bobothewizard Posted June 28, 2010 Report Share Posted June 28, 2010 Im going to be purchasing a swimbait mold with an injector today and I was wondering what your thoughts were on going with either the bears baits 4.5 hollow body swimbait mold or the basstackle BT Super shad mold. Right now im looking to get the closest mold to a bassmagic 4.5 inch hollow body swimbait. Thanks all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Brabant Posted June 28, 2010 Report Share Posted June 28, 2010 Im going to be purchasing a swimbait mold with an injector today and I was wondering what your thoughts were on going with either the bears baits 4.5 hollow body swimbait mold or the basstackle BT Super shad mold. Right now im looking to get the closest mold to a bassmagic 4.5 inch hollow body swimbait. Thanks all. Haven't used Bass Tackle's yet but my Bears hollow body mold came in Thursday and all I can say is WOW. Perfect baits with the single and dual color injector. "once the guys on Bears site explained how to use the dual color injector." Single worked just a good with the mold. And the BBCP plastic as well. I love that stuff now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobothewizard Posted June 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2010 Haven't used Bass Tackle's yet but my Bears hollow body mold came in Thursday and all I can say is WOW. Perfect baits with the single and dual color injector. "once the guys on Bears site explained how to use the dual color injector." Single worked just a good with the mold. And the BBCP plastic as well. I love that stuff now. That insert that is in bears, is it actually thick or is it just a flat piece of metal? Im wondering how hollow the bait actually is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Brabant Posted June 28, 2010 Report Share Posted June 28, 2010 That insert that is in bears, is it actually thick or is it just a flat piece of metal? Im wondering how hollow the bait actually is. 1/16 minimum. I will have to measure mine. Go to Bears site and ask that question. You will get an reply asap.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnakeHead Posted June 30, 2010 Report Share Posted June 30, 2010 Bass Tackle or Delmart have the best. Bears will sell you a hardware store hinge and claim its the greatest thing since the wheel. I have personal friends that have bought bears baits junk molds and have sold them for scrap. Don't waste your money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnakeHead Posted June 30, 2010 Report Share Posted June 30, 2010 1/16 minimum. I will have to measure mine. Go to Bears site and ask that question. You will get an reply asap.. Junk, Don't waist your money on that stupid hinge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Brabant Posted June 30, 2010 Report Share Posted June 30, 2010 Junk, Don't waist your money on that stupid hinge Bears hinge is machined into the mold. I don't know where they got theres but mine aren't store bought hinges. Look at the web site. The only new hinge is from a new vendor they started to use last week. So I think your so called friends are puling your leg. Bear just as all the mold sellers will work with you if you have an issue. If your so call friends have a problem cal Bear direct. I have called him as well as Del and they are both great to work with. In the future you should not knock some one on what your so called friends say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pirkfan Posted July 2, 2010 Report Share Posted July 2, 2010 Bass Tackle or Delmart have the best. Bears will sell you a hardware store hinge and claim its the greatest thing since the wheel. I have personal friends that have bought bears baits junk molds and have sold them for scrap. Don't waste your money I have molds from all three manufacturers. All are great. Bear's are about as well made as you can get, with machined hinges. I don't know why you're disparaging Bear in particular, but you're just ill informed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallie Posted July 2, 2010 Report Share Posted July 2, 2010 1/16 minimum. I will have to measure mine. Go to Bears site and ask that question. You will get an reply asap.. I was wondering the same thing about Bear's insert. What thickness is the insert from the "other guys"? I have bought hollow body swims from Ghost Baits and the hollow belly seems to be bigger than that. They are all gone now so I can't check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted July 2, 2010 Report Share Posted July 2, 2010 (edited) I was wondering the same thing about Bear's insert. What thickness is the insert from the "other guys"? I have bought hollow body swims from Ghost Baits and the hollow belly seems to be bigger than that. They are all gone now so I can't check. I just measured the hook slot on Basstakles and Bobs it is .055. I had a Bears and it was the same I am sure. This is a sheet aluminium that is cut to fit. I think the one that Jim uses is the old Bobs mold and it would be the same. As for the hollow swims not sure what the reason you spend money for a mold if you can dip them and get pretty much the same bait. Seams that most of the people with the molds dip after any ways( me included) so there is no real machine work that can be seen. Dont get me wrong they are all good molds but the dipping guys have been doing this without spending the money on a mold. The original post was about two molds but there are more out there from Basstackle. There is a 5 and 6" shad along with a pot belly version. If you want a variety to match the bait fish in your area.Frank Edited July 2, 2010 by Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallie Posted July 7, 2010 Report Share Posted July 7, 2010 I just measured the hook slot on Basstakles and Bobs it is .055. I had a Bears and it was the same I am sure. This is a sheet aluminium that is cut to fit. I think the one that Jim uses is the old Bobs mold and it would be the same. As for