squigster Posted October 11, 2007 Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 Hello, I just made my first hand pours last night and a few today and I am getting very frustrated. I am pouring into a few RTV molds. One is a Paca Craw knockoff and a single sided beaver. I heated the plastic in the microwave the first time for over 3 minutes and It discolored a little bit so I may have cooked it a little long. I stirred it well every 30 seconds and I have done the same process every batch I have ran except a little less time in the nuker. The problem I am having is that the plastic is setting up too fast and by the time I pour one bait the plastic is solidifying in the cup and becoming more syrupy. I have tried to pour the paca craws claws 8 times and ended up with a paca junk plastic. I have used over 1/4 gallon and have maybe too baits to show for it. I cannot fill the tips with the plastic without it overflowing the mold. I used pouring cups and that made a finer line but the plastic seems like it is never thin enough to me. helped I know this takes time to get good at but is there some way to deal with the plastic setting up so fast or am I doing something wrong? Also will a 2 piece aluminum mold be easier to pour? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsworms Posted October 11, 2007 Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 There's a couple things that come to mind here...... 1) What type of plastic are you using? Anything other than super soft will harden really quick. If you're bent on a harder bait, see no. 2......... 2) If you're new at pouring, those 2 particulars baits you mentioned are very detailed for a beginner. By the time you're getting to the claws/flappers the plastic will harden. My advice would be start with something easier (straight worms, reapers, chunks, etc.) until you get the hang of it. Once that happens, more detailed baits are much easier to pour. Hope this helps a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squigster Posted October 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 Thanks for the advice. The plastic is calhouns. I am not sure if it is the supersoft plastic or not but it just does not pour well even when I first mix it after I pull it out of the nuker. I cannot get a fine stream of plastic. I shook the heck out of the plastic before mixing it too and stirred it real well in the microwave. From everything I have read here the plastic shoul be clear. Can you define what you mean by this. Should it look like a glass of water? or does it look more like somethin else? Mine gets clear but has a lot of bubbles in it even after I stir it. Is this normal? If I cook it too long it gets a yellow tinge to the color. I am cooking it about 2:30 to 3:10. MY thermocouple is reading the temp at about 340 to 350 degrees F after I pull it out of the microwave. Should I try adding softener to it? Any thoughts would be appreciated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBC Posted October 11, 2007 Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 squigster, My advice is to use a paint stirrer on your drill to mix the plastic in the jug instead of shaking it. When you shake it, you put lots of bubbles in it. If you stir it you shouldn't have bubbles. Also, if your plastic is discoloring when you're heating it you may be on the verge of scorching it. Try heating it for one minute at a time instead of 2-3 minutes. After each minute take it out of the microwave and stir it. This will help it heat more evenly. When it is all clear, then heat it in 30 second increments until it is thin enough to pour. Practice makes perfect. When I started pouring I went through about a gallon of plastic before I felt like I knew what I was doing. Hope that helps. Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbug Posted October 11, 2007 Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 Calhoun needs little if any stirring if you use it regularly. I have a one cup aluminum measuring cup that I formed a spout on. I use a solid top hot plate I bought at Walmart. Only put 1/3 cup of plastic in to heat. I have used many different plastics. All work well, MF seems to work the best for me. Calhoun seems to have a more rubbery effect, LC seems to have a wax like effect and needs stirred before each pour very, very well. MF is somewhere in the middle. MF should be stirred or shaken, but not as much as LC's. I have used aluminum molds, pop molds, silicone molds, one part molds and two part molds. Each pour a little different. Keep at it, you will get there. Bassbug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassnRandy Posted October 11, 2007 Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 M-f is basically mix free. I give my jug a little shake now and then but not very often and never have any settle to the bottom. When i used Calhoun it always had bubble problems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squigster Posted October 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 Thanks guys for your advice. As far as the heating goes. I heat it for 1:30. Take it out and stir and go at 30 second increments until it is at temperature. I cannot stir it in a 1 gallon jug so I will have to transfer it to a 5 gallon bucket or something. I know its not easy I just get frustrated trying to pour the claws and I get it almost right and see that it does not fill it all in so I try to add more and it overruns or starts to setup and ruins the bait. I am waiting for an aluminum 2 piece from Del so I am hoping that it is easier since you are pouring into a controlled area vs fill it up and hope it dont overflow. I will keep at it. It would be nice to do a few right and have something to show for it. I guess it will all come with time and more money spent. Thanks again for your help, I do really appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delw Posted October 11, 2007 Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 Hello,I just made my first hand pours last night and a few today and I am getting very frustrated. I am pouring into a few RTV molds. One is a Paca Craw knockoff and a single sided beaver. I heated the plastic in the microwave the first time for over 3 minutes and It discolored a little bit so I may have cooked it a little long. I stirred it well every 30 seconds and I have done the same process every batch I have ran except a little less time in the nuker. The problem I am having is that the plastic is setting up too fast and by the time I pour one bait the plastic is solidifying in the cup and becoming more syrupy. I have tried to pour the paca craws claws 8 times and ended up with a paca junk plastic. I have used over 1/4 gallon and have maybe too baits to show for it. I cannot fill the tips with the plastic without it overflowing the mold. I used pouring cups and that made a finer line but the plastic seems like it is never thin enough to me. helped I know this takes time to get good at but is there some way to deal with the plastic setting up so fast or am I doing something wrong? Also will a 2 piece aluminum mold be easier to pour? Any help would be greatly appreciated. If your plastic is discoloring its due to over heating more than likely. as far as setting up to quickly it sounds like your plastic is not hot enough. call the shop when you have 10 mins and I will run you through it. over pours can a problem with rtv molds, you got the right idea with the pouring cups. RTV molds will over pour a lot due to the hold heat, after a while you will get the hang of it. if your arm is too shakey try resting your wrist on the edge of the counter or a phone book. Are you standing up or sitting down, me personally I find it eaiser to stand up and lean over when I pour. A 2 piece mold is always easier to pour, however pouring a rtv mold should work with practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Yellowing is overheating. A couple of things from experience. A microwave oven concentrates the heat about 1/2 inch inside the heated object. Picture a cup shaped shell inside your pyrex cup. That's what gets hot. It doesn't heat much right at the glass, or in the very middle. Plastisol is an insulator, so it's pretty easy to scorch that narrow band of plastic and not even melt some near the glass or in the middle. That's why you need to heat for relatively short periods and then stir throroughly. The second item from a yankee, coming into winter, is that if the room you pour in is too cool, as in below 60 degrees, it'll mess with your mind trying to pour. hope it helps John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squigster Posted October 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2007 I think I have solved my problem although it is more time consuming. If the plasic sets up on me, I remelt it and walla a thin stream of plastic. I poured about 20 baits tonight and hardly messed any up. It seems that the plastic thins more on a reheat than the first time. I got a real nice flow. I have to be careful not to scorch it, but I was able to pour Paca Craws with no problems, although I was dissapointed in the LC silicone mold. There is only about 1/2 of the plastic in the hook end so I will have to trim it down to get a good bite into it. I tested 3 of them in the fish tank and they do not flutter like the originals although my crappie whacked it and I almost set the hook on him LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
