mark poulson Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 I'm asking because I mixed up some med. plastic yesterday for Ikas, 2 oz, and added a half a cap of heat stabilizer and a cap of softener, along with 1 oz of kosher salt. I also added two tbs. of Caney Creek silica sand weighting additive (I found it in the last place I looked). Even with the salt, the bodies came out really soft. I like it, but I didn't add that much softener. So I'm left wondering, with all the different things I added, what made the plastic so soft? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass-Boys Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 (edited) I am not sure but I think you added a lot of stuff if you only started with 2 oz. of plastic ?? and I am sure it was but was the plastic mixed well before you started. ? also , how do you like the silica for the ikas?? Edited February 19, 2014 by Bass-Boys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsworms Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 At first glance, I thought I read you added a half CUP of softener! LOL Doesn't seem like too many additives to make it that soft. Hmmmmm...................... I know I always had a gallon of plastic set aside for reheats (tails and such), but I only added 1 ounce to that gallon. I remember once buying a really bad plastic that smoked for days, so I added a bunch of stabilizer. The end result was a batch of baits that were way too soft to use. Don't think that's your problem though. My rule of thumb was if you could smell the stabilizer in your end product, then you used too much. Might be the other products as I don't know much about kosher salt or silica sand, but it seems those would only make the baits harder? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baitjunkys Posted February 20, 2014 Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 I'm asking because I mixed up some med. plastic yesterday for Ikas, 2 oz, and added a half a cap of heat stabilizer and a cap of softener, along with 1 oz of kosher salt. I also added two tbs. of Caney Creek silica sand weighting additive (I found it in the last place I looked). Even with the salt, the bodies came out really soft. I like it, but I didn't add that much softener. So I'm left wondering, with all the different things I added, what made the plastic so soft? My rule of thumb is about 7.5% softner max to medium.. How much does your cap full hold? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass-Boys Posted February 20, 2014 Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 Mark, have you used this ratio before without the heat sta. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted February 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 I have used both the stabilizer and softener in more or less the same ratios before. The cap I use to measure is the cap that comes on the quart bottles of the materials. Now that you ask, the true variable I introduced is the silica stuff from Caney Creek. Maybe it makes the plastic softer. The reason I added the silica weight stuff was to see if it added enough weight to cut down on the salt, keep the plastic stronger, and make a heavier Ika than store bought. The original Ikas are only good for a couple of fish before they get thrown, or I have to replace them. I wound up adding more salt, almost to the original 2/1 plastic to salt ratio, to get the bodies up to the same weight as the originals. I like the softer bodies, but I'm afraid they won't hold up to more than a couple of fish, just like the originals. I poured up a couple dozen in the 301 green pumpkin/green and purple flake color that looks like either a craw or a bluegill to throw this weekend. Cruisers love the slow fall, and eat that color in clear water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