the hollow swims not sure what the reason you spend money for a mold if you can dip them and get pretty much the same bait. Seams that most of the people with the molds dip after any ways( me included) so there is no real machine work that can be seen. Dont get me wrong they are all good molds but the dipping guys have been doing this without spending the money on a mold. The original post was about two molds but there are more out there from Basstackle. There is a 5 and 6" shad along with a pot belly version. If you want a variety to match the bait fish in your area.Frank So are these hollow swimbaits that are poured instead of dipped just a hook slot bait that has been dipped to seal the slot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted July 7, 2010 Report Share Posted July 7, 2010 So are these hollow swimbaits that are poured instead of dipped just a hook slot bait that has been dipped to seal the slot?Actually they are hollow all the way through the tail so no they are not just sealed. Just depends on the bait you want. Bass tackles are pretty much available both ways. I prefer the hook slot ones but that is just me. Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallie Posted July 7, 2010 Report Share Posted July 7, 2010 Actually they are hollow all the way through the tail so no they are not just sealed. Just depends on the bait you want. Bass tackles are pretty much available both ways. I prefer the hook slot ones but that is just me. Frank The premise behind the hollow swimbait is it can collapse when the fish bites. With only a .050 or .060" void, I don't see it doing much, if anything to help it collapse. I have a hook slot swimbait mold and I only dip the head to hold the eyes in place. I have always believed that having the hook up inside the belly and skin hooked on the top will give better hook penetration on the hook set than hollow bellies with what I believed to be a much larger cavity. This latest information makes that even more clear to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senkosam Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 (edited) I have Bears sw.b. mold and it produces perfect sw.b's every time! All my molds from Bear are quality and I only sent back one because the size of the cavity was less than I expected. Instant refund, no questions asked and credit was put towards another excellent jerk worm (Twitch) which I received before he even got the returned mold. Bear's sw.b. mold can be used to make solid or hollow sw.b.s. Take out the blade for solid lures. I've even put a hook slot in by laying down a width of aluminum foil (over mold cavity, baits top or bottom surface) ,closing the mold and injecting. Dip the center blade in color, put in the mold and you have a core shot after the blade is removed. Since I prefer soft plastic for most designs, I find it's a must for solid sw.b's. and insures solid hooksets. The difference in action for hollow or solid is minimal and you have more plastic to hold the hook in place for solid lures. Bear's service, like Bob's, is the best and he always responds if there is a problem. Any questions from users of his molds, go to his forum. The gallery speaks volumes! Get information first hand. Frank Manuele Edited July 9, 2010 by Senkosam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuskyGary Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 I also like to pour Bears mold without the insert: then I cut the tail off; leave it in the mold and repour the top half with a different color. I like to make thw tail chartruse halo and the new body; ghost minnow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senkosam Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 I also like to pour Bears mold without the insert: then I cut the tail off; leave it in the mold and repour the top half with a different color. I like to make thw tail chartruse halo and the new body; ghost minnow. I used to do the same thing but decided it was easier to cut the different colored tail off a swimbait from Lurecraft and attach it after holding both ends over a candle flame. Works a lot better than glue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troul Hawk Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 Junk, Don't waist your money on that stupid hinge I just got my mold in and I do not see any reason the hinge could possibly be bad or wrong? the mold works like a chanp and the insert is great. What gives? I have injected four baits so far. I like the idea of it, the baits are nice to look at, and I expect good results from them. I am learning, but I gotta say that I like the experience so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted July 10, 2010 Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 I just got my mold in and I do not see any reason the hinge could possibly be bad or wrong? the mold works like a chanp and the insert is great. What gives? I have injected four baits so far. I like the idea of it, the baits are nice to look at, and I expect good results from them. I am learning, but I gotta say that I like the experience so far. That is one opinion and now you have yours. I think you know now the truth. Nothing wrong with ones opinions as long as you have your own. Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted July 10, 2010 Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 (edited) Junk, Don't waist your money on that stupid hinge The above quote should not be confused with a valid opinion. It is deragatory comment meant to damage a business. Just my opinion. A valid opinion would say: I do not like the hinge because; and then offer up reasons why the hinge is not preferred. Before any opinion is presented to an open forum, the supplier or manufacturer should have been given a chance to put things right or explain the reasoning behind the hinge. As far as I am aware, no such opportunity was offered. Dave Edited July 10, 2010 by Vodkaman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...