Tiderunner

Yup Mrs. Tiderunner has those around too. I'll have to work out a deal with her. Those might work same as tossing my nuts in. Long term, I'm probably gonna order some wide mouth jugs and use a paint mixer for my drill.

It's weird because I'm seeing almost what you see. I am seeing brown pumpkin though. Maybe over a light watermelon. laminate. Orange flake, with black for color pop? However after looking at other baits, bigger ones, to get a better look at the color, what I am seeing is not so much a laminate, but the either brown pumpkin, and or light watermelon, coreshot into a clear shell. It could just be that the photos are lighted to make the other appearance shiny giving it the look of a core shot Can't really shoot a core shot if the mold isn't set up that way. In place of the brown pumpkin, olive might work but go easy with that one so you don't lose the translucence. Actually, I think there are a number of ways you might be able to achieve that color. But without turning you into a mad scientist we'll await your report on your results. Now you should be totally confused!

I did something like the coat hanger thing with leftover core shot rods I had I made a little mixer for stirring in dyes, additives, and such and used it with a infinitely adjustable dremel Worked out well. I could probably get longer SS rods and use it like the coat hanger. Less bend and more mixing. I also like the idea of Tossing in some SS nuts. We fish, so we always have a bunch of those around don't we? I do have a plastic equipment supplier in my bookmarks that sells bucket w/lids 1 gal and up, and different wide mouth jugs. I was thinking of giving that a try. Small investment. Probably cost more to ship. I don't know why it seems as though this last batch of baits I made seemed like the plastisol wasn't completely mixed. Made for oily baits. Never had that before. Same supplier I guess I could have been a little more aggressive with my mixing. Thanks for all the ideas gang. I am going to try them.

That idea has crossed my mind. The size jug like ice melter comes in would work. as long as there aren't any nooks or crannies where the resins would settle. I'll have to check around too and see if someone sells a gallon or 2 gallon size bucket with a top.

This almost looks like a heavy saturation of pumpkinseed with black flake. And maybe if I'm seeing the bottom [pic right. a laminate with orange and small gold flake.

It seems my last gallon of plastisol wasn't mixed well enough. I gently shake so I don't make too many bubbles. A method that has worked for me for some time now. I just ordered two more gallons, and before I start pouring I want to make sure it's mixed. Suggestions? Maybe I should just buy a 5gallon bucket and use a paint mixer. I've even been thinking of shaping a paint mixer to fit in the opening of a gallon jug.

Ive tried a number of different brands. Some good some not so good. I won't give my preference but one thing I have found. You get what you pay for. Unfortunately. shipping nowadays is almost as much as a gallon of plastisol. For soft wiggly senkos, I add softener even to the soft blend. And if you're using salt or glass beads. Even more softener is needed. On another note I was looking for a hardener that won't affect the colors of my baits. The white stuff lightens the color too much. So I tried Do-It Crystal clear. It wasn't Crystal Clear. It was just like the others. My search continues.

Finally pulled the trigger on my Fat Guys Fishing 3.75" Rip shad mold. If I wasn't so darn busy during their black Fruday sale I could have saved a bunch. Looking forward to shooting these baits and with the warmer temps here in CT, I may get to use this bait sooner than I thought.

Finally had some time to sit down and give them a call. It couldn't have gone smoother. This is only my second order from them. But I was treated like I just spent a million dollars with them. I have a few more items from Fat Guys on my shopping list. First I need to recover from this one! Every business needs to treat their customers they do!

Heard back via email. All worked out though I will have to place my order via phone.

I'll try giving a call there tomorrow.

Whats the best way to contact Fat Guys Fishing? Sent them an email through their contact us page on their website but haven't heard from them yet in just about a week. My money is burning a hole in my pocket! Should I use Facebook? Phone call? Are they usually pretty good about getting back to people? Any ideas? Or do some of y'all have experience dealing with them?

I use it almost exclusively and while I don't sell my baits, I do give them away to friends. I always tell them ahead of time, DO NOT OPEN THE BAG IN THE HOUSE! Honestly, I do feel the Cricket scent has upped my catch rate. The only other flavor I use is nightcrawler. A distant second.

I don't have a pool, but i'll use my brother inlaws. I put the mask on and watch the bait as he drags it through the water. He can't complain either unless he never wants to be invited to go fishing with me again.

for most of my baits I use MF soft. Tried other brands, and I keep going back to MF. I use medium as well, and I think when I get back into production after the holidays, I will use medium, which I use for some things. I can always add softener. Making single and double tail grubs, I found using soft sinking, the tails don't have any action. I'm thinking the same will happen with swim baits. Can't test them now. Too cold, and I doubt if lifeguards at the local YMCA would be happy if I tested my baits at the pool. So guess I'll be testing tail action in the bathtub. And for any pervs that read this I meant swim bait tail action.

