using expanding foam

[mark poulson]

Does anyone here use expanding foam to make baits?  I'm interested in trying it, but don't want to experiment if it won't work, so any help would be appreciated.

[Travis]

Are you talking about the Great Stuff insulation stuff?   Less than ideal product in my opinion for a few reasons.

1.  Very low density and will need a lot of weight. 

2.  Does not form a nice skin.  End up with large bubbles, no bubbles, etc...  So you will need to fill voids.

3. No real control in regards to dispensing and starts to expand immediately.

4. Messy, sticky and absolutely no fun to deal with.

5. Need to clean nozzle to reuse can.  Really one and done applications best.

I did use it for a few years to fill rattle traps and have used it for aquarium/terrarium use builds a few times.  Just way more hassle/trouble in my opinion. 

[BobP]

I think it will work but needs a lot of experimentation.  There was a bait company in Georgia, Suddeth, which sold expanded foam baits.  They were unique designs that caught bass well.  You could order a bait and specify whether you wanted it to float or suspend.  I wanted to repaint one and sanded it down, which was a mistake because it exposed many open foam bubbles that were hard to refill.  Suddeth went out of business years ago.

[mark poulson]

Thanks for the heads ups.  I've used it in construction, so I wondered if it might be useful for bait making, but I can see now it is more trouble than it is worth.

Thanks again for saving me a lot of headaches.

[Travis]

1 hour ago, BobP said:

I think it will work but needs a lot of experimentation.  There was a bait company in Georgia, Suddeth, which sold expanded foam baits.  They were unique designs that caught bass well.  You could order a bait and specify whether you wanted it to float or suspend.  I wanted to repaint one and sanded it down, which was a mistake because it exposed many open foam bubbles that were hard to refill.  Suddeth went out of business years ago.

It can work just much better products on the market that are easier to use and give better results wit a lot less effort.  The two part expanding foams sold at various places are very easy to use and "clean" in regards to use.  A measured and mixed in a single dixie cup and typically filled 3 molds before mixing a new batch.  I have made a lot of those.   Measure, mix, pour into mold and then it blooms.  Very close bubble structure not like the insulation foams and skins well but I used 16 lb mainly.  

I had been told and read various things about Suddeth cranks.  I think most said 12 lb density some said 8 lb.   Should be some threads on the site from back 2003 to 2005.   Very easy to weight to get suspend once you get the hang of it with small lead bird shot.

 

Edited December 28, 2019 by Travis

[mark poulson]

3 hours ago, Travis said:

It can work just much better products on the market that are easier to use and give better results wit a lot less effort.  The two part expanding foams sold at various places are very easy to use and "clean" in regards to use.  A measured and mixed in a single dixie cup and typically filled 3 molds before mixing a new batch.  I have made a lot of those.   Measure, mix, pour into mold and then it blooms.  Very close bubble structure not like the insulation foams and skins well but I used 16 lb mainly.  

I had been told and read various things about Suddeth cranks.  I think most said 12 lb density some said 8 lb.   Should be some threads on the site from back 2003 to 2005.   Very easy to weight to get suspend once you get the hang of it with small lead bird shot.

 

Thanks Bob and Travis.  Looks like I'll stick to hand carving, until my hands tell me to stop.

[JimP]

Mark:

The spray cans of foam are very light weight and as mentioned above inconsistent in structure.  I tried a couple of kinds and to me looks like a no go.  One company offered a higher density foam but it was still way under anything that could be used to construct lures from.  Also some voids (internal bubbles) were over a 1/4 inch.  

 

 

[BobP]

I’m sure there are different kinds of foam.  The Suddeth foam was rock hard, unlike insulating foam.

[Travis]

The foam used in Suddeth is as described above.  It is a 2 part expanding urethane pour foam and you can order the density you want.  Typically mixed in a 1:1 volume ratio, no scale needed, then poured into your molds.   

The 16 lb foam is what I typically used and put me in a range between the typically used balsa for lures and basswood.  Very even close celled hard foam.

 

[jigmeister]

This explains available foam densities and properties 

https://www.smooth-on.com/category/foam/

[mark poulson]

1 hour ago, jigmeister said:

This explains available foam densities and properties 

https://www.smooth-on.com/category/foam/

Thank you for the link.

[woodieb8]

On ‎12‎/‎28‎/‎2019 at 11:19 AM, mark poulson said:

Does anyone here use expanding foam to make baits?  I'm interested in trying it, but don't want to experiment if it won't work, so any help would be appreciated.

hi we use16lb smooth-on.. .. .once you get used to it its superb. .density of maple floatation of cedar. we wire thru the baits in the molds..

[mark poulson]

Thanks Woodie.