sbbound02 Posted December 17, 2003 Report Share Posted December 17, 2003 I am a noob in the soft bait lure making world. I was wondering what it takes to make soft plastics. I already have molds and methods of melting, however, I was wondering the cheapest way of aquiring plastic and the other materials needed. Thank you for all the imput. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassnG3 Posted December 18, 2003 Report Share Posted December 18, 2003 The best advice I can give is just go thru the Soft Plastic forum and read as much as you can! There is a ton of great info on getting started, that is what I did and I learned alot. If you have any further questions post them and I am sure you will get some sort of answer! BassnG3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senkosam Posted December 18, 2003 Report Share Posted December 18, 2003 The nicest thing about pouring your own is that once you've begun, it becomes an exciting part of fishing. Your creation catches fish! Once you've made your own molds, the possibilities of form are infinite and limited to your imagination or what's already out there. Plaster molding is cheap and easy and a mold can be ready to pour in 40 minutes. But if pre-formed molds are your cup of tea, you've got to figure out how many baits of each color or different forms you might need, especially since your lures will outlast Senkos or other delicate plastics. Go to the gallery on this site to get a feel of unique forms and color combos invented. Plastics can be remelted, within reason, before the colors are mud. So, fresh plastisol is always needed for bright coloration or clear plastic to show off veins, blood lines, laminate combos, metal flakes, etc. Once you know the volume of plastic needed for one year, the choices are clear. The smaller the amount ordered, the far greater unit price you'll pay. If you buy Lurecraft plastic in a qt., it equates to a huge amount per gal. If you buy it buy the gal., it equates to a huge amount up to the next size of 5 gal.s. This being said, Delmart has the best deal on the best plastic available to us - Calhoun's - when ordered in the 5 gal. amount. He has given good and valid reasons why the stuff is better than LC's or 3-G. The only other plastic as good as Calhoun's, is M-F and is comparable in price. Buy a qt., buy a gal. - your choice, but remember to buy heat stabilizer and hardener (and/or softener for super soft baits). Very important! Once you start, you'll want to fill the bathtub just to see how your lures look in the water. Just make sure your wife isn't relaxing with her eyes closed when you throw the bait in or the next water it's thrown into will be the whirlpool of the toilet bowl! Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tristan Posted December 20, 2003 Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 Sam, I'm getting back into molding after a long hiatus - and I'm interested why Delmart's is better plastic. I'm familiar with LC's regular and soft plastic; how does Delmart's compare to them? How does it rate on softness, resistance to scorching, and plastic smell? Is it crytal clear after heated? THANKS, Thanks, for taking the time to answer the questions. - Tristan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basskat Posted December 21, 2003 Report Share Posted December 21, 2003 Do a search on Calhoun Plastics in this forum. We've discussed the different plastics many times in the fourm. There's lots of great info on all kinds here. Also these guys can help you with any stumbling blocks you find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsworms Posted December 21, 2003 Report Share Posted December 21, 2003 In my opinion, here's my take on Calhoun plastic: 1) Inexpensive; costs about 5 to 10 bucks less per gallon that MF or Lure Craft. 2) Stays mixed well with very little shaking or stirring. 3) Little or no smell when cooking. 4) Turns crystal clear and accepts all colors well. 5) Does not burn with high heat. The only time you will need to add heat stabilizer is when cooking with heavy salt. The only downside to Calhoun is that it's not as soft as MF or Lure Craft. You need to add about 1 cup of softener per gallon of plastic to bring it to Lure Craft's 536 formula. I like my baits really soft, so I add about 7 cups of softener to a 5-gallon jug. Overall, Calhoun is a very consistent plastic and well worth it. Someone please chime in if I'm missing something. That's all my mind can muster right now. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
