Injection Machine - Where To Look?

[smalljaw]

Hey guys, I'm normally in the wire bait section but something interesting came up and now I need some help from the soft plastic gurus. A good friend of mine got a nice little building for cheap as it was condemned, anyway he worked on it for a long time on weekends and stuff and now he has it done and wants to get into high production of soft plastics. I told him to look at getting an injector and molds but he wants like an industrial machine, so, my question is this, where does one even start to look for something like that? Can you get one? Is there a used market or are these custom? Any help you could provide me would be great. I already told him the market is saturated but this is what he wants and he has a building that he owns free and clear and he has enough cash to get started but he wants an operation up and going within a year and I agreed to help and I am honestly overwhelmed by the number of plastic injection machines out there plus there is little information from these places which is why I asked you guys so again, any help would be great, thanks.

[rhahn427]

I think Power Tackle has a spin caster for sale for $2500 ......... not sure if that's what you want ...... I think it's in the classified section

[Frank]

Look up Zorn molds and you will find a machine that is pretty much the standard. It take molds with high cavity count. Spikeit has one too but you said high production.

Edited November 15, 2013 by Frank

[gonfishn]

You're buddy is better off looking for someone getting out of the plastics business. the reason AI say this is because most of the big guys have machines that were more or less hand built and they put out hundreds of thousands of product yearly. Zorn and some of the other's are more or less designed for smaller scale operations. Also, if your friend's never done this type of injection, on a commercial level, he'd be better off getting trained by the fella who is looking to sell his business.

[gone2long]

Zorn machines are for high production, any of the mold makers machines are smaller scale, your friend needs to do a lot of research as high production molds range in the tens of thousands of dollars themselves for a few. He should consider getting some contracts first as anything custom has a custom price

[carolinamike]

A Zorn machine is capable of producing 15 to 30 thousand pieces per 8 hour period, its according to the cavity count in the mold. With the average production mold being 30" tall, the width of the mold is determined by the length of the bait, for example, if you have a 4" worm you will have a center sprue(runner) a worm on each side of the runner and then space for venting, so you are probably looking at somewhere around 12" wide lets say with an average of 40 cavities this mold will be producing 40 worms every minute and a half. The cost of a pneumatic 2 color production machine is probably around 50,000 dollars complete, a hydrolic 2 color machine is somewhere in the nieghboorhood of 65-70 thousand. You can find used equippment but most used Zorn machines are bought up fairly quick. Keep in mind you will need at least a 10 horse power air compressor, adequete enough operating space, and unlike hand pours that deal in ounces you will be dealing with gallons.

[BigLewers]

I think Mike knows better than anyone.  I have been looking for a used Zorn machine but no luck what so ever.  Also I have been talking to a few people and a production mold can run anywhere from 3k-18k and up.  Depends on the complexity of the mold and how many cavities you want.  Zorn can make the molds also.  Basstackle, and D&J can also make the production molds.  I would, like the others have said, get hands on training first and see if its something that you want to get neck deep in.  You will spend a whole lot of cash up front.  Also look to see if you can shoot for other people, while you shoot for yourself.  This way you will have income coming in just incase you cant get your products into stores.  Does your friend want to sell in retail chains?  He is going to need barcodes.  GS1 is a good place to start.  Depending on how many barcodes he will need it can range from 1500 to 5000 dollars plus the yearly renewal.  Don't forget about the packaging. Do you have a sticker for your bags?  Are you getting custom bags made?  That to is very exspensive up front.  Is he set up with the IRS and the state?  Everyone is gonna want some tax out of the deal. 

[toadfrog]

I think I'd sell cars first . Make more money with less hassle .

[carolinamike]

D&J does not make molds, they are an injection company. A lot of injection companies will tell you they make molds when in fact they use people like Zorn and Bass Tackle, all they do is act as a middle man and of course they get a cut of your hard earned money. There is no need for a middle man or a mold designer, you work directly with the mold making companies. There was a company that made molds whose name was D&L but they are no longer in business. Zorn and Bass tackle are about your only choices for soft plastic production molds. High Rock molds is also looking to venture into the production mold business.

Edited December 6, 2013 by carolinamike

[JJK]

Davis industries is also venturing into that to

[carolinamike]

Do you mean Dallas Davis?

[JJK]

William Davis