Mojo Posted August 30, 2004 Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 I'm starting to get some orders, and I'm curious. For you guys that are in the business, how many of the same molds / cavities do you usually pour with? I am pouring stick baits with a 4 cavity mold and it takes me about an hour to go through 4 oz. of plastic. I'm getting about 16-17 worms for that amount of plastic with softener, salt, and color/glitter added. That's for 1 color sticks; pour 4, remove, put mold back together and keep pouring. Some of that time is spent reheating the plastic in my 8oz pyrex in the microwave. Also, how many worms per hour are you getting on the amount of cavities that you use? What is a good amount of cavities to get the max production per hour? 10? 15? I'm expecting to get alot busier soon. No one is hand pouring around here, so I should have a corner on the market! I've got orders for 8 and 10 bags already, and that's only the first 2 guys I've talked to. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siebler_custom_baits Posted August 30, 2004 Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 an hour to make 16 baits? with a 4 cavity mold. Thats 15 minutes per time you pour. Seems a little slow to me. In one piece molds i have cleared several hundred reapers in an hour using like 6 cups of plastic sometimes and like 20 molds for some of the sizes. It just depends on the bait you are pouring and method you are using. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tm Customs Posted August 30, 2004 Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 I have at least 10 cavities for any plastics I am selling and 2-4 for personal use. Senko molds I have 2 of each size but I am looking to get 1 more of each size. I would say if your looking to clean up get a few lee pots and mabey 5 of each size senko mold and you could be killin em' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted August 30, 2004 Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 I just started pouring earlier this year so from an experience level am a novice but find that pouring into a four cavity stick mold goes rather fast. Easily pour the four ounces without having to reheat in the microwave. The mold does get a little hot with the last pours and I have to wait a little longer to let it set but would think that from start to bagging it takes less than 15 minutes to go through 4 oz soft plastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsworms Posted August 30, 2004 Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 My only advise is set aside some money from your first few orders to invest in molds. It will sure pay off in the long run. There's nothing worse than "down time", waiting for baits to cool before making your next pour. Number of baits per hour really depends on what you're pouring. Stick baits and other salt-injected plastics will take longer because of mixing time (time allowed to keep the salt suspended in your plastic). I try to lay down at least 30 cavities of a single bait if I'm working on decent sized orders, but it took me a long time to buy all those molds. I know some guys who work with 3 times that many. This "hobby" can be expensive if you try to cover it all in one shot. Try to think of your income on a "per hour" basis. Let's say you sell your stickbaits at 40 cents each. You make 100 in an hour. It costs you 5 bucks in materials to make 'em. You just cleared 35 bucks in that hour (not including labor). Not bad for a side job. It's really as simple as that. If you're looking at 16 baits per hour, that can get awfully tedious with no reward at all. Sorry - didn't mean to write a novel here. What I really wanted to say was "the more molds the merrier"! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tm Customs Posted August 30, 2004 Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 Chris, Do you ever find the plastic getting cold before you pour the 30? And how about on laminates? Just wondering, if you use the microwave because some times I can't pour 20 before its to thick. Taylor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Posted August 30, 2004 Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 I have an 8-cavity and a 4-cavity of the same 5" stickbait. I am able to do about 38-40 per hour using a full 12oz Lee Pot (not using a microwave to preheat the plastic). I know I could do more if I had the larger Lee Pot or another Lee Pot and more molds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojo Posted August 31, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2004 Thanks for all the replies guys. I realized early on that if I was going to be pouring for sale that I would need more molds than the 4 cavity that I have now. I usually have to reheat a few times on a 4 oz cup of plastic before it's gone. I don't have a thermometer, but I heat it until it's nice and runny, with some minor smoking/fuming. Calhoun's is great in that you don't have to worry about burning it with multiple reheats. Chris, thanks for the novel! I'm somebody that appreciates more information. I tend to read everything I can get my hands on when I'm starting something like a new hobby. It can be difficult for newbies to get started without some visual aids. Shouldn't be too difficult to buy some more molds. Already planned. It helps that the wife has a small soap business on the side. When she buys something for soap, I buy for worms and vice versa. Makes it easy to drop $30 on some of SenkoSams glitter without any hassles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsworms Posted August 31, 2004 Report Share Posted August 31, 2004 Mojo..... Glad it helped. Sometimes I can get a little carried away with this stuff. Taylor..... I don't believe I explained myself very well. I try to have 30 cavities layed out, but I only work with 3 or 4 at a time. All my original heating is done with the