It's No Wonder...

[Jig Man]

That I scorched a lot of translucents when I was using my Wally World hot plate. I got a better than good deal on an infrared thermometer today and tried it out on that little sucker. Barely on it was 97° just a bit more and it was 467°. I think I'm going to DEEP6 that worthless piece of crap.

Will it polute the lake if I sink it in 165 fow.

Edited February 5, 2010 by Jig Man

[jimcline]

That I scorched a lot of translucents when I was using my Wally World hot plate. I got a better than good deal on an infrared thermometer today and tried it out on that little sucker. Barely on it was 97° just a bit more and it was 467°. I think I'm going to DEEP6 that worthless piece of crap.

Will it polute the lake if I sink it in 165 fow.

Shhh, we won't tell

[t-billy]

There's probably nothing wrong with your hotplate. I made the same mistake the first day I had mine. I thought I could set the temp on the burner and it would then heat the plastic to that temp or slightly less. WRONG. My ir thermometer only goes to 425 and it kept reading hi even with the burner on low,but it read lower temps fine. So I put a pot of plastic on it and found I had to turn my 1100 watt burner well past half to get my plastic up to temp. I always add a nice squirt of heat stabilizer and I haven't scorched any plastic yet. Even above 370 for a short time. oops. I should mention I'm using cast iron pouring pots so they may take more energy to heat up than lighter pots.But, they stay hot and heat the plastic evenly. Plus as the level of plastic drops so does the temp. If I'm pouring small or very detailed baits I have to bump up the temp as I go to keep the plastic flowing. 330-340 has been working well for me. Hope this helps.

[t-billy]

I also bought my hotplates at wally world.They're GE 1100 watt. They have a nice steel plate type burner,not a coil. Again,nice even heat just like the cast iron pots. $19.99 I believe. I've got about $100 in two burners and 4 Lodge pots but I couldn't be happier with them.

[The Dutchman]

Years ago when I first started pouring with a hotplate and LC pans I also scorched plastic. Then someone told me to get a device used in the kitchen to put on stove burners that had about two hundred small holes in it. I can't remember what it was called but they have them in hardware stores and probably Wal-Marts. It was round with holes and had a wood handle. I didn't scorch anymore plastic after getting it. Can't remem,ber the name of it. Maybe someone can.

[351mustang65]

Here is my Walmart hotplate. I keep it turned to just over half way and have never scorched plastic.

Years ago when I first started pouring with a hotplate and LC pans I also scorched plastic. Then someone told me to get a device used in the kitchen to put on stove burners that had about two hundred small holes in it. I can't remember what it was called but they have them in hardware stores and probably Wal-Marts. It was round with holes and had a wood handle. I didn't scorch anymore plastic after getting it. Can't remem,ber the name of it. Maybe someone can.

What Dutchman is talking about is called a heat diffuser.

Edited February 6, 2010 by 351mustang65

[Jig Man]

This morning I dug out my 20 year old hot plate and did some temp testing. It will get to what ever temp I want with a little dialing. The new one is pure junk and going on a deep six trip.