smallmouthaholic

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Move to a 2-part injection mold from Bears.The end results and all of your new free time will amaze you.

I'm happy for you and your friends. Possibly you would like to share just how you keep your salt and glitter suspended while producing a uniform plastic bait w/o scorching the plastic. Inquiring minds want to know.

You'll need a stirrer w/a motor or you'll burn the plastic along w/ a color change. Buy the complete set-up from Bears Baits complete w/ drain valve,4 paddle stirrer w/ motor.

It's best to use a drill press w/light pressure or you'll snap a small drill bit. Lube the drill bit w/oil to keep cool.

If ya wanna play,ya gotta pay. Hand poured laminates for the hobbyist-injection for the commercial producer.

Rainbow trout Slugo's were made 21 years ago and productive in clear water lakes where fingerling trout were stocked.

I have four of these borosilicate measuring cups in the shop that see heavy duty use.I'm not taking any chances after the 1st episode. I'm fortunate the explosion didn't happen @ eye level.

A borosilicate ,16oz. measuring cup from the container store is $15.00 http://www.containerstore.com/shop/kitchen/foodPrep/measuring?utm_medium=feed&117021=&productId=10000652&utm_source=shoppin

I had a full(16oz.)Pyrex cup explode on me 1 year ago. I removed it from the microwave and was stirring the plastisol mix @ waist height and observed the glass starting to spiderweb. Then BOOM!!! like a rifle shot it exploded all over the shop and my long pants and shoes. A very dangerous hand grenade w/ glass shrapnel for sure when one decides to detonate.. Some on-line research has indicated we need to be using glass measuring cups made from borosilicate.American Pyrex cups are made from cheap lime soda glass. http://www.containerstore.com/shop/kitchen/foodPrep/measuring?utm_medium=feed&117021=&productId=10000652&utm_source=shoppin You can google Exploding Pyrex Cups and read some alarming stories.

eathan3- Do it right or don't do it @ all! POP may be great since they're dirt cheap BUT- drop one on the floor and you have a 1,000 piece puzzle. Nothing beats a precision,2 piece CNC aluminum mold-injection or hand pour. Buy you baits from a quality manufacturer and you'll end up saving money in the long run

The injection tubes molds are tricky.The plastic can't be too hard or too soft and- if you continue re-heating old plastic w/out adding new material ,you'll end up w/ incomplete pours.I've shot hundreds of them in 3 different sizes including laminates.Push too hard on the injector and they flash-too light and the tails are incomplete.Each tail must be removed from the mold 1 @ a time or separated later.They are excellent when finished but take time to make and complete .You'll have flashing unless you have a precise method and pressure of injecting them.There are plenty of caveats associated w/ hand injecting so don't expect an early retirement w/ the $ you'll make from hand injection. Check the temperature of your plastic. I start w/ the temp. @ 360+ and shoot 24 molds in one round of injecting.

I hand inject,multiple cavity molds w/ a center inject port and they two-color inject just fine. The machine has to be the cat's meow for this w/ consistent temperature,viscosity and pressure.

He makes nice molds(I have 8 of them and would have another 15) but his business model and communication skills leave much to be desired. I wish him well after spinal surgery as I've had 6 of them

I have a small toaster oven and one the soft rubber ends became dented when I removed it after brushing the side of the oven. I heat my injectors to 325+ degrees for 5 minutes. I mentioned to Kevin that I would replace the rubber push knobs w/ hard plastic ones like bears. This was not meant to be a put-down,just constructive suggestions.As a commercial manufacturer,I look @ every piece of equipment used daily for- 1-ease of use/user friendly 2-consistent results 3- longevity 4- price Edited for spelling

You are welcome to call me via phone# which appears on my website

I have completed 24 molds throughout a 5 minute time frame,including some demolding and replacement of mandrels w/2 medium Bears injectors-injecting 2 colors and placing the injectors back into the 2 Pyrex containers without reheating the plastisol when changing the mandrels and/or demolding. Kevin's two color injector started to clog after the 9th cavity - same temp,same viscosity of plastisol.The temps were monitored w/ an infrared thermometer.I placed Kevin's back into the hot plastisol to draw new plastisol but no go-the injectors had to be disassembled and cleaned of solidified plastisol. I'm sorry but that's is not acceptable performance when I'm looking for consistent,commercial production and results. There was also a distinct loss of the necessary feeling of a full mold when using the two-color injector from Bass tackle.There was also a problem moving from mold to mold w/ the 2 color adapter.

I've used both Bear's and Kevin's 2 color injectors.I've had the Bear's tips modified(inside diameter) for 2 color injecting that eliminates un- necessary and immediate clogs that makes 2 color injecting more user friendly.. I've given Kevin my recommendations to modify his 2 color injector. Although very well made and a superior idea-the aluminum is too thick , the pathways too long and angled which causes the plastic to cool quickly between injecting molds.That is simply not acceptable to me. You cannot preheat Kevin's in a toaster over due to the round,rubber plunger knobs.For the time being,I'll stick w/ Bears for two color injecting.They do need more precision refinement and locking tips .Placing Kevin's 2 color injector back into the melted plastisol containers between rounds will NOT stop the plastic from clogging.Kevin is working on modifications which hopefully will correct the premature clogging .

Craig, NO! But there is an effective way around that to produce a very similar and productive effect. Use your imagination - it only took me two weeks to figure it out after mastering the laminates.

The tubes are dipped in hot,clear plastisol after wards. There's a few other tricks to get a 3 color laminate effect. Bojon- thank you!You should see my green pumpkin,golden orange/pumpkin craw They do take time to inject,then dip but the finished results are excellent. The laminates are the cat's meow for sure. I spent hours and hours and days w/the learning curve - I think I almost drove David Alexander (Bear) crazy w/the phone calls but his patience and my "never say quit" persona plus some innovative tinkering prevailed

[quote name='earthworm77' date='26 June 2010 - 02:17 PM' Anyone post a few pics of their tubes? love to see them. These tubes are pressure injected and have 19 precision cut tales. These soft tubes have a head diameter of 5/8” and taper to 1/2”. The head of the tube is double thickness (dipped in clear after injecting) and the tales undulate freely. They are made from Bear’s injection tube molds. http://s906.photobucket.com/albums/ac263/smallmouthaholicVideos/?action=view&current=Newfishinglurevideos005.mp4&newest=1

I make tubes w/Bears injection molds. I have 12 molds and an extra 12 mandrels complete. I just had a custom tube mold made and am in the process of ordering the same # of molds and mandrels. Injecting them is a learning curve for sure-too much pressure and they flash ,not enough results w/an incomplete tube. I took quite some time to master the laminates and I also dip the heads of the injected tubes in clear plastisol for extra strength. The tails undulate like no other in the water .

I make tubes w/Bears injection molds. I have 12 molds and an extra 12 mandrels complete. I just had a custom tube mold made and am in the process of ordering the same # of molds and mandrels. Injecting them is a learning curve for sue-too much pressure and they flash ,not enough results w/an incomplete tube. I took quite some time to master the laminates and I also dip the heads of the injected tubes in clear plastisol for extra strength. The tails undulate like no other in the water .

Spray your RTV silicone molds lightly w/a food grade silicone to produce a shiny/glossy product. The salt in your mix will dull the RTV molds.

I had very poor results from a hand pour tube mold years ago. These are the way to go - http://www.bearsbaits.com/Cart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=56&zenid=a1811da417f624683922b53c7f938542