finlander Posted January 17, 2004 Report Share Posted January 17, 2004 I'm real new to this. I have only melted down old lures to make some with a mold I made. I just requested a catalog from Lurecraft. I saw their prices on their plastics...but.. I read how you pros like the Calhoun brand. I don't need much. Approximately how much would a 5 gallon pail set me back? Shelf life?? Will it harden w/o heating it? Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delw Posted January 17, 2004 Report Share Posted January 17, 2004 I sell it on my site. www.del-mart.com Delw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubeman Posted January 17, 2004 Report Share Posted January 17, 2004 Calhoun plastic is great stuff, Del told me that he experimented by leaving a container in his garage for a year and it still poured like new. It may separate but its easy to mix and wont leave a big clump of gooey hardener on the bottom of the pail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRPLASTICS Posted January 17, 2004 Report Share Posted January 17, 2004 When I first turned Dell onto it less than a year ago, I told him to call Calhoun and they +would send a free sample, I suggest you do the same. It is much more cost effective and is of great quality, only buy what you can use, although it does last a long period of time, it is best used frequently rather than a couple of cups today and a couple of cups in a few months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delw Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 Calhoun wont give free samples anymore, I got a bill for that sample 2 months later. I do know a few guys that got up to 15 gals of the stuff for free way back when We also sell 1 gal and 1quart along with the 5 gals. Mike I dont know if at first it was being lazy or not(to put the lid backl on) I did loose it at one time. in AZ my garage gets very very hot. After a while I figured I would see how good this stuff really was. the stuff still worked great. I had a few gals I kept in the house that I used to pour my baits as well Delw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finlander Posted January 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 Del....I looked at your site....price is ok...I just don't know how much I'll be needing yet. Going to make a pattern, then a mold....figure out how much this 'pike minnow' will need, all 20" of it. What kind of consistency is this stuff when it arrives? Won't it harden early..or does it need to be mixed and 'cooked', to set up?? Can it be remelted, if your first pour doesn't come out right? Does the plastics' quality deteriorate after a few pours? Thanks, Bruce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delw Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 Bruce. I am doing some big molds for a guy , they say they take about 8-12 oz of plastic, They are 18" long 2 deep and 3" wide. I am thinking a tad more, but 8-12oz is alot of plastic. the stuff comes liquid, after it is heated it will colagulate a little bit thgen turn back into a watery liquid. You can reuse it and reuse it as much as you want. The quality doesnt deteriorate(neither does lure craft and Mf for that mater) the more you heat it up. I have a few people that pour just a few colors and they heat up one gal and let it get hard than pull chunks off of it to reheat when they need it. Delw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finlander Posted January 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 Can I expect tp see shrinkage when it cools? 1 gallon=128 oz., right? I should get 2 02 3 baits from that gallon. I would rather try heating up a white for the belly, and grren for the rest, than to paint the body with that stuff from Noel, if I can still get some. How much to ship to Michigan, zip is 49441. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finlander Posted January 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 Me again Just visited that Del-Mart site and saw your molds. Look pretty simple to use. Are they two parts? Look like metal. And that large mold your fabricating...what kind of material do you use for custom molds? Cost? Thanks, Bruce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delw Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 YOu can check shipping through the shopping cart. email me at del-mart@cox.net SOme of the molds are 2 part(for full round) and some are single molds all are made out of alum. Delw ' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senkosam Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 Two important tips told to me by a fishing bud - Bear Paw of Bear Paw Hand pours: 1. Calhoun has a lower melting and set up temp. Do not overheat or you will get a gloppy mess! ie. On a Lee Pot, setting #6 is way too much, were LC plastic requires it to stay liquid. 2. Always stir and mix thoroughly! The hardener must be evenly distributed. A tip you may want to consider if using smaller storage containers. Mix the gallon well and then distribute into a qt. container. You still have to mix the qt., but smaller bottles are easier to manage. I use a plastic 1/2 gal, clear, juice container from Walmart. Bear Paw says the plastic seemed too soft at first, to be durable, but on inspection after the pour, found the durablilty equal to LC. Hardener can be added for saltwater applications and heat stabilizer is not needed like with LC or 3-G. Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubeman Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 Sam, do you mean it will turn goopy when you remelt it or when your using it for the first time ? I have never had that happen yet. As for the softness aspect, I think it depends on the Hardener/Softner ratio. I have derived 4 different hardnesses for all the styles I make. I find my custom tube plastic is excellent for large swimbait handpours, which is what Finlander might want to consider using for those large toothly critters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senkosam Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 Mike, I think Joh was using too high a temperature in his pot and didnn't stir well enough. He called me after trying out Del's suggestions and won't go back to LC. He loves the stuff! I guess the same temp advice goes for remelts. Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delw Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 The calhoun plastic you can get hotter than anyother plastic, which makes it very easy to pour when you have salt mixed in. Delw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finlander Posted January 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 Yup, large and toothy...so big that they won't even look at an 8 inch crankbait. They want most food with little energy expended. And a soft bait is the way to go..they'll hang on to it longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