microwave; then I transfer to the small 4 ounce cups on hot plates. From there, if I'm doing laminates.......I'll pour 3 back colors, place that cup on the burner, then pour the 3 bellies, all the while keeping the cups rotating on the burners (low to medium heat). I never have a problem with the plastic burning this way. I only use the microwave initially because it takes too long to cook plastisol on the burners, but they work great for keeping the plastic warm. As I'm sure you know, if the plastic is not hot, your layers will not mold together. This is why I limit it to working with just a few cavities at a time. By the time I get back to the first couple molds, the baits are plenty cool to pull out and toss on the pan. If I'm going well, I can easily get 150 to 200 baits done in an hour; more like 100 if they contain salt. I don't really want to do more than that because then it gets too demanding. There I go with another novel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WallsOut Posted August 31, 2004 Report Share Posted August 31, 2004 Als Worms I have a question. Are you placing your pyrex cups directly on hot plates or are you transferring to a metal pan? It sounded like the cups themselves, but I'm not sure. Also what kind of hot plates are you using? Where can I get some and what do they cost? I hate having to put the cups back in and out of the microwave. Thanks Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova Posted August 31, 2004 Report Share Posted August 31, 2004 You shouldn't put your pyrex cups on the hotplate. I only did it once and it exploded. Glad I had a long sleave shirt and my apron on. On one of the pieces I read " do not put on hotplate". Oh well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsworms Posted August 31, 2004 Report Share Posted August 31, 2004 I only use pyrex cups in the microwave. Like Nova said.....try to put them on the burners and you'll eventually have an explosion!! Once my plastic is cooked in the pyrex, I transfer them into the 4-ounce aluminum cups. The little cups are then placed on the burners. These are cheap burners that you can get at Walmart for about 8 bucks a piece. If you have the latest Lure Craft catalog, they're on page 7 - stock no. 2X103. Lure Craft calls it a "Plastic Melting Stove". I guess that's why they can charge 24 bucks for one. They are no different than any other burner that you can buy for a third that price. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WallsOut Posted August 31, 2004 Report Share Posted August 31, 2004 Thanks for the reply. This may be another dumb question, but where can I get the 4-ounce aluminum cups or any aluminum cups? Also do these have a handle and pouring spout like pyrex cups? I'm young a still live with my parents so I don't really have any experience with what kind of appliances and household accesories are out there. Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tm Customs Posted August 31, 2004 Report Share Posted August 31, 2004 The pouring pots are just like small kitchen pots avalible in right and left hand models from lure craft 2.00ea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodsac Posted August 31, 2004 Report Share Posted August 31, 2004 Eric, Take a look at this post. http://www.tackleunderground.com/board/viewtopic.php?p=6223#6223 On the far right hand side of the pic is a double electric hot plate. I picked this one up at Wal-Mart for about $15 or $20 I think. You can use any aluminum pot. Look around at local thrift stores. Try and get good aluminum pots with the thickest bottoms possible. Then you can simply use a pair of pliers to form a pour spout. Also try and get pots without metal handles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WallsOut Posted September 1, 2004 Report Share Posted September 1, 2004 Thanks for the tips again guys. That's an awesome little workbench you got there woodsac. I found some single burners on Amazon for 9.99 each so I ordered 3 of them and I got free shipping and didn't have to pay tax. I also ordered 3 pans from lurecraft since I was placing an order today anyways. I ordered a few of them when I first started about a year ago and remember them being pretty cheesy. I threw them away because I started using a microwave. I'm still on the prowl for better ones, but this should hold me over till I can find some good ones. Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassin Jack Posted September 1, 2004 Report Share Posted September 1, 2004 Thanks for all the great info guys. I too think that the "novels" are great. But I am the kind of jerk that read the directions before trying to put my kids toys together at 1am christmas eve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmang Posted September 1, 2004 Report Share Posted September 1, 2004 Chris: What did you mean by " By the time I get back to the first couple molds, the baits are plenty cool to pull out and toss on the pan." What type of pan are you referring to? I realize that is a rookie question but I would like to get some clarification. Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsworms Posted September 2, 2004 Report Share Posted September 2, 2004 Schmang..... If I have 30 cavities layed out, I start with pouring the first 3 backs, then lay the bellies on top. Then I do cavities 4,5, & 6, and so on. By the time I pour the last 3 cavities, the first 3 have cooled and are ready to pull out, and I can start the process all over again. Kind of a rotation thing I guess. I get the little 4 ounces cups from Lure Craft. Just make sure you ask for the old style. The new ones are all metal (including the handle), and they'll burn your hand. Plus they are way too bulky in my opinion. A buddy of mine uses the big cups and he glues popsicle sticks to the handles to keep from burning himself. Seems like too much work to me. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
