Shooting star setup

[joelhains]

I've finally got myself an Ultra Molds (Mini) Shooting Star system. I have a few questions for you guys that use this system on a regular basis. Do you mix/cook your plastic in the shooting star or do you microwave the uncooked plastic, mix your colors first then pour into the pots? Also what is the lowest temperature you've found that you can still easily shoot? Finally what have you found is the easiest way to clean it out when you're finished or want to change colors? I've already learned (the hard way) no to leave the mixers in when the plastic cools!

 

Thanks

[Cub48]

LOL u sound like me i did the same with my mixers the first batch. Ok here is the way i do mine and so far it is working. I am adjusting my colors for 2 cups per pot and i heat my plastic to 350F in the Microwave i set my system to 298F and let it heat up while i am heating my plastic. I pour it in and cycle my injector at least once to heat it more  then start shooting make sure u pull the plastic in the injector slow and hold the injector tight to valve. When i get almost empty i turn the mixer off while i pull plastic then turn back on. When done i take mixers out let everything cool completely then i work the plug out and try to pull at least one of the runners out sometimes the will break off but most of the time one will come out. Next turn your system on and when it gets 200F + turn your valve and blow air thru the runners it will blow it into the pot be like a worm get it out. a couple wooden dowels will turn the valve don't use something that will scratch your valve. Also clean your injector after use i had some problems but they were corrected after i cleaned it.  I use the 2 cup method because i can double it if i need to. But most of the time i want to shoot about 300 baby shad at a time. And it works for me. Cub48

[RTM]

Omg!!!  Guys make this stuff too complicated.  I fill the pots up and wait for temp which takes forever.  Then I add color and glitter.  I don't know how anyone adds color before and gets it perfect each time.  Anyway heating in micro before adding should cut some time off.  For white the lowest we have put it to be shootable Is 325.  We suck it dry then cool it and clean that's it.

[joelhains]

Thanks for the info guys! I spent this past weekend experimenting with it. I've cooked plastic in the microwave and poured into the pots and I've cooked in the pots. I find if there's less than 2 cups per pot its better to to cook in the microwave. But I've been doing 6 cups per pot and find its easier to just cook in the pot. It takes about 18 minutes to cook 6 cups of plastic in my microwaves and I only have two circuits wired were I'm working so if I have 2 microwaves and the ultra molds heating up I blow breakers on whichever circuit has 2 of the 3 running at once. Cooking in the pots is just simpler. I don't worry about cleaning out the runners between colors. When I have the new color ready to shoot I just open up the valves to let the old color run out. Once I get the new color coming out, I'm good to start shooting.