Vodkaman

Majic man - indeed, you are correct. BUT, air bubbles will be present at lower temperatures than 212F (water boiling point). Both air bubbles and steam bubbles will get bigger as the temperature rises, due to expansion. They will both release easier, due to a lower viscosity and the larger bubble size, but the really small, foam bubbles still cannot escape. Air bubbles can be minimized by a sensible stirring technique. The fine bubbles that cannot escape, will have to be removed, scraped off the surface with a spoon or suitable tool. It is pointless to continue stirring, hoping the bubbles will go away, they can't, and all you are doing is forcing them down, so that they once again, have to rise to the top. If the foam is bad, I suggest letting it settle at around 250F, then remove the foam and continue. Dave

Frank - I am not so sure that the bubbles caused by moisture will bubble off and be gone once you pass 212F. If the pockets of moisture are microscopic, the bubbles, though larger, may still be too small to break the surface tension of the plastic. If the bubbles form at 212F or just higher, yes, they are moisture, and be confirmed by cooling lower than 212F when they should vanish. This is from an engineering point of view. I will however, bow to experience. Dave

Mark - correct. Density = 1.084gm/cm³ which is just a bit heavier than water. Dave

When posting about a particular bait problem, do not assume that everyone knows what a particular bait name is, unless you are only talking to people who have that knowledge only. A link to the bait would be helpful, an image of your problem would be a bonus. Many will just skip by because they, like me, don't want to do a web search just to find out what you are talking about. This happens all the time. Responses to your problem would double if the question or problem was 'on a plate'. Once we're hooked in to the problem, we will commit time and effort AND web searches to get you a solution. Help US to help YOU! Dave

I don't pour, but I think it is moisture. Dave

Resin will grab in a few places, but mostly no problem. I use plain old olive oil, a thin coat brushed on the mold surfaces. DAve

Careful, could be a very embarrassing visit to the hospital outpatients dept! Dave

I am using FireFox. What I find, is if I don't clear out the history, after about 2 or 3 weeks, I start having problems with the post editor. Sounds like the same as what you are experiencing now. Top left of your screen, select - 'history' - 'clear recent history' - 'everything'. It is inconvenient because you have to log-in to all your sites again, but is should fix your problem. DAve

I will be trying this method next time. There is nothing more tedious than getting resin or silicone on your hands. The idea reminds me of my time as an apprentice, working on the shop floor, with rubber sealants. They were a two part mix, like epoxy, and real nasty stuff to get off. The soap paste that we used was similar to what you have described, an abrasive mixture. Unpleasant to use but effective. Hands were so smooth after use. BIG thankyou to daughter for the reminder. Very good idea. Dave

The wire that you used is not a huge mistake, it will get the job done. It must have been a real pain to form. The bigest problem is that it will rust When you are shopping for SS steel, if you get the opportunity, bend the end of the wire, it should not spring back, but take a set. This is the stuff that you want. I thing the spec is SS304, SS316 is the same, only higher grade, for food and surgical applications. Dave

Works well. Dave

Mdojet - yes, that seems fair. After all, I did buy an original, so I should be able to use it to get my own mold cut, and get 10,000 copies made. I will only use about 50 myself, so I can sell the rest to close friends and neighbors and the whole nation. Yes, that's only fair! This site needs a dislike button! DAve

You won't have a brittleness problem if you are using polycarbonate (Lexan). If you are finding your material brittle, then it probably isn't Lexan. If you are set on casting your tails, then plastisol, screwed onto a wire coil, set in your rear end, is one solution. But even with hardener, be prepared to change tails often. A stronger solution is to use a remelt-able rubber like Gelflex. It is stiffer than plastisol, but a much more resilient solution. You can screw it on as above, or cast a tongue and grove type joint and glue the tail on with CA (superglue) glue. Personally, I would stick with the Lexan, if you are already happy with the clarity. See what the others have to say before making a decision. Welcome to TU Dave

Pretty much what Clemmy says; build your lure as if it was a shallow swimmer. Dave

Possibly a breach in the sealing of the plaster mold. Dave

OMG! how did I miss this gem - thanks Chuck Dave

Good video, good job. Most of the processes are similar to the way I do things. I will have to try and find the UV coating stuff locally. It is here, I have seen it before when I was looking for epoxy. Dave

The vid is set to private - no access. DAve

Should have used the old thread, this one doesn't make any sense. Dave

DiametricD - regarding Ben's balance method; this is done without the ballast fitted, but everything else in place. This is inconvenient I know, but the idea is to get CoG nice and tight with the ballast, for a wide waggle. Dave

Bob - yes you could. SLimy - That is similar to the way I do mine, I make a negative of the entire mold, and use that to pour the silicone. Dave

I was looking at a vid of a 3D printed aluminium project only yesterday. The surface finish was very rough. This would make casting a hard product like resin a definite NO, due to demolding problems. Casting soft plastics would be fine, except for the surface finish. Dave

JR and JB - people ask me all the time, "don't you get bored with not working"? It just makes me laugh. My TV is not hooked up because it is too much of a distraction, taking me away from projects. DAve

There is some stunning bluegill paint jobs in the gallery. True artists. Dave

Bob - I am leaning your way. It could get messy. Dave