Smallie

That makes more sense. I was reading skirts, skirts, skirts and interpreted Ryan's post as such. Does Getbitlures offer larger package quantities than 12?

Ryan, Yamamoto sells 20 skirts for $6.48. At $4.99 per 8, the same quantity would be $12.47. How is that a better deal? Dave

Hi-lite is a white looking powder that is added in a small amount to a cup of plastic. It causes the surface of the bait to take on different hues depending on the angle that light is hitting it. Sun light brings out the most dramatic affect. When I first started using it, I poured a few different colors at night. When I took them out on the lake during the day, I was impressed with the colors brought out by the sun.

I think you will find the general concensus is add it to hot plastic. I always add my color to cold plastic - whether it is drops or powder. I add glitter and salt to the plastic after it is heated to 300F. I haven't tried a comparison to see if there is a difference but I like the results I get using the method above.

Go to your favorite store that sells kitchen supplies. Find the pot holder section. There are several companies that make silicone pot holders. They are flat but have ridges molded into them. I put my Pyrex and Anchor cups on these when I take them out of the microwave and it insulates the hot glass from the ambient bench top. Since the silicone insulates, the heat from the glass instantly heats the surface of the silicone pad and prevents cracking due to temperature differential.

I think Kelly is asking about making silicone skirts. I don't think I have seen this on this forum. Maybe on one of the other forums?

Your baits have a shine but the mold doesn't look like it has been sealed. Is this because you used Elmer's Glueall?

A lot of manufacturers don't compete with their distributors so you pay more ordering direct. Look at lurenet.com as an example.

If it is skinny, it is not an Ika. Sounds like you want a 4 inch Senko with a skirt. I think Happy Time Hand Pours on this site makes a bait like that.

Sportman - first thing you should do is read the stickies at the top of the page. There is a lot of information that really gives you a jumpstart on this hobby. Second thing is learn to use the search function. Your problem was the baits were sticky. Click the search button, go to advanced, type in sticky and select soft plastics forum in the big box on the right hand side. You will get 38 results including this one: http://www.tackleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1127&highlight=sticky There are some other threads in this search that will be of interest to you too. Read all of them. There are a few with newbie in the title, one that talks about being overwhelmed. This is just one search. Put in Newbie and you will get some overlap but also some new. I also came across this video while playing with the search function and while it is not narrated in English, it will give you a visual of someone pouring baits. You will quickly get the hang of it once you get going. Dave

Which Lurecraft swimbait mold has the best swimming action?

Do a search and you will find various methods. I generally make the mold on the weekend and let it sit for two or three days on top of the furnace. Some people bake it in the oven and coat it after a matter of hours. Do a search, read for an hour and you will gain a wealth of knowledge regarding plaster molds.

Tubeman - is MF worm called "regular" on the MF website?

Longhorn - your creativity is amazing. You have a real knack for figuring out how to simplify the process and still get great results. Thank you for all the ideas you have shared with us. Dave

The website and the master catalog pictures aren't very good. I would guess .015 on the red flake and "lots" of watermelon on the color. It seems pretty dark. Since the pictures are so poor, I assume you have some in your possession. I would keep trying more and more watermelon coloring till you get it the way you like it.

Charlie - Please describe your barrier bag and the labels you use? Where are you getting your bags? Dave

I am still confused on this subject. Are the bags screen printed? Is the ink the same as that used on tee shirts?

Ryan - what about copyright and the circle with a "C" inside it?

I found the plastic spoons developed static electricity and the glitter tended to stick to the spoon. Not the whole load but a fair amount. You have to wipe out the excess or you get traces in your next batch that isn't supposed to have that color. Stainless steel is much better. The stainless smidgen, pinch and dash ones are great for Hi-lites. I also have a stainless steel set with 1/8, 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 tsp plus a tablespoon. These stainless steel sets are available in a number of places and you can get both for under ten dollars.

For measuring the hi-lites, I use a stainless steel 3 piece measuring spoon set I found in a Kitchen Etc store. It says smidgen, pinch and dash on them. They were around five bucks. The stainless is nice because static electricity doesn't build up like it does with plastic.

Longhorn was the TU member who introduced us to coating POP molds with Elmer's Glueall. Take a look at this thread. http://www.tackleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7753&page=2 I have used the Elmer's on several molds since reading about it on this forum. It is easy to apply and good for maintaining detail but the shine has not been as good as that from an aluminum mold - at least not in my experience. Dave

The correct URL is http://www.clintsales.com/dental.htm. It is a USG product. I went to the site where I get my Ultracal 30 gypsum and found they came out with a sealer for the plaster. I didn't see dental products listed. Ultracal 30 = http://www.plaster.com/Ultracal.html Sealer = http://www.plaster.com/SurfaceSealer.html The sealer sound interesting. I plan to give them a call and get more info.

Works for me!

I know you are not supposed to put the pyrex on a burner. How about if you make a heat lamp stand like Longhorn shared with us and put the pyrex cup under the lamps? Still bad?

Jim - MF has heat stabilizer in it? They didn't mention that when I bought a quart with my five gallon supersoft. lol Seriously, it does say they put the correct amount of heat stabilizer in all their products on the stabilizer description page. I only add the heat stabilizer when I know I will reheat several times.