JRammit

2 reasons... Either trapped air, or shrinkage If you're using an injector, try holding pressure for 15-20 seconds after the mold is full

Theres alot of those too (ha ha)... Best to tackle them one by one.... I see you found the cook book thread, thats a good start...... Just remember, colors differ by brand

Theres all kinds of help... Which are you after??

Ha!.... Get a little glue on there now

Thanks for the tip on the rattles!... And that epoxy puddy would be handy for filling ballast holes! Good vid, thanks for sharing

Hmm.. Ive had opposite results (flat more wiggle, round more wobble), ill have to go back and look more closely to my baits to find out why??

3 things ive found to change "x to y" action is lip angle, spreading ballast, and flat vs round sided bodies I usually visualize the first by holding a crankbait in my hands, lip at 90 degrees and wiggling it back and forth... The steeper the lip, the more horizontal the body sits, so more "side to side wobble" (x)... The less lip angle, the more vertical the body sits, so more "belly to back wiggle" (y) Having all the ballast in the cg (as Ben said) kind of gives the bait a "pivot point" to rotate around.... Spreading the weight out helps balance the action on both planes Finally, the flat sided baits ive built seem to have more roll, while the rounder baits are all side to side action

I havnt tried mixing glue in the plaster, somebody tried it way back and said it made no difference If youre a hobby pourer, you want that heat in the mold.. It will shoot better and eliminate cold cracks.... But if you're shooting thousands of baits a day, yea you want aluminum

My kids always use to complain they were "bored"... I tell them i dont know what that word means and make them explain it, then i nod like i understand and find them a chore to do.... They dony say that word around me anymore

Everyone i know thats retired has a part time job to "pass the time"... I dont understand this

No prob, any other q's hit me up

I spray Pam all over the 1st half, then rub Vaseline around the edges Epoxy makes a right shiny bait!... You'll need at least 2 coats, the dry pop will absorb alot... I use a combination of elmers wood glue mixed with water, then epoxy on top of that

So much here in the archives that one would never think to look for, or that's been forgotten over time... I think it's good to re-ask old questions, puts it back fresh on the brain

Not sure about the glycerin??... Looked it up, way down in the article under uses says "to lubricate molds".... Pam cooking spray is what most use for this http://pioneerthinking.com/crafts/what-is-glycerin The pop i use is made by Dap... Im sure any will work though.... Careful, if you thought shooting plastic was addicting, wait until you see your own creation come to life!.... Theres no going back after that

Epoxy isn't like paint, you can slop it on and it will still level out nicely... So i use the cheapest brushes i can find, like a 20 pack for $1 But if you want to use your good brushes, heres a nice write up on cleaning them http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/topic/30496-brush-cleaning/?fromsearch=1

Hardest pattern for me... All of them (ha ha!).... Im always proud of my lures until i get the paint brush out But i dont give up easy... Wasted alot of perfectly good cardboard practicing, finally making progress I would like to get a good bluegill pattern down... Those things are all over where i fish!

Like Axle Foley

Ive tried a few different methods, but returned to simplicity.... Float and cover Just mix the plaster thick enough that your master dont sink... Pour 1st layer, scrape bubbles away, lay master in.... Keep water close by, if you mess up, rinse off the master and try try again I use bendable drinking straws for my "plumbing" (sprues/runners).. They shoot fine, take up less mold space and waste less plastic.. Lay them in after the master.. Plug the ends with clay, or youll get mean bubbles Let dry over night on a work day, or all afternoon if its the weekend Locators... Beads in wet plaster, or drill dry plaster w a ball file Spray with Pam... Pour second half slowly with one hand, brush around the master vigorously with the other to get rid of bubbles... Beat underside of table with hammer for a while Let dry same as first half... Tap open w hammer and screw driver, carefully remove pieces To bake or not to bake?... I bake, oven door cracked open, 200, 30-45 min... This will not dry the inside, but it will dry the surface so you can apply sealer.... The mold will take several days to dry completely through, but you can still use it in the mean time, just DONT store it closed up or it will mold (the green kind) Sealer?... Thinned epoxy or wood glue/ water?.... I use both... Dry plaster will soak up alot of epoxy, wood glue is cheaper..... Pour glue mixture in the cavities, wait 15 seconds, pour it out... Brush the glue all over the mold face but NOT in the cavity, or youll see the brush strokes in the finished bait (doesnt level out like epoxy).. Let dry a few hours, then brush epoxy over that...... Shiny! I have done a handful of multi cavities this way, but sucess rate wasn't 100%.... For a single cavity, this is the easiest method for me

I would like the challenge, but just don't have the time If you've never made a plaster mold, i highly recommend it!... Results are quite satisfying Id start with a single cavity, if you like it, make a couple more.... Multi cavities can be done, just more to possibly go wrong

Thats a good idea!... Nothing more frustrating than trying to lay a floppy soft master strait in a mold while the appendages flail around everywhere..... I guess the plaster coat would stiffen them up

I used Bondo when i first started, i learned quick there is little margin for error on the hardener ratio.... Actually had some set up on me mid pour, leaving a big spike coming off my mold.... Kinda looked cool, just wasnt what i was going for Monte is right though, makes a nearly indestructible mold and glossy finish with no sealing required..... If you can handle that smell?.. Bondo smells worse and stronger than anything in my shop! Although, ive read somewhere on here that resin (Bondo) can warp from excessive heat