GB GONE

He is for sure...Just received some flake from him yesterday !!! Jim

I only use Senkosam's "sugar" flakes along with salt in my sticks!!! The sugar flakes add a great dimension to the sticks and really make them soft!!! The flakes allow me to stir a little less as they keep the salt and other glitter in suspension better. I can look at my recipe tonight and post it up for you. I know I start with 4oz of plastic and 1 1/2oz softener but can't remember how much popcorn salt and sugar flakes I add... Getting old !!!! Jim

I run all my stuff in a shed that is close to the neighbors. Only complaint I have ever gotten was that the beep..beep...beep..from the mic was funny to hear late at night. I use a different plastic but the odor is less with a Sta-warm, in my opinion, than with the mic.... Neighbors have never complained about the smell so I have never attempted to filter the air... Jim

Guys...your real goal with a patent could be to LICENSE the idea to a big company and let them make, market, sell, etc. your idea. They just send you a check every month!!!! If you can make your product, you obviously can make more $$$$ but you also inherit all the headaches as well!!! Jim

I would highly recommend you at least talk with someone who has successfully files many patents IN THE FISHING INDUSTRY!!! A person that looks at fishing stuff all day, every day, knows what to look for and where. Try emailing Rodney Long a.k.a rockhopper (a TU member) rdlong@charter.net for further info. He did a patent search for me recently. He patented the StandOut hooks everybody is using for drop shotting now along with many other fishing related products. He will shoot you straight and knows many people in the "business". He is not a lawyer though.. Jim O'Connor PS You can tell him I referred you or that you are from TU...

Just because you haven't seen something out on the market doesn't mean it hasn't been patented or made before. Many patent an idea to license it to another company or wait until somebody uses their patented idea and then takes them to task. I recently had a patent search done and it was not that expensive. The individual that helped me gave me a vast amount of other information as well as positive results on my search. Patenting an idea will cost well over $30,000 and defending your patent can start out at $750,000. If you have a good idea, there are a few other ways to protect parts of it as in trademarking the name, copyrighting directions on use, etc. My advice would be to talk with someone that is knowlegable as you actually may have something worth while. Jim

Oooopps!!! My bad!!! I made some changes in the firewall here at work and somehow was blocking his range of IP addresses... Jim

Is it just me??? I haven't been able to pull up Del's website in a couple days. I can get anything else I try though... Just curious... Jim

Don't count out browns and blacks either... In clear water situations, the more "natural" the color scheme, the better it seems. Course, there are always exceptions. I have done well on a bubblegum yellow swirled senko in crystal clear water before.. Jim

The one time I used the LC plastic, I had shaken the plastisol GOOD before using and had the same problem. The next day, no bubbles... Try a gentle mixing or stiring rather than shaking or you will have to wait a few hours before the bubbles go away!!! Jim

I actually use more of the anchor hocking (Wally world) 1 cup class cups thatn the pyrex. I get a better, thinner stream from those cups. I have used them for over a year now with no problems. Bass8baits turned me on to them!!!!!! Jim

I can tell you the brands when I get back in the shop BUT I only use the fine and ultra fine glitter from Micheal's. They have about 50 different colors, including silver and gold holo, in the fine and ultra fine flake. One of my absolute favorites in the ultra fine sea mist flake. It really adds a lot to any green color (like green pumpkin, watermelon, roadkill) and is AWESOME in a kudzu color. There are a few blues and a rose (inspired by Chris ) that I use a good bit also. Really gives some of the "normal" colors a shot in the arm!!! Jim

He Del...I've got a buddy that works with chemicals and plastics alot. As an engineer, he had to design something like this for his company. Bottom line is that it would work with some major mods but it is WAY to expensive for me. He deals with the high end magnetic stirrers for labs that have extremely low tolerances for error. He is in the quality control area.. Anyway, the drill press is the way I am going to have to go I guess. Since I don't use salt most of the time, I don't expect to much hassle.. Thanks!!! Jim

Guys...I have purchased a sta-warm pot and will be setting it up soon. I will give you full details on the pros & cons of how things work for me with the pot I have. I also have 2 Lee pots in the wings... I don't have a mixer set-up devised yet but I am thinking hard about a magnetic mixer set-up vs a drill motor deal. I plane to pour mostly "salt-free" baits but will be glad to run through some sticks for testing purposes... Give me about a week to get my pot and I'll try to answer as many questions as possible. Buying these is an investment so I understand the need for the info!!! Jim PS Del is on the money!!! More molds = increase productivity. I waste more time waiting on molds than I do waiting for plastic to heat by far!!!

