Bobby Saffel

I have the 4.2" and like it. I wish I bought the wide body BT Bomb though. It has a narrow body for my liking. I wanted something to match the width of a sweet beaver. It's a good mold and catches fish so I can't complain too much.

I did some reading about purple flake bleeding before I posted my question. I just didn't understand how the smaller flake is so much stable than the larger flake and didn't know if I had a bad batch of bigger flake. I did some baits last night and kept it around 315 and it did ok. I have to keep it around that temp or the fingerings on my brush hogs won't be complete. Thanks.

Hey guys I got a question, I am somewhat new to soft plastics and am having a little trouble with purple. I am still on my first jar of flakes and having trouble with purple flake turning my baits a shade of purple. I am using .035 purple flake and it's really bad. I have noticed if I keep the temp below 320 and stir it in the microwave every 20 seconds it isn't as bad. I also have a bottle of .015 purple flake and it has yet to turn a batch of plastic purple. I don't have to stir it as often, 30-45 seconds and can get it a little hotter. Is this normal with the larger flake compared to the smaller one ir do I have a bad batch of flake or something. Sorry for posting this, but since I only have had one jar of flake I have nothing to compare it to. Thanks guys

I have this one. It's a little difficult to shoot, but I opened the runner going to each cavity and haven't had any problems as long as I don't let the mold get real hot. http://www.del-mart.com/shop/product.php?productid=17236&cat=406&page=1

I know the feeling. A few weeks ago I was getting about 2 cups ready and I had added some salt and was heating the plastic. It was partially hot and I took it out and gave it a little stir and when I took it out I dropped it. I think it would have been ok if it was really hot that way when it cooled I could have peeled it off the table, but no, it was just a semi hot plastic salty mess. After I got that cleaned up and my plastic ready to add color and flake I messed up again and dropped a 2oz jar of blue .015 flake all over me and the table. Then I had to quit, mainly becasue I turned myself into a smurf. All this happened 3 weeks ago and the flake stuck to the table, I couldn't get it all off with the vacuum or a towel, but everytime I go in there it doesn't mind clinging to me. My wife has now refered to it as the Great Glitter Spill of 2012. I was about ready to sell all my stuff and quit.

I really need some help making zoom's cotton candy. I've tried just about every recipe that I can find and each time the color just a shade of purple. I'm keeping the temp around 330 to keep the purple flake from bleeding. Zoom's website shows the color to be a purple, but the bait has a slight reddish-pinkish color. Any help would be greatly appreaciated. http://zoombait.com/2009/05/cotton-candy/

I have the del-mart mold and I had trouble shooting it. Baits dented really bad. The gate from the sprue to the cavities were to small and I had to open it up. Now it shoots pretty good as long as you keep the mold cool. The nose of the bait is a little longer and the hook slot is a little long but other than that its the same.

Thanks alot guys. I feel once I get the runner cleaned up the denting issue will be gone. I can't get that done until Monday, I will get that done and let y'all know the verdict.

Well I believe I fixed it. I had enough and took a file to it. I open the runners from the sprue to the cavities. Im an still having small dints at times but it isn't nowhere near as bad. My dad has a milling machine at work. I will bring it to to clean it up for me. I believe I got somewhere

Smallmouth asked if I my mold was vented, so I figured I could post pictures of the mold to show what I'm working with.

Well I got my hardener today. I first added a teaspoon per cup of plastic. It still dinted bad. I ended up adding a total of 8 teaspoons of hardener and haven't gotten much better. Im on the verge of pulling my hair out

Ok then. My hardener is coming via snail mail and will be here tomorrow. I am using 1 cup of mf soft sinking plastic, 4 teaspoons of floured salt. How much hardener would you recommend

Ok so I put more salt in my baits so they would stiffen up and get the fall a little faster. That didn't help much but I did notice after I stirred I let it sit for about 30 seconds and a lot of bubbles popped. Could this be the problem?

I ordered some hardener today. I did not have any. I will try the clear fluke idea. I will also try adding more salt too. I want the fall a little faster. Maybe I will kill two birds with one stone.

I would assume the mold is vented properly. It is one of del-mart's injection molds.

From 350 to 310

Would anyone suggest using some hardener? I am having more problems with mf soft sinking plastic. My flukes with sinking soft are a little bit softer than zoom flukes. Maybe that's the problem.

Cnc I mean. I've been working 7-12s for the past two weeks.

Yes I'm using an infrared temp gun and a cbc mold. I will try both suggestions when I get home.

Ok, I will try stiffing up my bait. Could I make the nipple larger? I don't want to ruin the mold, but if there is a pretty good change it will help with my problem, I will be willing to try it. Right now about 70% of my flukes have dents in the nose. I'm ready to turn it into scrap metal...just joking, but frustrating opening the mold and not knowing what your going to get.

Ok guys, I really need some help. I have tried everything suggested today and nothing seemed to work. I just got off the phone with del and he gave me some suggestions. He said stir my plastic very carefully and watch for bubbles. Maybe I'm not sure exactly what he calls bubbles, but I didn't see any after stirring. Before I would stir, I would see small clusters of bubbles, but after stirring they are gone. He also said to not apply any pressure after the mold is full. When it's full then stop. i tried that, but no luck. I did top it off after pulling the injector off. He didn't say do or don't about that. He also said not to heat injector or mold. I didn't do that, but I had been injecting baits before I talked to him so when I tried all of his suggestions the mold and injector was hot. I have a few pictures of one of the worse dents I have gotten. This is driving me crazy. Please help me.

ok. I will try topping off the sprue. That is something I don't do. I just fill it up and hold pressure for about 20 seconds and then take the injector off and clean it out while i'm waiting for the mold to cool, then take the flukes out.

I have noticed a small hole hole at times in the sprue at times. That might be the problem, I will try that. Like I said, I get the best flukes out of the first 3 or 4 shoots before the dents start showing. Could I fill the mold up and keep pressure with what's left in the injector for about 30 seconds or so? Would that help "suckback" from happening?

I am having some problems with dents in the nose of my injection flukes. The mold is del's 5 inch injection fluke mold. When I first start they will be good then after about 3 or 4 shoots then they start denting in the nose. I have varied the temp from 350 down to 310 and it still does it. I have also varied the about of salt, 2 tbps per cup of plastic for mf medium plastic and 1 tbps per cup of plastic for mf soft sinking plastic. I'm not sure whats going on. I have a 4.2 BT Bomb and double the salt mixtures and I have never had one dent. Don't know exactly whats going on. Any help would be great.

Thanks. I didn't know the proper name for it.