mark poulson

If you post this question in the Wire Baits Forum I think you'll get a lot more replies. Those folks really know wire bending.

You can also clear coat with clear nail polish from the Dollar Store. I do that with some of my spinnerbaits. I actually use a small artist's brush to hand paint the heads, dry with a hair dryer, and coat with clear nail polish. Holds up to weeds and tules, and the occasional levee rock.

Maybe this should be a sticky at the top of the Soft Plastics Forum.

The only mold I've made of a ribbed bait was with Solarez Dual Cure Polyester Resin, because it is runny enough to fill the grooves by itself. The soft plastic masters I used were commercially made baits, not rigid masters. I've made lots of POP molds, but I wouldn't try to make one of a deeply ribbed rigid bait. My rule of thumb, learned here on TU, is hard master/soft mold, soft master/hard mold. That has more to do with being able to get you master back out of the mold afterwards than with mold quality. I'd suggest you make your initial mold out of a pourable silicone, so you can get all of the rings filled and still pull the master out when you're done. You can pour you soft plastic baits from the silicone mold. Smooth On is one such silicone maker. There are others, but I don't know them by name.

I have several two part molds that I had to vent with drilled holes, and they are a pain to clean out afterwards. That's how I know. If I had realized how hard the vent holes would be to clean out afterwards, I would have tried harder to make vent grooves instead. Live and learn. Good luck.

They are to release trapped air, so very small will still work. Just make them big enough so that you can clean them out with a wire. I like grooves instead, because they don't get clogged.

It only takes a few selfish idiots to ruin things for everyone else. In this case, it might also get a lot of people sick.

This is what I posted in your message to me: I went to the med/hard because their med was too soft for me. I bought the med/hard last summer, but just started using it around New Years, when I finished the med. I was adding some hardener to the med to get it firm enough for me, but the med/hard has been fine without it. I use it straight, with a little heat stabilizer and some scent, for my craws, creatures, and small swimbaits, up to the 3 1/2" ripper. I haven't poured anything bigger than that with it yet. I haven't noticed any oil leaching so far, and I've poured probably 6 dozen baits with it. For me, it's the perfect all around blend, like the old bj medium degassed. I haven't had any problems with bubbles either. When this gallon is done, I'll order another. I hope this helps.

Good job on the baits, and the video.

I use a doubled coat hanger wire, with a 1/2" flat at the bend, to stir my plastics, and that makes very few bubbles. I am currently using Bait Plastics' PM262-00 Med/Hard Plastisol, and it doesn't seem to bubble as much.

How long is the working time before it begins to set? Can you add something to extend the working time?

Thanks. Back in the 60's and 70's, when we used it on construction jobs we called it Durham's Rock Hard Putty. Good stuff.

I am serious. You must be a pretty good tier to have them hold. I'm jealous.

What is DWP?

So I put my reading glasses on, and I see you used skirt tabs. I apologize for not seeing it before. I'm glad you have had such good success without glue. You must be a much better tier than I, because I've always had to either use glue/head cement/clear nail polish, or wire afterwards to keep my skirts from coming apart.

I suggest you take a look at the commercial spinnerbaits that are being sold right now..Tacklewarehouse.com has a big selection.

Kris, It looks to me like you're using skirts with an already attached collar. I make my skirts from skirt tabs, and thread without either some glue, or an overwrap with 28 gauge wire, don't hold up to fishing for me.

Just be sure and wrap the can in something. Aluminum gets hot quick.

Bait Junky used to sell degassed plastic. That was all I used.

I am a hobby pourer, and only pour for myself and a fishing buddy, but this is what works for me. I also only heat a cup or so at a time. To hand pour stuff, I pinch the mouth shut with big chip clip, leaving a small opening at one end to pour from, and I always wear gloves (thank you Frank).

This might work. It's what I heat my plastisol in: https://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Silicone-Measuring-Flexible-Dishwasher/dp/B002MKP24K

If it swims as good as it looks, you're in business!

I've found that hitting my black sharpie with a hair dryer helps it to not run. With red and chartreuse sharpies, they will still run, unless I shoot a coat of Createx gloss clear over them. When I dip and hang a bait by the nose with red sharpie gills without the gloss, the red bleeds down a little, and makes a neat bleeding bait effect. This old photo shows some bleeding on the right hand bait. At the time I was using AC1315 concrete sealer, and evidently didn't heat set the red well enough, because it bled a little. I did other baits at that time with more pronounced bleeding, but I evidently didn't take any pics. http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/gallery/image/5484-5-inch-gliderwalkers/

How well does it swim? Does it "raise a rukus"?

I think you may need to add a couple of spacer beads behind the clevis so your blade can spin more freely.