knifemaker3 Posted May 24, 2003 Report Share Posted May 24, 2003 I tried everything that was suggested in my last post and still have it scorching on me. I shook til my arm got tired on the quart bottle I'm using. I lined the top of my burner with aluminum foil. I heated slooooow. Plastic turned clear, color was added, heated til it thinned just barely enough to pour and it still scorched. It doesn't matter how I do it, if I try and heat it past it just turning clear, it's gonna burn And my arm feels like it's gonna fall off from all the constant stirring so stirring while heating can't be the problem I've tried adding the color and glitter before heating thinking maybe that would help..... Now what????? I'm at a loss. I am using the stainless pouring pans from Lurecraft and a cheap $10 burner. Any suggestions? I'm about to give up on this and just throw it all out the window Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reaper lures Posted May 25, 2003 Report Share Posted May 25, 2003 Like I said before it might need as many as 5-6 sheets thick of the foil. Also try heating up s-l-o-w-l-y. Start out with a little heat then add a little more and wait 3 minutes and keep repeating till you find a setting that will heat your plastic just enough and not scorch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charkins Posted May 25, 2003 Report Share Posted May 25, 2003 I use 2 oz of plastic in pyrex beaker or measuring cup. Heat for about 20 to 30 seconds, stir, add glitter, color,etc. Put it back in and heat about another 5 seconds. Works every time for me. I hate the hot plate and stir method. This works!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knifemaker3 Posted May 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2003 Reaper, I lined the burner on top with a piece folded over twice making 4 sheets. I turned my burner on the lowest setting and heated slooooow. I even took the pot off the burner several times while stirring and it still scorched I am using M-F regular liquid plastic. Could it be that I need to use super soft or maybe Lurecraft's plastic instead? Or maybe I'm not putting enough plastic in my pot at a time? I fill it up to the 1/4 cup mark which comes to 2 oz. according to a water measure I made to determine how many cups to 2 oz. I hate to try it once in the microwave. My wive would shoot me when our food come out tasting like plastic worms Thanks for the replies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redg8r Posted May 25, 2003 Report Share Posted May 25, 2003 check your local goodwill or thrift shop for a used microwave. I found alot here & the one I bought for $15 actually is in better shape than the big one in my kitchen. using pyrex, ive found it hard to burn the plastic & the thick borosilicate glass keeps a cup of plastic in a pourable stage for quite a good while. Ive poured a few molds, & let the plastic (in pyrex) set out long enough for the plastic in the mold to cure, then was able to pour the same mold again, without reheating the plastic (in pyrex) what formula of MF plastic you usin? (number) P.S. if you try the pyrex, find a piece of corkboard, wood, or similar material to set the hot glass on. I set a hot cup of plastic on my ceramic cooktop after heating & POP, it shattered...... I guess hot pyrex dont like touching cold or cool surfaces.....hope it helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reaper lures Posted May 26, 2003 Report Share Posted May 26, 2003 Knifemaker, Try doubling up another sheet of foil so you have 8 layers and just keep your hot plate set as low as it goes. Don't turn it up see what happens. If after 10 minutes you don't turn the plastic clear turn the heat up a little and wait. Trust me it's you not the plastic I had the same problem as you when I first started. I kept burning and I swore I had a bad batch. I just heated it s-l-o-w-l-y and finaly found a setting point where I could heat and now I am good. I learned the layers of foil tip from someone here. It works when I dip tubes I can leave my plastic on the burner for an hour and still not scortch or burn my plastic. I use a steel pan with a pour spout from wal mart. Good luck don't give up you'll get it. Once you get to pouring you'll probably have trouble with air bubbles but I will help you tackle that latter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodsac Posted May 26, 2003 Report Share Posted May 26, 2003 I'm just gonna throw this out there.... :idea: Is it possible that you have a burner with a bad thermostat on it : Try heating water on the lowest setting, and then on mid or full and time both to see if maybe your thermostat is bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senkosam Posted May 26, 2003 Report Share Posted May 26, 2003 You may have to eventually invest in a Lee Production pot for $52. The pot automatically heats to 325 regardless of the setting (low or 7) and is put lower with less plastic in the pot. A thin layer of plastic will scorch (like when the pot is first plugged in, but a 1/2" layer or greater, will staty liquid and not scorch. Stirring is still necessary, but not as often. My small coffe grinder does great making salt the consistancy of fine flour. Got to try it with metal flake from Walmart. Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knifemaker3 Posted May 26, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2003 Reaper, I'll try adding more foil this afternoon if I get my hay cut early enough to play with plastics today Gotta put haying 1st to keep the beef cows happy this winter Thanks to all for the replies. I'll get this right sometime I'll report my findings when I get time to try your suggestions. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Drop Shot Store Posted May 26, 2003 Report Share Posted May 26, 2003 When I first started pouring I used the double burner and the LC pouring pots. I solved the scorching by doing several things. I cut some .125 aluminum sheetmetal to cover the burner elements. That spreads the heat out evenly and prevents localized hot spots. I then hammer formed the bottom of the pots so that they were dead flat. When heating the plastic I would start on low and gradually increase the temp until it was right. If you are pouring single color stuff, the plastic doesn't need to be any hotter than 300 so you should never be close to scorching. Just use a little patience during the warm up and you wont burn any plastic. It's quite possible that for you needs a microwave and pirex cup might be the best answer. Quite a few of the guys on here use that method and it works great for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knifemaker3 Posted May 27, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2003 IT WORKED!!!!!! I used a trivet (that's what my wife called it ) to keep the pot off the burner. I was able to turn the heat up high enough to keep it in a nice pourable state without stirring while my lure cooled in the mold and it still did'nt scorch!!!!!! I took a quick scan of some of the plastics I poured. They didn't show up the best. The brown finesse worm with the blue tail is actually all brown :oops: . The scanner just didn't pick them up too well. But hey, no scorch flakes Thanks for all the help guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charkins Posted May 27, 2003 Report Share Posted May 27, 2003 Congratulations!!! Keep on pouring! Experience is a good teacher. Order 4 more gallons and by then you will be a pro . Lots of luck! Still think you should try the microwave though! Cal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryno Plastics Posted May 27, 2003 Report Share Posted May 27, 2003 Hey Knifemaker, I'm having the same dern scorching problem! Where can I get one of them trivet thing-a-ma-jigs? I've been looking for a simmering ring (perhaps that's the same thing) but haven't had any luck. Wal-Mart doesn't have a clue what I'm talking about and the hardware store didn't have any in stock So.....I haven't been able to pour for weeks! Any suggestions on where to find one. could you send a pic of what one looks like? Any help will be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks! Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reaper lures Posted June 1, 2003 Report Share Posted June 1, 2003 Knifemaker Glad to see you finaly got it I hope I helped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...