Hand Pour Stripes

[GDille]

Hey Folks,

I just got my buzz frog mold from TEE 3 weeks ago and have been going crazy. I never realized how much faster hand pouring, at least for me, really is. I first started songle color, then wanted to try a laminate. I tried pouring one side, but it cooled too fast, or it dripped and was a try laminate. Since I didn't have a divided cup at this time, I took two pyrex one cups, and poured on the respective side, at the same time. I was frustrated watching the plastic go in because I couldn't keep the streams perfect, that is until i opened the mold. What happens is the color that is flowing in in a greater volume will push the other out, and go over the mid-line, but if a person does this in a rhythm, the bait come out with some pretty wicked stripes. two weeks ago, I had my divided cup (aluminum and jbweld) figured out and was pouring up a storm. I found that my divider is slightly off, and i have to rotate the cup slightly while pouring to keep it somewhat even, guess who's hands are very steady! What came from the very quick "shaking" almost, we very thin, tiger stripes. The post is somewhat of a tutorial, but I figured it might save some other people a bit of time, and they will know what comes from cup movements. And, as i asked, does anyone have another method to this madness?

Thanks,

George

[nova]

Split cup is a lot of fun. You can get a variety of results depending on the distance of the spout from the sprue hole. 1/4" to 2" will give you differant results. Even rotating 20 degrees right and 20 degrees left will change the results.

The main thing is to have fun with it.

www.novalures.com

[mark poulson]

That bait looks great!

[JSC]

The only thing I see wrong with that frog is that it is not on a hook and in the water.

JSC

[TheRegulator]

Just curious...you said hand pouring was much quicker for you. What are you comparing to?

[Fish Candy Bait Company]

He may be referring to injection. I prefer to do hand pours over injection for the time issue. Heat the injectors then shoot the injectors then cool them to clean and repeat. I prefer the two cup approach and am going to a two pan one as an experiment to see if they pour better.

[GDille]

I do mean by injecting, sometimes I pour with two cups for single color each cup over a different cavity. The reason injecting (to me) isn't any faster, is because i do not have enough molds to make a full injector count. I only have three right now, I simply cannot afford many more at the moment. i have looked into injecting a bait and making a fill plaster mold with the sprue included. But I still enjoy both, and really am having fun with hand pours.

My divided cup cracked last night, it sparked once and when i took it our of the microwave, it split. Back to the dual cup technique.

George

[nova]

I do mean by injecting, sometimes I pour with two cups for single color each cup over a different cavity. The reason injecting (to me) isn't any faster, is because i do not have enough molds to make a full injector count. I only have three right now, I simply cannot afford many more at the moment. i have looked into injecting a bait and making a fill plaster mold with the sprue included. But I still enjoy both, and really am having fun with hand pours.

My divided cup cracked last night, it sparked once and when i took it our of the microwave, it split. Back to the dual cup technique.

George

Don't give up on your split cup just yet. I've had one now for two years with no problems. It's a 2 cup. My next one will be a 4 cup.

www.novalures.com

[TheRegulator]

I have only hand poured is why I ask. I don't really care about how fast but I see the argument a lot on here saying injection is much faster. There is really only one application that I would use where injecting would benefit me, but I don't think I will make the investment for that alone.

[mark poulson]

I prefer hand pouring, but I bought a Cajun injector for doing thin worms, like the flick shake and thin senkos, which are almost impossible to hand pour.

I actually was going to try to adapt an open faced lizard mold to inject, but found it's much easier to hand pour it sloppy, and then press a piece of smooth plywood down on the open mold to make the overflow thin, and then trim it with an exacto knife once it's cooled. It only works because I pour for myself, not for sale, but it is simple and quick.

[BuffTriton]

I prefer hand pouring, but I bought a Cajun injector for doing thin worms, like the flick shake and thin senkos, which are almost impossible to hand pour.

I actually was going to try to adapt an open faced lizard mold to inject, but found it's much easier to hand pour it sloppy, and then press a piece of smooth plywood down on the open mold to make the overflow thin, and then trim it with an exacto knife once it's cooled. It only works because I pour for myself, not for sale, but it is simple and quick.

If you don't mind my asking off topic a bit, how does that Cajun hold up to heat? I was told it didn't very well. I have a very limited use app for it and was considering giving it a try.

[mark poulson]

If you don't mind my asking off topic a bit, how does that Cajun hold up to heat? I was told it didn't very well. I have a very limited use app for it and was considering giving it a try.

