Cub48

If you use salt be sure to clean everything as salt is corrosive to aluminum so you don't want to leave plastic in your injector or molds. You can weight your worms with nail weights and don't have to mess with salt. Cub48

I have a mini shooting star and am very satisfied with it. It holds plenty of plastic has motors with paddles that keep the plastic mixed, will keep the plastic at the temp u want to shoot at. It will shoot two colors. And you can shoot a small amount as a pint in each pot. So if you are setting up your colors, if u mess up a batch it won't be alot of money as if you mess up a couple of gallons. I have the extra injector heater it is worth the money. They also have different size tubes on their injector so if you want, like more on on bottom and less on top. These are supposed to do that. Cub48

a shot of worm oil in the injector. pump it a couple times to lube orings. I heat my injector on a giddle. the heat will keep the plastic from cooling too quick. i push plastic in at a slow steady speed and keep plastic under pressure for a count of ten. the amount of pressure depends on the type of clamping u use i use a bench mounted wood vise or viseclamp pliers, the ones with pads on jaws that swivel. Cub48

I have one of the pancake grill it is about 12"x 16" i use it to heat injectors, set pyrex cups on, heat jig heads to paint, heat blending block, and if u want to heat molds it will do that, I don't heat molds as it takes too long for it to cool before u can open the mold but maybe u can just knock the chill off for like a min or so.Cub48

I know this is an old topic but since i posted in 2015 i bought the mini shooting star. I have been very well pleased with it. I can shoot a pint in each pot which is about the amount i like to shoot at a time. I heat my plastic in the microwave and pour it in. It will heat your plastic but i prefer to Microwave. I shoot at about 296 F and i get great two color baits. You can just use one pot for one color. I have bought some extra accessories that i like very much, the injector heater is great. I bought an extra injector just in case i am in the middle of a shoot and the injector starts to mess up i can just switch. this has not happen. But when i started i was getting air in some of my baits i found out the problem it was i was pulling the plastic too fast. I still think if someone would come up with a system with 32 oz pots at a good price it would sell. Cub48

You need a thicker pan the thin metal will hot spot with the burner. I will agree with the others on microwave thrift stores are a good place to get one cheap or a return store. Also some plastisol turns yellow easier than others. Been there done that. Mix with black or dark colors when u get some that yellows Cub48

Go ahead if u are going to get into plastic and buy an injector it is just another 50 bucks. LOL I have hand poured a few but never had any baits that i thought was great quality, they would catch fish but i like mine to look good. About using a injection mold to hand pour most of the time it won't work. The plastic will cool before it fills up the mold . Cub48

I had the same problem with the Do-it essential tried all tricks it still yellowed.

I have my system mounted on a table of it's own . This way i can apply pressure while i pull in the plastic with the injector. I don't rely on the brackets but push in while i draw the plastisol in. Also when i take the puck out of the bottom i try to pull the spur out with it sometimes i can get one out most of the time one of them will break off, but just clean the pot then turn the pot on as it start to warm i use two 1/4" wood dowels taped to open the valves just twist the valve then take the air blower blow thru each hole in the valve when the system gets about 150f . I know i am jumping around but when i think of something i write it down LOL . Be sure to close the valves when you are done! I spray paint one of my tubes on my injector so i can tell the top color high temp paint works best. I also use a oven glove as with the heater it get the injector hot enough to need one. If anyone needs some help i will try Later Cub48

I have the mini shooting star and i agree with everything Taylor said i also have the extra heater and love it, you can do like taylor said heat the injector to the temp u want works great , Also the new systems offer the base , brackets , and has a cover around the pots. The system has one power cord that runs the whole system . You may want to beef up your electrical plug with a heavier guage wire and breaker mine has worked fine but i shoot only small batches. I also bought another injector so if i am in the middle of a batch and injector messes up i can just switch. I do open my valves turn the system on when it gets around 150f i will blow air thru the valve it will blow a worm size out of the runners, then u don't have to purge . You don't want to melt it just get it hot enough to release it from the runner. The only problems i have had is i was pulling too hard on my injector and pulling air either around the seal at the valve or inside the injector but i slowed my draw that fixed that. I also clean my injector after i do a batch had a problem once though it might be from build up in the injector but this was before i got the heater, the middle to me just don't get the injector hot enough when u first start shooting it will warm on up as u shoot but the heater takes care of that. Cub48

Are you checking your temperature over heating can cause more bubbles . I have not used Lureworks Plastic but i have had some that was very bad with bubbles. As of now i am using Bait junkys Plastisol it does very well with low bubbles i have even tried the medium that is not degassed and it is good also. I think he sold out to someone else but it still on the market. One thing u can fix u a vacuum system anything from a full blown system to putting 4 oz in a sealed container and using a hand vacuum pump, get a rubber plug drill a hole thru the center find a cylinder it fits and use the hand vacuum pump let set with vacuum on for a few min it will be degassed!! If it stills has bubbles it is the plastisol. Cub48

Be sure to read the do and don't topics like vent systems . wearing a respirator , gloves, long sleeves ect. Bass Tackle Molds and injectors are good like someone said buy a twin set first and use one for singles. also don't do like me get the larger one i know u will say i will never shoot that much at one time but when using one color and u buy enough molds u will shoot that much. Someone said something about the injector with the screw on tip i have a couple of these they are well made but the screw on tip is time consuming with a hot injector. The dual set on ebay for around 100 bucks are not bad but i am not a fan of the pop off tip. As for as molds CNC aluminum molds are the only way to go ,the finish of your baits are the best. I tried plastic, silcone, and sand cast none compare and are shelf items. Buy one mold and try before buying two or three. Like the worm bait may be too big around too short too long ect. Baitjunky's plastisol is good read the forums on other plastisol to get the pros and cons . To me bubbles are not as bad as plastisol that yellows . I shoot more light colors than dark so yellowing is a problem. If u need anything just PM me. Cub48

The do-it Essential Molds shoot good but the finish is not smooth, like a cnc mold. I bought one of the senko worm molds it has a rough finish i guess the fish won't care but i do . So the way i look at it is a cheaper mold is not always always best like the one i have sits on the shelf. My thought is always buy one mold try it and if u like it buy more if u want. For example i now have two senko molds and i don't like either one. One is a Essential and the other is a cnc, the cnc, the worm is bigger around , look great but is fat i've caught fish with it but i still don't like it. Then again i have one mold i have bought five i like it so well. Cub48

I agree with jig man read all do's and don't and use them . Especially the part about about vent systems and wearing a respirator. as of right now i am having lung problems don't know if plastic had anything to do with it or not but do use vent and respirator as u only have one set of lungs. I do vent and have always used a respirator on plastic but over the years on other things i sould of used a mask and didn't like mowing the lawn ! Since i found out about my lungs i have bought a fresh air respirator to use because i enjoy making baits catching fish with what i make. Cub48

Make sure it is high temperature glitter craft glitter will melt. i did some red and it turned my white pink. Cub48