second pour

[sportman13]

I need help! I got some plastic and I got some hardener. I mixed them 3 to 1 ratio cooked them slowly on the stove till they hit about 325+ and the plastic was to firm to pour. I then reduced the amount of hardener cooked a new batch, wouldn't pour but never got hard just sticky.

I guess i'm looking for some instructions. How hot do I get this stuff? What is a good ratio to mix? I'm not going to cook this stuff again untill I get some good info.

[Spike-A-Pike]

sportman13.

Welcome to TU... If your a tackle junkie, this is your fix.

Per your question, I just don't do plastics and can only suggest you try a few searches on the site. There is a simular threat that came up with your post:

first pour orderrockylinxSoft Plastics13August 7th, 2007 11:23 AM

I took a quick look and the posts do discuss mix ratios and materials, you may want to PM a member from that tread... You may also need to provide a few more details to get a fix.

[JDBaits]

Good question sportsman im looking for a basic mix ratio for dels 4" brush hogs but kept calling it a formula, maybe thats why I couldnt find any info on it.

[alsworms]

If your plastic is not hardening, it's usually a simple solution. You don't have the plastic mixed well enough. I may have read your post wrong (and I'm not getting any younger ), but the plastic will not gel if you don't mix REALLY WELL. What brand plastic are you using? If it's LC or Calhoun, chances are you have a glob of hardener that's settled on the bottom of your jug. You need to scrape that stuff outta there, then mix, mix, mix. Here's what might have happened. Again, only speculating......

Your first pour had little or no hardener in the actual plastisol because it had settled to the bottom. The hardener that you added then became the ONLY hardener in your mixture. You reduced the hardener for the 2nd batch, but there simply was not enough in the mixture. Batta Bing, Batta Boom........not enough hardener to gel.

Mix your plastic, then mix your hardener until you get a consistency that you're comfortable with. Should work much better.

Best of luck!

[sportman13]

well thanks for that, but this is all over my head. I have know idea what I'm doing. I need directions. eg put plastics in a pan, turn on burner, ECT ECT. I have never done this before but will someday catch fish on my own baits. I' have been reading everthing I can on here. There is very little for someone with no skill. there is good advice about types of plastics. I will be ordering 502 LC but I have a little netcraft right now. Could that be my problem.

[Smallie]

Sportman - first thing you should do is read the stickies at the top of the page. There is a lot of information that really gives you a jumpstart on this hobby.

Second thing is learn to use the search function. Your problem was the baits were sticky. Click the search button, go to advanced, type in sticky and select soft plastics forum in the big box on the right hand side. You will get 38 results including this one:

http://www.tackleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1127&highlight=sticky

There are some other threads in this search that will be of interest to you too. Read all of them. There are a few with newbie in the title, one that talks about being overwhelmed.

This is just one search. Put in Newbie and you will get some overlap but also some new.

I also came across this video while playing with the search function and while it is not narrated in English, it will give you a visual of someone pouring baits.

You will quickly get the hang of it once you get going. Dave

[jmik26]

Its really hard to get the hardner to mix into the plastic. I usually do 1 tablespoon of hardner for a cup of plastic, LC products. Here is how I do it...

1. Take a clean empty bottle that has a cap.

2. Pour the hardner into that bottle.

3. Pour 1 cup of plastic into pryrex cup.

4. Out of that 1 cup of plastic pour a little into the bottle, maybe 1/4 cup or so.

5. Mix the living crap out of it.

6. Pour that mix back into the pryrex cup, stir and heat.

Here is a step by step for microwave...

For beginners, one color that would be great to start off with is green pumpkin with black flake. LC, MF, and Delmarts green pumpkin are pretty closes to each other and it

[JDBaits]

Its really hard to get the hardner to mix into the plastic. I usually do 1 tablespoon of hardner for a cup of plastic, LC products. Here is how I do it...

1. Take a clean empty bottle that has a cap.

2. Pour the hardner into that bottle.

3. Pour 1 cup of plastic into pryrex cup.

4. Out of that 1 cup of plastic pour a little into the bottle, maybe 1/4 cup or so.

5. Mix the living crap out of it.

6. Pour that mix back into the pryrex cup, stir and heat.

Here is a step by step for microwave...

