Adding Color... Hot Or Cold?

[JRammit]

FINALLY got my supplies!!! Colors, glitter, pearls... Possibilities are endless!!!... The days of melting down old lures are over!!!... Feel kinda lost, don't know where to start..?.. But that's a good problem to have!.... My question... Went with Spike-It/Lure Craft plastic and colorant.. On the bottle it says mix colors in cold plastic... But cold plastic is milky white... Makes it kinda hard to tell how much color to put in cause it changes when the plastic turns clear after heating.. Is there a reason I can't add color after heating??

[Bass-Boys]

for me I add florescent & pearls to cold plastic.

 and the other liquid colors I can add extra to hot .

 

the flors and pearls do not like hot

 

 

flors will seem weak when added to hot and you use more

the pearls will stay lumpy in hot

 

so if more is needed I mix it in a small amount of cold plastic like a 1/2  oz mix well and

add that to the hot mix.

Edited June 11, 2014 by Bass-Boys

[nova]

I add everything to the cold plastic. That way there is no foul ups.

[SlowFISH]

for me I add florescent & pearls to cold plastic.

 and the other liquid colors I can add extra to hot .

 

the flors and pearls do not like hot

 

 

flors will seem weak when added to hot and you use more

the pearls will stay lumpy in hot

 

so if more is needed I mix it in a small amount of cold plastic like a 1/2  oz mix well and

add that to the hot mix.

 

+1..... My first experience with Florescent Chartreuse I used a ton of it as I was adding to hot plastic.... next time I added it to cold then heated and it worked great - used alot less colorant as well.

 

For all basic colors I add to hot plastic so I can judge how translucent or opaque it is.  For a hobby pourer - this works just fine.  If you are pouring for production or sales - I'd make sure to write down your recepies and follow them each time.

 

  J.

[kevin24018]

+1..... My first experience with Florescent Chartreuse I used a ton of it as I was adding to hot plastic.... next time I added it to cold then heated and it worked great - used alot less colorant as well.

 

For all basic colors I add to hot plastic so I can judge how translucent or opaque it is.  For a hobby pourer - this works just fine.  If you are pouring for production or sales - I'd make sure to write down your recepies and follow them each time.

 

  J.

actually that excellent advise, if that's not added to a sticky somewhere it should be.

[Frank]

I used to have to add flor colors before and would be a pain if I forgot. Then add it to small amount of plastic and add it in. Now I use pretty much all Spikeit colorant and add it after. Yes all of it. Now flor color do take more and by more I mean 20ccs to four cups. This gives me a brite flor color. Some take more even up to 30ccs but all of there's can be added to hot plastic. This way all my colors can be added after and I won't forget.

[JRammit]

I do write down my recipes and leave myself a little note in a bag with leftover plastic so I can see how it turned out later... Once I get all my colors down I should b able to add cold, but adding hot will help figure out new colors... Thanks for all the tips!!

[white-cap]

I add everything after the plastic is hot except powders. I almost exclusively use lure craft and have had no problems with this method.

[JRammit]

I do write down my recipes and leave myself a little note in a bag with leftover plastic so I can see how it turned out later... Once I get all my colors down I should b able to add cold, but adding hot will help figure out new colors... Thanks for all the tips!!

[JRammit]

Also, I got a free sample of pearl powder, haven't used it yet.... I believe I apply it to the mold before pouring, not mixed into the plastic... Am I correct??

[Frank]

Either way but the most common is adding it to plastic. Alumidust is sold by alimilte and say to apply to mold. Doing it that way makes a mess out of your work area, not to mention your molds are too.

[ipt]

you can get a good idea on how it'll look after it heats up when you are adding it to cold plastic.

 

I like to shoot my plastic as fast as i can when it gets up to temp so it doesnt stay hot too long and fry the glitter or yellow the plastic.

 

put your color in while its cold, if you dont like how it looks then make adjustments after its hot.

[JRammit]

Either way but the most common is adding it to plastic. Alumidust is sold by alimilte and say to apply to mold. Doing it that way makes a mess out of your work area, not to mention your molds are too.

That makes sense, I'd end up with a little blue pearl on every bait I shot through that mold after... So adding to plastic sounds better!... No clue how much to add though..?.. I'm making 1/4 cup batches of plastic, so, would one small pinch of powder b about right?

[Frank]

I have some small measuring spoons off of amazon. The smallest one is a drop which is two sizes smaller than a pinch. I would start with a drop and go from there. The most I use in my formulas is 1tsp to four cups. Most of the time it is half a tsp. A little goes along way.

[patrick reif]

I always do it after the plastic is hot and clear. I then start with flake to make sure I'm not adding too much, the pearl powder if applicable, and finally the colorants. I'm not certain there is a wrong way to do it as long as it works for you.