Try using WD-40 as a seperator between layers of resin. It has worked for me.... Coat everything good though, one missed spot and.....your back to square 1!!! Jim

I get a chance to "talk" with Javier (bass8baits) a few times a month... His baits are unbelievable!!!!!!! No disrespect to anyone, but his hand pours are like machine made!! I WISH I could do the things he does with a microwave and pyrex cups (actually he uses the anchor hocking cups). I would highly recommend getting your hands on his stuff and checking it out!!! BTW...He is still working on the injection thing and may be going to a BIG injector soon..... Jim

I only offered the one client with the repeat business the 5% discount. The other bit on full pricing!!!! I didn't give up much for sure...except for ALL my free time!!! There goes my tournament schedule for this year!!!! Jim

Well, just that easy the deals have been done..... See you guys in a few months!!!!! Jim

I just use a couple of rubber bands on my 2 part plaster of paris and resin molds... They work fine.. Jim

Thanks all!!! My biggest problem is that my "real" job is REAL good!!!! Great salary, benefits, etc. I will NEVER make the kind of $$$ I make in my job. I actually like my job as well. That being said, I love to pour and would jump ship in a heartbeat. Family commitments and security will hold me back for a while though. Here is what I have tried to negotiate with the orders: I will divide the orders up into colors (exactly as Brad stated...a pot of each color will go a long way!!!) and give the individuals an exact schedule for completion of each style/color. No "special" colors allowed in the orders..all have to be from my color chart. In return, I will give them a 5% discount and give them the option of multiple shipments vs one big one. Should be a win-win and as stated previously, these pros came to me. Even though I may be in the driver's seat, I always try to let the customer feel like they are. Jim

True dungeon!!!! I really don't want the business to go elsewhere but my biggest concern has always been...QUALITY!!! These guys are coming my way due to the quality they have seen in my products. I doubt that a part time individual could come anywhere close for a long time... I have even talked to (shutter!!!!!!) a company that hand pours stuff for BassAssassin and other companies but was extremely dissapointed in the quality of the samples. It is not just all about the money for sure in this "business"/"hobby". The quality of your work will keep you around OR not keep you around...quick!!!! Unfortunately, I am a perfectionist when it comes to my baits so it will be on me to make these orders go or not. I have also taken steps to grow to a pot or 2 vs the microwave technique which will increase productivity to a certain degree.. Jim

All great points but have you ever been up against a 5000 hand poured bait order...WHEW!!!! Say goodbye to the wife, kids, fishing, eating, sleeping, etc .... BTW...My "day" job would prevent a full out assalt as well....Also consider I have reocurring business of over 500 baits/week presently.... Jim

So far I have been very firm in my pricing. I have 2 very large orders that I am debating on doing. One is a 2500 bait order that will repeat every 3 months for overseas. The other is a 2000 bait order for Canada. Would you discount to these accounts??? The baits are a variety of styles and colors, not just all one color. All have to be packaged "retail" not bulk. Any and all thoughts appreciated. My position has always been...time is $$$$ and our time is the most expensive part of the deal. I hate to turn away the business though... Jim PS Anybody "for hire" out there???

Will is a TU member!!! He is just selling molds he doesn't use as much anymore I think. The other seller on eBay way getting his molds from Del and Bob... Jim

My guess would be the point is: If there is enough interest, those CNC's could be running instead of idle!!!!!! There is a need, especially in light of Bob's tragedy. We can only hope he decides to come back up!!! Jim