For the amount I pour, it holds up fine. I am carefull not to cross thread the assembly when I am reassembling it after I clean it out.

I spray PAM into the cylinder before I insert the plunger, and lower the entire tip assembly end into the hot plastic for a second or two before I pull back slowly on the plunger to fill the cylinder.

I can inject two+ ounces before it gets too cool, and the plastic starts to thicken.

I cut the original needle tip down to about 3/8" long, and drill the sprue holes in my POP molds to 1/4" diameter, which is a pretty snug fit, but leaves room for the plastic to overflow when the cavities are full.

I've had good luck injecting flick shake and thin senkos, but I get a hollow tip at the sprue end with 5" full size senkos. I think I will either enlarge the sprue hole, so there's enough plastic to backfill the hollow end, or hand pour the larger worms.

The specs on the injector say it's nickle plated brass, so it gets hot really quickly.

I wear gloves when I use it.

[BuffTriton]

For the amount I pour, it holds up fine. I am carefull not to cross thread the assembly when I am reassembling it after I clean it out.

I spray PAM into the cylinder before I insert the plunger, and lower the entire tip assembly end into the hot plastic for a second or two before I pull back slowly on the plunger to fill the cylinder.

I can inject two+ ounces before it gets too cool, and the plastic starts to thicken.

I cut the original needle tip down to about 3/8" long, and drill the sprue holes in my POP molds to 1/4" diameter, which is a pretty snug fit, but leaves room for the plastic to overflow when the cavities are full.

I've had good luck injecting flick shake and thin senkos, but I get a hollow tip at the sprue end with 5" full size senkos. I think I will either enlarge the sprue hole, so there's enough plastic to backfill the hollow end, or hand pour the larger worms.

The specs on the injector say it's nickle plated brass, so it gets hot really quickly.

I wear gloves when I use it.

Thanks appreciate it

[Vodkaman]

I think I will either enlarge the sprue hole, so there's enough plastic to backfill the hollow end, or hand pour the larger worms.

Maybe try the insert idea That Jim from Ghostbaits and I discussed. Jim has taken the idea and made it work. Would be ideal in your application, with such a small injector nozzle diameter.

Dave

Edited September 24, 2010 by Vodkaman

[mark poulson]

Maybe try the insert idea That Jim from Ghostbaits and I discussed. Jim has taken the idea and made it work. Would be ideal in your application, with such a small injector nozzle diameter.

Dave

Dave,

What insert idea are you talking about?

I can't find it with the search feature.

Since the bubbles/hollow occurs at the top of the worms, I'm assuming the mixing air bubbles that normally make their way up and out when I pour are trapped by the narrow sprue, so the plastic cools on the sides of the POP mold at the top, and the trapped air makes that end hollow.

I thought enlarging the sprue hole, or making it taller, so there would be a reservoir of hot plastic at the top that could be sucked back down into the top of the worm, would solve the problem.

[Vodkaman]

Dave,

What insert idea are you talking about?

I can't find it with the search feature.

I struggled to fing it myself, I called it an adapter, lol.

Here is a link to the first mention of the adaptor: http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/topic/17843-bears-hand-injectors-do-they-work-on-bobs-molds/

Here is a link to were Jim reminded me, as I had the same idea again: http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/topic/20222-senko-molds/page__p__151029__hl__insert__fromsearch__1#entry151029

This would allow you to have a larger inlet port, allowing room for more plastic to be drawn into the mold when shrinkage/contraction occurs, if this is indeed the problem. The original idea was to protect the PoP mold from chipping, with contact with the injector.

Dave

[mark poulson]

Thanks for the links Dave.

My POP molds are all made with pine borders and plywood backs, so I don't worry about damaging the POP with an adapter.

I'll probably make a temporary reservoir from duct tape, and fill it as I inject, so there will be enough hot plastic to draw back down into the smaller sprue holes as the plastic cools and shrinks.

That way, if it works, I can make a "permanent" adapter, and, if it doesn't, I'm not out a lot of work for nothing.

I actually already use duct tape around the outside of my two part POP flick shake mold, and I don't have those problems with those worms.

You'd think, since I already solved the problem by accident once, I'd remember how to do it the next time. Doh!!!! CRS bigtime!

[Vodkaman]

I remember seeing pics of your molds, very impressive.

Dave

[mark poulson]

I remember seeing pics of your molds, very impressive.

Dave

Hahaha. They all seem crude to me, but they do the job.