Mercury

The only thing I have encountered was they said 1.00 @ lb, and envoiced 1.50 @ lb. The price diffrence was a suprise.

Cool beans, its always great for the action books to have the fish lipped by your own lures. Jeff

Well Chris, I have 4 of the 4.25" molds, I can pour about 5 times in each mold before it gets pretty warm. To the point that its uncomfortable to touch. What I keep doing is wearing my mechanics gloves so I dont burn my fingers off. If you put them in cool water while they are assembled they do cool down faster. Just make sure that you wipe the mold off before you brake them down. You know you dont want water in the mold when you add your plastic. With 4 molds you can really crank them out, after you fill the last mold, you start to clear the first molds, then after emptying all the molds start it back over. Evrey 5-8 min's I have 16 items made. Much faster than silicon molds.

The senko molds are fun, easy and fast to pour. I use a 25% salt and 75% plastic (536 or calhouns with softener) If I use my 1cup pyrex to pour with its easier to go 1/4 cup, and then add plastic to 1 cup line. I cook for 1 1/2 min on high, stir/ repeat. Usualy about 4 mins you will have it cooked all. If it is a flourescent color, the color should have been added first, but standard colors can be added any time. If you over heat the plastic and add your glitter you will burn the glitter when you add it and have nothing to show for it. With the added salt the glitter needs to be more to see it. (1/2 tsp+ ) Let it stand for a few minuits, and stir while waiting. You will feel the salt leave the bottom of the cup and be in the plastic. Add glitter, tip the mold to the side alittle, pour slowly, and fill to the top. The plastic may shrink and pull inside the mold, so be quick to top off if this happens. Fill all cavitys, set to the side a few moments, open the mold and bring that critter into the world...... Your the proud daddy of a knock off!!

The bondo (body filler) can handle the heat. But you have to let it cool down before pouring into it. The fiberglass resin will run a higher chance of cracking the mold, but if made thick enough it will handle it too. Have the cavitys wider appart if pouring lead. As not to fracture the wall between the cavitys.

That is sweet! Good job!

Woodsac is talking about the fiberglass resin used with fiberglass mat. The resin is thinner and will form to the object being molded without having to work it onto the molded object.

North of hanover IL, The apple (canyon) river. The rock river was said to have them too. But I would recomend that area to anyone looking for smallies. Shoot I even hit pool 12 of the mississippi, what a great bass hide out. Had a little tourney with a few of the other guys at the camp site. They say the bass werent biting. I say they werent looking. I wish the Illinois river was as good for bass as pool 12 is. (hwy 20 bridge and south) 5 lb large mouth bagged just south of the bridge.

Have to log in to see the pics. If you dont log in, No see pretty colors..... Dont worry we have all done it. Or your firewall/settings may not allow it. But try to log in first, then try the others later.

Well guys, Im about to take off for my extended weekend stalking the Illinois smallmouth. Take care and tight lines!

Chris has that one. The 502 is a tough plastic and not a good one for starters to try. I have done quite a few with the 536, and it has done well. You will find yourself adding more salt to the 536 to get the texture that you want. Only thing is, you will stir more since the salt will fall faster in 536. Jeff

No reason not to. I have used both, Thing is table salt is verry large and settles quickly. Finer salt will stay suspended longer. That is what most of us are trying to achieve. Somthing that makes it easier to use and produce with.

Yeah a half pound of pigment is 13.00, and shipping is 7.00 A bit steep I think. It wasnt even a solid gold box! Even looking at the powder LC's has a grey tint to it. I think I should call them on the shipping. My shipping rate isnt even that bad.

Hey Chris. I have to agree. MF pearl is a whole diffrent beast. LC's pearl white almost looks silver (using equal volumes) next to MF's Good call. Only thing I didnt care for is that darn shipping. They seem to be quite a bit higher on shipping rates.

You kow any good camp grounds around your neck of the woods (close to a nice fishing hole?) I was thinking about droping by sometime in the next month or so. Whadda yathink? Let me know. Jeff

My pot was burning the plastic, and it would cake, even with the heat stabilizer. I got good at breaking it down, pull out the plastic, and scrub the burnt areas off the pot. and re-assemble. Less than 8 min's til Im ready to go. just dont tighten the 2 top screws verry tight. they strip easy!!!

Get a wire brush (round one) attach it to a drill. Use it to scrub the plastic and stuff off the walls. Turn it upside down and wipe the pot out. Cover with a few drops of worm oil. Thats the quickest way.

If it is the calhouns handpour soft I would say just a bit harder than 536. I add softener to it and make it just a bit softer than 536. I think it is actualy a better/tougher grade of plastic and not as fragile. My opinion, Jeff

Only thing i dont like about M-F is the UPS shipping price, Ordered a 13.00 1/2 lb of pearl last night and paid 7.00 in shipping by ups

All the scents that I am aware of, from LC or any other company will cook out in the cooking. tournament pro, garlic, craw and shad will cook out before your ready to pour. From what i am told about 3g, the plastic does have a real odor. Too bad they dont make a odor neutralizer. But all plastics have some odor.

Speaking of lizards. I picked up a few from the dollar store in the toy department. They look like they will be able to make nice casts from them. Let you know what happens.

Woodsack, is that like fibeerglass resin, or is it in the crafts section? Shoot 9.00 is cheep. I was paying 12.00 for 24 oz, and it would make 2 molds out of it. Back to wally world I go.

Yep, splash has it. Right on the money.

Plastic resin, no, but poly resin yes. I will say that it would be a good idea not to drop the mold. this can lead to verry small pices all over the place. Or just several big chunks. Yes Del is da man for the aluminum molds. Guess you could say the guru of the CnC machine....... I will be casting a few molds here shortly, still in the poly resin that you get from crafts store. (hobby lobby etc)

Well then evrey now and then I guess I have a spurt of brilliance! the rest of the time I just take up space.......