smallmouthaholic

My 2 cents- 1-Too much coloring will make the baits cloudy regardless of GBM or salt 2-Use finely ground salt ( Bear''s Ultra fine) and you sticks will last longer "Glass beads are like a fine talcum powder. They are actually sand so no harm " 3- GBM will scratch/score the rubber quad ring,the edge of the plunger and the interior of the injector.They are not like finely ground talcum powder. Why are they called glass bead media?"? Montee SS states that GMB is sand. If that is true then why does my original mix of salt and sand NOT scratch the interiors of my injector for the past 8 years. Bass could care less if your sticks are clear,transparent or translucent.

Not a pissing match @ all. Simple FACTS about selling baits and operating a legitimate business.

Incorrect! It only takes one legitimate businessman to inform the I.R.S. of your "under the table" operation and they will investigate you. The interest and penalties may far excede what you owe.They want their 10% excise tax on gross sales.BTW- the 10% excise tax you pay is deductible from for gross income when you file year end taxes.

Then move up to hand injection / injection molds for consistent ,finished products w/out all the aforementioned rigamarole!

You better have deep,deep pockets (financially) to fight a C&D for a patent infringement. I was involved in a trademark C&D back in 1987. I used a T&P attorney to file all of the paperwork and drawings that are required.. The name and designs were researched by the T&P office in Washington,D.C. They stated an exclusive trademark would be issued to me since the name and logo were original if- and here it comes IF NO ONE OBJECTED. Well an objection was filed and cha -ching went the attorney fees as the discussions began. My name and logo was completely original but they wouldn't budge. My T&P attorney said" We can win this in court" to which I replied " How much will it cost?" 20k said the attorney!!! This is for a simple trademark dispute back in '87. Patent disputes can trump the aforementioned cost 10 x's +. The company filing the dispute was a subsidiary of Johnson Wax. Needless to say I changed the name and logos and sucked up the total of 8 K+ in attorney fees and associated expenses.

I only use Worth willow and Colorado blades since they have a "tight to the shaft rotation"- plus they start spinning faster during a slow-roll retrieve and require less effort.You want finished loop for the ball bearing to be completed @ the end of you hook. Worth ball bearing swivels are of paramount importance to complete your slow-roll project.

Use acetone 1st then the Spike-it thinner last. Air brushes still need to be disassembled periodically and thoroughly cleaned

CSI stands for Component Systems Incorporated.Beveling the edges in the key to paint longevity so the water doesn't get under the blades when revolving. Epoxy finish far surpasses clear coat w/ durability

Stand you ground- payment before shipment!

I've painted many spinner bait blades( after mild abrasive buffing to scuff them up) w/ the old VL &J paint and lately w CSI water base paint. After painting, I take a die grinder w/ a mild aggressive abrasive pad and goes around the blade edge w/ a slight inward angle. Then I epoxy finish the blade on both sides. This keeps the water from getting under the edge of the blade and lifting the paint.

Ben, No# 10 will work but is loose. Bass pull the worm right off No# 009 ( from the all O rings chart) 7/32 I.D. and 11/32 O.D. is a nice tight fit. You need the 3 prong Skirt master tool to put them on.

Jeff@MF- It must be that your product was considered advertising by you and since you are not a sponsor,it's called spamming. You say you never received any notification but immediate warning points . You have to resolve these issue w/Curt in private,not on the open board.I never saw the original post as it has been pulled but must be the new law of the land.Poly sol did it months ago and to the best of my knowledge,they were never a sponsor.It would be like me advertising free baits I make and that's taboo since I'm a manufacturer and not a sponsor. I suggest you shoot Curt an e-mail inquiring about become a sponsor and hopefully you will. once that's official, you're welcome to defend & promote your product and offer free samples if you like. I'll check to see if the wife has any more popcorn in stock

The topic was hashed out to death. Post were made concerning their displeasure and lack of communications w/ the supplier. You were warned if you read the thread completely. You make your own decision from whom you wish to buy from. Curt responded to the closure of the thread. Accept it and move onward.

Time to make some popcorn!

Custom CNC molds by Ultra Molds(Chris Archer) are the best on the planet second to none.

Not feasible for commercial use

You're opening Pandora's Box by attempting to make your own mold and having no pouring experience. Purchase a CNC aluminum,proven mold from one of the reputable MFGS's on this site. This list of caveats in long during the learning process. WARNING: This is not a cheap hobby to get involved with. Start w/ $300.00 in reserve and expect t spend more if you really get into this. 2-3 CNC molds,Plastisol( which you'll waste plenty of in the beginning),quality heating/stirring pot,microwave ,injectors,related equipment can consume your $300.00 quickly.I'm not trying to scare you but ignore the advice here from those that $100.00 will get you in the art of making your own baits successfully.If you master 1 color baits then you'll probably wish to make 2 color baits which can have a somewhat complicated learning curve and expense. Whatever you choose,make sure you have adequate exhaust,breathing protection equipment and do not breathe plastisol fumes as some do in their videos on the internet. You only have one set of lungs! $300.00 buys a plethora of quality baits vs. a "fire sale" attempting to sell your equipment after 1-2 years of frustration. Good luck if you decide to make your own baits but keep an accurate list of all your expenses over time.

Thanks for the input. The 3" model sells very well.I'll talk to Chris about a 3.75" Stone cattie injection mold.He is sooooo busy it's ridiculous. I'm currently waiting 1-3 months for completed ,multi-cavity ,custom injection molds.

I had Chris Archer of Ultra-molds make these custom, 3"stone cattie injection molds years ago. This is not a sales advertisement,merely a post w/ pics to show you what can be made from a custom mold maker.

They are not micro bubbles.It appears that your injector MAY be drawing air. 1- Make sure your nozzle is submerged in the plastisol as the level of plastisol decreases 2- Check the gaskets inside your injector 3- Draw your plastisol slower 4- Clean and lubricate the inside of your injector often w/ Pam It's funny this subject came up this morning.Set up to make some single color baits and the injector would not draw.I've used this particular injector for years w/out problems. I tried some glass bead media a couple of months ago and low and behold,after close inspection, a piece was missing out of the quad "O" ring on the plunger

I'm sorry to disappoint but holding pressure will not eliminate micro bubbles. I must be doing something wrong as I always rely on an infrared temperature gun to periodically check the temps of my plastisol in the pots w/ stirrers on my Ultra-molds injection system

Smallmouth bass hair jigs are made from cross cut rabbit hair. I.M.O. and experience, fiber guards have no business on a cold water ,smallmouth hair jig- you'll simply miss too many ,mush mouth bites.

Which in my opinion and experience are worthless for the clean cutting of tube tails!

The 10% Federal quarterly excise tax ( form 637) is deductible from your gross profits!