Cormorant Lures Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 So tonight I came back from a wonderful camping weekend and just had to try out my new hobby for the first time!!! My first batch came out terrible... I used the Morten's Pickling Salt right outta the box and even with constant stirring, it did not seem to dissolve.... The next batch came out better but it seems like I am getting air bubbles in my plastic... I am using Calhoun’s soft, Morten's Pickling Salt (blended in a blender), M-F Plastic Softener, Pyrex, a microwave, and a butter knife for a mixer... I have tried adding the salt before and after cooking... Not sure what is wrong... My baits seem like they are full of air bubbles on the inside... I am shaking the gallon of Calhoun’s before I pour into the pyrex... Could that be an issue?!? Another issue is that my plastic seems to harden very quickly out of the microwave... I stir it right away and add a drop or two of color and by that time I have to put it back in the microwave for a re-heat otherwise its to slow to pour... Right now I only have (1) 4" and (1) 5" senko mold so I am only mixing 2 oz. batches of plastic... Problem is by the time I get to my second mold; again my plastic seems to get to slow to pour... In my beginning stages I am trying to get my colors right, so its hard for me to justify wasting more plastic than I have to... Let me know what you think... Thanks again!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Salt does not dissolve in the plastic. Do you still get the bubbles without adding salt? I suspect that your temperature is not right, as you mention that the plastic solidifies too quickly. Might be worth investing in an infra red thermometer. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass-Boys Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 2 oz batches are hard to do., I would go to 4 oz, and a thermometer is needed I used calhons a few years back, and bubbles were bad.. not sure how it is now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cormorant Lures Posted June 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 I do have an infrared thermometer... Are we talking 360 degrees?!? I never did get a clear answer on temperature from earlier... Here's another question... I have printed off quite a few of the recipes found on Del's and the cookbook on here... Only problem is, I have noticed almost all of them have not been modified for salt being added... Being a beginner and only having limited supplies, I would like to cut down on experimental coloring until I get down the basics... Any chance you guys can point me in the right direction for salt added recipes?!? Thanks!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Prager Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 As vodkaman stated the salt doesn't evaporate in the plastic. You don't need to flour the Morten's salt unless you want opaque baits. That's what flouring salt does. It will suspend better in the plastic but the baits in my opinion look like crap. I would highly suggest pouring some baits without salt to get a feel for your mic, plastic, colorant, etc. It's just one less variable to deal with. I would also highly suggest reading previous threads in the soft bait forum as well as utilizing the search engine. There is a wealth of information there and answers to most questions as well as time/money saving tips, tricks and techniques. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPFY Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Leave out the salt and the softener on your first tries pour 4oz plastic and heat for 50sec. stir plastic and heat for 20 sec. stir plastic and add a few drops of one color. (just stick to one color for now. I say watermelon) back in microwave for 20 more sec. remove from microwave and stir. Check consistency. Should be thin and watery. it may be smoking a little bit. Not too much or you burnt it. hard to do if you stick to 20 sec intervals. just to be sure stick back in microwave for one more heat 15 or 20 sec. pour first bait. that's it. just get one done at a time until you get a feel for heating the plastic. soon you will get in a rhythm and be able to pour more baits, one after the other heating for 15 20 sec between pours. when you get that down pat then I would experiment with adding a capfull of salt, custom colors, and additives like extra softener. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cormorant Lures Posted June 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 (edited) Thank you all for the replies!!! Alright, so I just went down and looked again at the baits I poured last night... Four majors issues, three of which I think I can figure out on my own and one that I need your help on... I just noticed that after my wife cut off my sprues, my stick baits are HOLLOW from the top to about 1 1/2" down!!! I am using basstackles 4" and 5" stick bait molds... What could be my problem?!? Edited June 20, 2011 by Cormorant Lures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPFY Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Thank you all for the replies!!! Alright, so I just went down and looked again at the baits I poured last night... Four majors issues, three of which I think I can figure out on my own and one that I need your help on... I just noticed that after my wife cut off my sprues, my stick baits are HOLLOW from the top to about 1 1/2" down!!! I am using basstackles 4" and 5" stick bait molds... What could be my problem?!? maybe you are pouring too fast. Just a thin little stream of plastic is all you want. Don't let it touch the sides of the pour hole. Keep it upright and top it off after a few seconds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass-Boys Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 as stated above , you are filling the molds to fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Prager Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 You have to keep topping off the cavities until no more plastic gets sucked down. Just remelt those sitcks with a little fresh plastic and repour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