For beginners, one color that would be great to start off with is green pumpkin with black flake. LC, MF, and Delmarts green pumpkin are pretty closes to each other and it

[jmik26]

Just wanted to stress that you should not add colorant or other liquid additives to melted plastic!!

I have done this for my last 25 gallons of plastic with no problems? Is there a reason why you state this?

[JDBaits]

I have done this for my last 25 gallons of plastic with no problems? Is there a reason why you state this?

Im a newbi myself, and ive always heard mixing liquids and melted plastic is a big NO NO.... So your saying adding a few drops of color to hot plastic is ok?

[SwampBaits]

It's ok as long as it's not a florescent color.

[jmik26]

We buy all our plastics, colors, most of our glitter, salt, and scents from LC, MF, or Del. They have already been tested to work with melted plastic. Anything that I have to add before the plastic is melted I won't use, except for the flourescent colors.

Sometimes we experiment with unknown scents and glitters but we use extreme caution, like gloves, face shield, apron, etc...

[JDBaits]

Thanks guys for the info but for now ill stick to my old ways and only add things when my plastic is in a solid state or before cooking

[jmik26]

There is nothing wrong with doing it that way. As long as you feel comfortable thats the important part. However, if a color doesn't come out the way you like it, its good to know you can add some.

[JDBaits]

As long as you feel comfortable thats the important part. However, if a color doesn't come out the way you like it, its good to know you can add some.

This is true and its good info to know!!! Thanks, but when that happens i usually grab a cup of coffee while the plastic cools some anyway.

[Spike-A-Pike]

Sometimes we experiment with unknown scents and glitters but we use extreme caution, like gloves, face shield, apron, etc...

Regaurdless of what kind of tackle addiction you suffer, NEVER FORGET ABOUT SAFETY!!!!!!! I like to make wire baits and eye protection is always at the front of my mind. Eyes, yeah you got two and can call one a spare, so tell which one your willing to give up? Welding splater is nasty enough, hot plastic slowly spreading and burning just doesn't sound like fun.

Are plastic burns like roofing tar were they warn you not to peel it off after it cools because you'll pull the blisters off and open the wound to infection?

[sportman13]

Thank You all for your help! I'm sure to have more questions, but this will definitely get me started.

[rr316]

Are plastic burns like roofing tar were they warn you not to peel it off after it cools because you'll pull the blisters off and open the wound to infection?

I don't know, it takes me about 1/4 second to get it off:eek: I have never been severly splattered by hot plastic but have been by lead, the lead splatter was really bad but I would bet that plastic would be ten times worse, lead cools alot in the air, plastic wouldn't! I now wear face protection and a welding apron and mechanics gloves when doing any of this! You can't take a chance on getting severley injured!

[Joe S.]

I had a pot on fire and hit it and it splashed all over me:eek:

Luckily I closed my eyes as it was flying at my face, I quickly wiped with my arm to brush it off, it happened so fast, it actually seems like it melts your skin as I guess that instant wipe after it hit seemed to wipe the burnt skin right off my forehead. Like I said luckily I closed my eye as some singed my eyelash:whistle: Eye protection is a good idea;)

As far as adding colorant to plastic before or after, if you know your recipes I can see adding before it's cooked, but if your trying to create new colors or vary the shade of an existing color you would need your plastic cooked.

I personally never added color before it was cooked, always after it turned clear so I could see what colors I was making and how it looked.

But I didn't have any recipes when I first started.

[Gloomisman]

I remember you telling me about that Joe. Bad deal man.

I use to add the color before I had hot plastic but I do not anymore. I never know what I will get if I do. I prefer adding it when hot. BTW I dont use flourecent colors.

[whitey]

I have used the hardener from Netcraft and it seems very thick and tends to scorch very easily. I switched to MF and BAM, what a difference. Not sure if their plastic is from the same manufacturer as the harderner I received from them.