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I have never used this for lure making but figured I would post because someone may find use for it.

I would temporarily glue a weight on different spots and tank or swim test it.

You can use an existing design as a prototype and change the dimensions or alter features of the bait so it is different from the original master. I made a mold years ago that started out as a zipper type worm and I added a big ribbon style tail to it for night fishing . It is around 8-9" long and there is still nothing like it . It's a big bulky worm and works great .

Phthalates have very little to do with it. The issue will be the plasticizers and stabilizers smoking off when the plastic is hot. Those fumes are not what you want to inhale at all. If you pay attention to the exhaust system (unless you're outside you should 10000% have an adequate exhaust system in place) the fumes leave an oily residue. That residue is being left in your lungs when you breathe this stuff in......Regardless if the plastic is "Phthalate Free" (that's a topic for another day) or not.

It really depends on the type of bait you’re pouring and your presentation. Soft= lots of bait movement but does not last long due to teeth or structure. Medium= just that, middle of the road in bait movement and durability. Hard= less movement of the bait but it lasts for several catches or snags. With that said, some bait types like swimbaits often times call for a medium or hard plastic to maintain their action. Tubes is another I generally pour with a hard plastic for durability. With crappie baits I use medium or soft plastic. I suggest trying out a few different manufacturers’ plastic sample kits to get a feel for what you want rather than being disappointed in a gallon of money spent. If you do a sample kit, shoot your favorite mold once in clear then try some with color. Do this with all three firmnesses. Let the baits hang for several days to a week and see if the clarity and firmness suit your needs. Make detailed notes with dates in a notebook as you go.

We used to put pennies on the railroad track when we were kids. There was no design but they flattened out pretty good...LOL!!! Anyway, those are really cool and it is a fantastic idea, well done!!!!

They used to be a common thing at arcades, carnivals, and theme parks, after WW2.

I spent a few hours this morning gathering and organizing soft plastic color recipes from various websites. If you have any additional recipes from other sources or if you'd like to contribute, feel free to send them my way, and I'll incorporate them into a consolidated cookbook. I understand there may be some duplicate recipes in the current version, but I'll clean those up. As I receive more recipes, I'll add them and repost the updated cookbook here. Please note that none of these recipes are my own creations. I simply compiled them from open sources for the convenience of fellow beginners like myself. Bait Recipe.pdf

OK, I dug up some old and a few new attempts with convex and concave lips. As we know there can be a lot of variables in action and depth with just one lip shape- I wonder why it's not used a lot more ''Text'' is on each photo, just in case I can't post this many pictures here -----hope this is legal, otherwise I will post them in my attachments, or somewhere?? Pete **** SORRY, pic's 4 and 5 should read ''Concave Lip"