I have been playing with my AI mold, and I really like the way it shoots. I do a lot of laminates on my other baits either with commercial laminate plates, or plates I make out of aluminum flashing. These won't work though with the swimbaits. So a dual injector is next on my wish list. I've been doing this bait making thing for around 30 years and can't believe I haven't bought one yet. Last season was my first using swim baits, and I am sold on them. What plastic have you been using for your swim baits? Like I said I've been playing, but with remelts, and I feel the soft MF may be too soft.

Thanks for that info! I just picked up an Angling AI in 3.75 shiner. No rings. And I really like the FGF 3.75 which reminds me of the Keitech fat impact. I wish it was offered in a 4 cavity like their 3.5 or 4" I do have a 9oz injector, and saving now for a dual injector. I think the 6oz dual, and my 9oz single might be or should be enough to fill 8 cavities I may go ahead with the 4 inch, if I'm up early enough for the best sale price.

I missed that sale price. and the non sale price is about $50.00 less than FGF. Is the shipping from Ukraine dependable now? I am starting to lean towards the FGF mold, but it will have to wait until after the holidays. But 50 bucks is fifty bucks. If I don't have to wait too long for the bait mold one.

Anybody know of a manufacturer that makes a mold like the Do It ES Ripper? Closely resembles Keitech swim baits. It looks as though Do It has a CNC mold, but it has side injection which won't work if laminating. Fat Guys has what I'm looking for in an 8 cavity but the price breaks my budget. At their price I could just buy a bunch of Keitechs, but not much fun in that. Just got the Angling AI Rip Rap and now want a ringed type as well. 3.5", 3.75", or 3.8"preferred. Any help would be appreciated.

Please don't post anything like this again. I became addicted in less than a minute! All kidding aside, this could be a very useful tool. I would certainly replace the color wheel I keep on the workbench. Thanks for sharing.

I make a lot of grubs and I find it’s not so much the mold but the plastic that adds the tail action. I use mostly MF soft sinking and I have found I get very little tail action. I am moving my grub making up to medium with a bit of hardener. The tails made with soft just seem to straighten out and and just drag through the water. I’ve had my grub molds - 4” single tail and 5” double for a few years now and can’t remember who made them One I believe is Delmart -long gone. And maybe lure craft for the single tail.

No need to buy gallons I’d you’re just starting out. Quarts are available too. some suppliers also sell sample packs of three different types. Been a while since I bought one of those so the company name escapes me. Maybe another member can help? FWIW… after a number of years making baits and trying at least a gallon of most of the brands, I keep going back to MF plastics.

I got started with floating plastics some 30 years ago, when Berkley did away with their floating power worms. We used these to skip across fields of lily pads, and other surface weeds. Deadly method! First off you'll need to use floating plastic. Take your pick of brands. I do use the glass bubble stuff with extra care. Still haven't inhaled any after all these years. I'm more worried abut burning myself with molten plastic. If you don't use floating plastic you.ll need to use even more bubbles A Lot More! Of course because you've used the bubbles, you'll need to use softener to make your bait more flexible, and heat stabilizer because this thick plastic mix will scorch easily. And of course because your bubbles are white you'll need to use a lot more color.. The only colors I've made are chartreuse, pink, white and black. Certain colors work in different areas I fish. The to fish the lily pads you.ll need a light wire hook. I use Gamakatsu wide gap no bigger than 2/0 And for line you need to use braid as the worms are too light to throw with mono, and mono sinks. This is my way of fishing topwater. Your ways may be different. Before this season is over I will be experimenting with making the bulb end of Neko worms float, and floating claws on crayfish. Again to be fished Neko for smallmouth. The floating worms are rigged Tex-posed.

Define "subtle degradation" in your clear plastic. That could answer all your questions. My microwave is 5 years old. Cheapo bought at Target. No issues. With our household ones, when they started taking longer to heat they usually deuced the bed soon after.

All great ideas, I'll just have to keep the colors lighter than usual so the white shows through. I have more jars of glitter, more bottle of color because I see something different, and I have to try it. When I first started this some 30 years ago, I had 2 silicone molds, and made a flat tail worm in chartreuse, pink, white and black. Now I make about 50 different colors, 15 or more types of baits, and god knows how many combos of pigment. glitter combos. And I think I use maybe 3 or 4 colors and probably 4 different types of baits when I fish. I know darn well I'm not the only one doing this. When I saw the white glitter, my thought was to use it as a contrast to other color glitters. Today I have ti finish putting a trailer together, and tomorrow after work I can start the white glitter trial. And next weekend I can let the bass test them