Painter1

Thanks for that explanation, Mike. I wonder how tinting colors for paint would work? I may get some from Sherwin-Williams and try it unless you guys already know?: I was planning to mix and pour some Fluorescent colored baits soon and did not know that they were limited in any way. I have the colorants from CCM (MF maybe?) Are you saying not to mix the color into hot plastic or put it in before heating?

I injected some "Ripper Worms" in a mold from BT today and really like the look of them. Anyone have a suggestion/favorite hand pour 4" paddle tail that is close to the 4" swimming Fluke?

Don't see them in classifieds.

Good decision & good advice. Thanks to all you guys who contribute

Those paddle tail Junior Flukes are getting pounded by nice LMB at all the Ozarks lakes when fished on an Alabama Rig. That is why they are so scarce. We only found a few bags of them when in San Antonio Bass Pro and we bought all they had. Guys are paying a sizable premium for them now. I was also not able to find anything that really is close to that bait. I guess I need to learn how to make molds.

Well I just bought some open pour grub molds so I will try my hand at it soon

Thanks, guys. I will try that. I am heating to 320-340 for injection. How cold can I go for hand pour?

Ironic. I am looking at a grub mold from Lurecraft and wondering how to avoid a flat side. How to get a rounded bait in an open pour mold?

All of those topics would be well received. Making a swimbait mold from a prototype master would be great.

Thanks for that. I like the Kalin type grub but it has a fatter body than I am looking for. I am looking for one with a body about the diameter of a typical writing pen.

I am looking for a simple 4" single tail grub injection mold similar to the Chompers grub. Love the Chompers model but want to make some colors they don't have. The usual suspects don't seem to have what would seem like a basic model. I found some that were 1 piece open pour or had real fat bodies. Did a search but only found references to twin tail grubs. I sure do appreciate all the help you guys have provided over the last few months.

Thanks for posting that picture. I will buy them. Please send PP info.

You mentioned "low buck" method. The Lees production pots & Presto Pots are not cheap.

I see that Bear has a 4.5" Whodat, a 4" Da Bug and a 5.5" Brushhopper but am not seeing a "Brush Bug" mold on the site. Can you provide some info on where a picture might be available?

I thought 100 jigs would last me longer. My partner and I broke off 26 of them today at Falcon but we didn't want to run in on the fish and spook them. They were in some gnarly stuff and a ton of fun when we were able to hook up and drag them out. (Biggest was 8-15) A guy I ran into today at the boat ramp told me he was having bulk quantities of football jigs poured with the specific hook and weed-guard he wanted. He told me the outfit pouring them was saving him time & money but that he had to buy "quite a few" to make it work. We got interrupted before I could learn more but he did say the outfit was in Indiana. Anyone know who this is and any details? Thanks

I don't want to add anything confusing here but would mention a something for consideration. I am not in the bait selling business (this is a hobby for me) but I have extensive business experience. A thought to consider / remember Markup % vs Actual Margin Let's assume that 10% is the "gross profit" you expect to make by marking up the product. ($1 plus 10% markup = $1.10) At the point of sale you collect $1.10 and all is good, right? You have not made 10% on the sale however. (10% of $1.10 = Eleven Cents) the actual margin in this case is 9.09%. Following are some more examples. 15% Markup will yield 13.04% 20% Markup will yield 16.67% 30% Markup will yield 23.08% 40% Markup will yield 28.57% 50% Markup will yield 33.33% So after calculating your actual DIRECT costs to make a product be careful when you apply markup to that cost so you don't short yourself in covering your "fixed costs" or "overhead" costs.

I haven't tried Chrome, but can't back up at all with IE8 no matter how many times I click.

Here is a link to a 20 oz borosilicate measuring cup with interesting (geeky?) factoids printed next to standard measurements. Add to the mad scientist decor of your workshop? LOL. http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/kitchen/a346/

I also saw that this is being done and it seems to work. I made baits last night and rotated some cups between the griddle and a 30 second reheat burst in the microwave. I was looking for 340 to 350 in temp to pour and keeping it on the griddle set at 350 kept it pretty close after getting it to temp in the microwave. I am using Borosilicate cups however. The pyrex scares me as I know what it can do. Several years ago I took a pyrex pan out of the oven and set it on an electric stovetop that was turned on. I did not realize the stovetop was on and a few minutes later the pan exploded making a heck of a mess and sending marble size pieces all over the kitchen. I bought my borosilicate cups online at "The Container Store" but thier webste now says they are out of the 16 oz size.

Last night I got a box of runners that Mike at Carolina Baits sent me and I made some watermelon red baits, using the microwave and a small injector. I am very pleased with the results and really appreciate the help I haven gotten here. Mike's price for the plastic really helped me out and so did watching some of the videos that Frank made. Of course reading this forum has been invaluable. I only burned myself a little bit and am reminded that I need to find some better gloves. So far I have only made about 100 baits including the 30 or so I made last night but am looking forward to ramping that up. Mike's runners are really a good deal in my opinion.

I would like to make some plastic baits that resemble a baitfish called "Pearl Dace" in Ontario. We will be spending a week at a fly-in lake there in mid-late June 2012 and the outpost operator tells me that Perch and Pearl Dace are the primary forage. A google search indicates that this fish gets up to 6 inches long with an average size of 3 to 4 inches. Anyone have a recipe they would share?

Something like that, Yes.

I have several aluminum molds of the same design that I want to modify by adding appendages. There is room in the mold for this. I contacted the manufacturer of the mold who is too busy now ro get it done for me in time for Spring fishing. Is there someone you know who could do this? Thanks