alsworms

That's right.... I forgot that ebay bought out paypal. Man those guys are really hurtin' for money, eh????

One thing I forgot to mention....... The Ebay store is nice once you've established yourself on the site. I think it runs 10 bucks per month, unless they've raised it (seems like Ebay raises their prices every friggin' week!). Remember when Paypal was free??? Wasn't THAT great!! Now paypal makes a killing, just like Ebay. Ooops.....got off course there for just a sec........ .... the Ebay store is cool because you can set your own prices, which is another great way to advertise. You make one sell and you get your monthly fee back, and you're only out a nickel for a listing fee if your item doesn't sell. Chris

Glad I read that before I tried it.... Thanks Nathan! Chris

I don't believe they have a website. You can call them at (706) 629-9077. Chris

There's a seller on ebay who advertises his baits as "rolled in sea salts". I've always wondered about that. Definitely something to look into. Interesting stuff..............................

I have been selling on ebay for 5 years now. I've never really made much money on the site. In fact, I probably have more money into it than not. Pretty scary when I actually think about it. But it IS a great way to get your name out there and establish customers. Guys often win one of my auctions; then buy something directly off my website. It works out okay I guess. Frankly, I'm really tired of the "ebay thing", but every time I think of ending sales on the site something happens that changes my mind. It's hit and miss, but overall I'd recommend ebay, especially if you look at it from an advertising standpoint. Chris

I have a fair share of molds to try it out on. Thanks for the info. Sam. Chris

Looks like you can access their main page ( www.tacklemaking.com ), but not the forums. There is a post on the main page; something about "moderators needed" for the forums. Big Surprise There!!

Hey Sam, I've been messin' around with that a bunch myself lately. I could never claim to have a senko replica as nice as Yamamoto's, but I'm happy with the action on mine. I use Calhoun's "hand pour" plastic, which is about equal to Lure Craft's 536 formula. I add 1/2 cup of softener and 3 ounces of heat stabilizer per gallon of plastic. As for salt content, I like to mix 1/4 teaspoon of popcorn salt per ounce of plastic, mixing like crazy to keep it suspended. I'm sure you know that extra salt makes the bait much tougher and much more difficult to bring the plastic to a "runny" state. The stabilizer and softener make up for that. I set aside a separate 5-gallon jug of plastic just for senkos. There's no need for stabilizer if you're not pouring with salt in the mixture. Some guys will say the softener is not needed also. I don't know how Yamamoto does it, but as you know......you can actually see and feel tons of salt in their senkos (I was told their mixture is 60% salt!!). I can't see the salt in mine like Yamamoto's, but when I test them in the water, the action is the same. Mine might be just a hair softer, but they are more durable. In fact, I usually catch more fish on mine because of added scents. This is by no means a push for my product. I just believe that anyone who pours plastics should pour their own senko replicas. With a little effort, you can make a really nice bait at a fraction of the price. Chris

Hey Senko Sam, You got my head spinnin' on this oil idea Got a couple questions for ya......... What type of formula do you apply? Does it last a few pours, or do you have to apply it each time? The reason I ask is.........if I get even the slightest bit of moisture in my molds, the baits turn out lookin' like crap. Just a drop of sweat will leave an indention in the back of the bait. One other thing I've noticed is sometimes it takes a few pours to bring the natural oils out of the mold. I bought a bunch of worm molds a few months ago; half of them had that dull finish. I have poured a dozen or so worms in each cavity, and they all seem to be shiny now. Chris

Maybe I was using the wrong stuff I poured their hand-pour formula and it burned like crazy, and I didn't like the smell at all. I added heat stabilizer and that solved the burning problem, but then the stabilizer made the plastic stink even more. I also had a problem with the plastic bubbling; had to add a "no foam" compound to stop that. Man I wish I could agree with you 'cause the price is unbeatable. Chris P.S. Calhoun also sends an invoice after the plastic is shipped, just in case anyone is curious. I believe Calhoun and 3-G are the only 2 companies that do that.

Whew.....that IS a dent in the pocketbook! Hopefully, it might come down in price once they have it on the market. I'd like to give it a try. Let us know how it works for you. Thanks for all the help Scot!! Chris

No problem Matt. Call me either Al or Chris. I'll answer to both Happy to hear the plastic has worked out for you.

I was turned on to Calhoun by Scot from SR Plastics, and I am very thankful I was talking to a friend of mine in a local tackle shop today and he said that he used to pour with Calhoun, but he had a problem with consistency. He said that he'd pour 200 soft worms; then the next 100 would be like bricks! I'm sure he just wasn't keeping the plastic mixed enough because I haven't had that problem. Every bait I've made so far has been very consistent, and I've used over 60 gallons of the stuff now. Chris

They are about 8 bucks per gallon ($1 per pound), plus 15-20 bucks for shipping, depending on where you live. Chris

I use Calhoun almost exclusively now. It's very similar in quality to Lure Craft (536 formula) at a third the price. In fact, I broke down and bought my first 55-gallon drum the other day. Don't have a clue yet where I'll put it.... I still believe that MF is tops in quality, if you can afford the price. The only downside to Calhoun is you've gotta keep it mixed. I use an automatic mixer set on a timer. Unlike 3-G plastic, Calhoun will not burn. I only use heat stabilizer when pouring with heavy salt. Also, depending on your preference, you might need to add softener to Calhoun's formula. I add about 1/2 cup per gallon. Hope this helps Chris

Del, You should be feeling bad more often. Those look GREAT Chris

Thanks for all your help Jim. You sure hit the nail on the head Chris

I have had an account with USPS for a few years. It used to work out great, but I always wondered how you can ship a 3 pound package (priority mail) anywhere in the U.S. for the same price. I just KNEW the post office would change that eventually. Now that the zone rates have been added (they've been in effect for close to a year now I guess?), it has drastically increased my shipping fees. Take that same 3 pound package for example: shipping within my state (California) is about 5 bucks. If I ship that box to New York, I'm looking at about 11 bucks - over twice the amount! Of course, the customer pays for shipping, but I'm a lazy guy and don't wanna take the time to calculate every package before I ship I have been the victim of "overcharged" shipping rates too many times to do it to my customers, so it seems I always end up paying a couple bucks more than I charge. I have considered going with UPS, but then you lose the free boxes, labels, etc., plus shipping can be much slower; 5-7 days versus 2-3 days. Well I guess you can tell by my novel that I'm still having problems with shipping rates Guess my next move is going to the dreaded scale Chris

Would this be anything like the stores on the "other" site?? I have always thought that would have worked out great if we had people we could depend on, and I'm sure TU would be the ticket!! This is a growing reputable site, and I think it would be an excellent way for all of us to gain some exposure. If there's anything I can do to help, I'm All In Chris

My first batch of worms were poured right in the middle of my garage on the floor. I was sitting on a pillow Bottom Line.......you can always find room Chris

They look great Red. I'll give that a try one of these days. Chris

Great Job!! Keep it Up!!! Chris

Love those Swimbaits Red!! Do you pour yours with the hooks, or attach them afterwards? I have considered making some pre-rigged swimbaits, as soon as I get myself a "Round Tuit" Chris

I think your best bet would be P&P Rattles at www.pprattle.com. Excellent selection and affordable prices. Lure Craft carries them too, but they are a bit expensive. They're on the bottom of page 48 in the latest catalog. You can visit their website at www.lurecraft.com, or call them at 1-800-925-9088. Hope this helps Chris