and out with Permatex RTV blue. The vacuum source is an old refrigerator compressor. It provides plenty of vacuum for the job. The only trick is that I had to restrict the outlet so it doesn't blow oil all over the kitchen floor, causing the CFO to get after me with a frying pan.

Hope this helps,

jm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I personaly think Calhouns is more prone to have moisture in it than other brands. I live where the humidity is rarley above 20 percent and the last 2 -5 gallon buckets of calhouns I have purchased were full of tiny air bubbles , whether this is mosture or a plastic problem its annoying and makes an ugly bait. I bought some M-F plastic in a 5 gallon just last week and no bubbles in it at all and I mixed it the exact same way. I can use the calhouns if I cook it in the hot pot because the bubbles seem to rise to the top and you pour out the bottom. But If I microwave it its terrible. The M-F microwaves great you get a clear bubble free bait. I just think someone should check to see if its something calhouns is doing that makes the bubbles. With the price being about the same Im going to buy the less hassle plastic. Seems to me that the M-F stinks a lot less when you cook it also.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had been thinking it was a humidity problem. However, I took some old worms I poured earlier this year with no bubbles. I cut them up, reheated and poured again. Still no bubbles. I would have thought if the humidity was causing the bubbles, the reheats would have them also. Just a thought. Saint.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After jm's post regarding degassing of the plastisol, I thought I should look up a chemist buddy of mine.

I got him some of my Calhoun's plastisol for degassing as jm described to collect an amount of whatever bubbled/gassed out.

Low and behold, there is a contaminant of sorts (or at least something that should not be there as no chemical portions of the plastisol should gass out). He was able to determine that it is a detergent type chemical. Not sure how he knows that it is along this lines but he is sure.

He wasn't sure if it was added by the manufacturer or it was a contaminant from the containers/barrels they are adding the plastisol to for storage or transport or whatever.

Sounds like Calhoun's owes me and several others either "good" plastisol OR a refund for 2 1/2 gallons of plastisol that is useless TO ME...

Jim

PS He can tell me exactly what the chemical that was degassed out was but it will cost me some $$$$ to do it....I'm not throwing any more good money to bad at this point....

PM me if you have had the same issues with you plastisol and I will call the company directly on our behalf...I know of several that have PM'ed me previously about this...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...


×
×
  • Create New...
Top