Crayfish Plastisol, Salt, Hardner Or Softner Ratios

[Fish On!]

I'm new to making soft plastics. I'm up to only about 100 now. I am trying to make 1 1/2"small to 1" or so micro size crayfish. I tried the 1 cup plastisol (Ozark soft) to 1/2 cup salt to 1/4 cup softener. At first, I was stirring with a thin narrow stirrer, salt wasn't well suspended, lures seemed cakey and would tear too easily, now a wider stirrer, more suspension, and the cakeyness has seemed to go away. I need the baits to be heavier and stiffer for the performance I'm looking to achieve. The arms and claws are to weak. Without adding counter balance weights, my desired heavier mix for a faster sink rate maybe more important. I am short on money, any my "To Oder Wish List" is growing. Short of buying a recipe book, can any one lend any assistance? I've read about MF's sinking bait plastisol, but I need to experiment with what I have. Can you just keep reheating the plastisol forever, or at what point do you start losing desirable properties? Thanks in advance for your reply. I'll check back this evening.

[jimcline]

I'm new to making soft plastics. I'm up to only about 100 now. I am trying to make 1 1/2"small to 1" or so micro size crayfish. I tried the 1 cup plastisol (Ozark soft) to 1/2 cup salt to 1/4 cup softener. At first, I was stirring with a thin narrow stirrer, salt wasn't well suspended, lures seemed cakey and would tear too easily, now a wider stirrer, more suspension, and the cakeyness has seemed to go away. I need the baits to be heavier and stiffer for the performance I'm looking to achieve. The arms and claws are to weak. Without adding counter balance weights, my desired heavier mix for a faster sink rate maybe more important. I am short on money, any my "To Oder Wish List" is growing. Short of buying a recipe book, can any one lend any assistance? I've read about MF's sinking bait plastisol, but I need to experiment with what I have. Can you just keep reheating the plastisol forever, or at what point do you start losing desirable properties? Thanks in advance for your reply. I'll check back this evening.

My first thought is that you're using way too much salt for 1 cup of plastic. Personally I go with a 75% plastic to 25% salt ratio. If you're looking for a tougher bait, maybe try using a hard formula plastic. I only use Calhoun's and find it to be very durable, sso maybe that's an option for you. As far as remelting your plastic, yes you can but you need to add fresh plastic with it to keep it from scorching. And the more you remelt it, the more the color will change.Adding a little heat stabilizer would help keep it from scoprching too. Good Luck.

[Richard Prager]

I'm new to making soft plastics. I'm up to only about 100 now. I am trying to make 1 1/2"small to 1" or so micro size crayfish. I tried the 1 cup plastisol (Ozark soft) to 1/2 cup salt to 1/4 cup softener. At first, I was stirring with a thin narrow stirrer, salt wasn't well suspended, lures seemed cakey and would tear too easily, now a wider stirrer, more suspension, and the cakeyness has seemed to go away. I need the baits to be heavier and stiffer for the performance I'm looking to achieve. The arms and claws are to weak. Without adding counter balance weights, my desired heavier mix for a faster sink rate maybe more important. I am short on money, any my "To Oder Wish List" is growing. Short of buying a recipe book, can any one lend any assistance? I've read about MF's sinking bait plastisol, but I need to experiment with what I have. Can you just keep reheating the plastisol forever, or at what point do you start losing desirable properties? Thanks in advance for your reply. I'll check back this evening.

If you absolutely have to use salt as opposed to another means in achieving sink rate, try flouring the salt in a blender. This will help with keeping the salt suspended better. The downsize is, the baits will be opaque. With such a small bait, if it's possible find another method to get the bait to sink and not use any salt at all would make pouring the bait easier.

The M-F sinking soft really doesn't sink too much. Don't get me wrong, it's a great plastic which I used for sticks and flukes. It just doesn't float. It is a denser plastic that requires about 30-40% less salt you would normally use for making sticks.