Soft Sinking Plastisol

[Tiderunner]

I probably should have asked some questions beforehand, but I just ordered a gallon of M-F Manufacturing Soft Sinking Plastic.

Has anyone tried this product yet?  Is it soft, say soft enough to feel like Yamo Senkos?

If it's not that soft, if I add softener to it does that affect its sinking properties?  And does it actually sink better than other plastics.

Most of my stickbaits weigh between 10.0 -11.5 grams.   Can I expect the same weights from this plastic?

I was using glass beads, and salt combo to achieve sink rates.  I decided to use the soft sinking plastic to eliminate using glass beads ( not impressed with them ) and to minimize salt to keep my baits more transperant

 

[Anglinarcher]

It I my understanding that the sink rate of the Sinking Plastic is not as great as the Senkos.  The company M-F advertises it takes less salt, etc.  to achieve sink rates.  Still, I have not done a specific test on it myself.

We cannot answer the weights of the stickbaits without knowing the volume.  If you can tell us what mold you are using, then perhaps someone on the site has that information.

We have discussed glass beads on the site before.  If I may ask, what is your issue with them?  I have not yet tried them so your experience will help me as well.

Good luck.

[Tiderunner]

I'm using the Do It CNC cut 5" Senko Mold. And using the MF Medium Plastic. I was using tons of salt to achieve the weights I wanted, so I switched to glass bead salt combos.

While the beads game me the mass I wanted, and the sink rate. there is two things I didn't like.

One is I find it takes much higher temps to heat the platic than just salt by itself. Maybe that's just my imagnation, I found the repeat heatings discolored the plastic more with each reheat. I also found that my glitter melted and further discolored the the plastc. Especially the black glitter.

I also add the heat stabilizer. However that has a yellowish tone to it, maybe thats what causing the yellowish discoloring in my clear baits?

Yes I use a thermometer. I had temps around 340* where without the glass beads I could pour with temps as lows as 300* without any change in the baits,

And the second issue I had with the glass beads, I us an 8 oz. hand inject from Do-It  Even though I am always using pure silicone lubricant to lube the tube, it is badly scored from the beads. When injecting you can hear the glass scraping against the tube.

It has made it a little harder each use to push the knob down because all internal parts are scored.

What I've done is instead of using a higher amout of glass beads, and a smaller amount of salt I reversed the recipe.

I use less glass beads, more salt, which is still a lot less salt than using salt alone. My original recipe was 4 oz plastic. 2 oz beads.

Tablespoon salt, couple drops of stabilizer. Couple drops of softener.

I've reversed the salt and glass now. Approx 2 oz salt to a table spoon of beads. Seems to be working better. But still seems I need to get the plastic hotter when using glass beads.

I did try something one day. I was playing around with some glow in the dark pigments, and when I weighed the Senkos made with phosphorescent pigments. The weight was over 13 grams. To say that the pigment is heavy is an understatement. It's only a powder, dust, yet the density adds weight quickly. Bit of  advice though. If you're making glow in the dark baits. when you shut off all the lights in your work area, there is an eerie glow everywhere you put the baits. paint, powders etc.  Creepy with all the glow in the dark floating in mid air.

[mark poulson]

I haven't had any problem with heating my plastic with blast media glass beads added.  I add the beads before my initial cooking of the plastic, in the same proportions you use.  I subtract one tbs. of beads and add one tbs. of salt for flavor.  I also add one tsp of softener, and 1/2 tsp. of stabilizer.  I heat to 350+, and don't stir until the plastic has become clear and runny.

I use Baitjunky's soft for my senkos, and I know he adds stabilizer to his plastic before I get it, but I've always done it that way.

Once the plastic is cooked, I add my BJ glitterand colorant, and stir well.  I check the temps again, and reheat until the plastic in the middle is up to 335.  Then I inject.

I use spray PAM (actually the store brand version) to lubricate my injector, and relube after each injection.  I also push the plunger all the way out and shoot some PAM down into the injector tube before I put the plunger back in, to cut down on the scratching sound as I inject.  I've only injected three gallons of plastic this way, but the injector still works fine, with no plastic getting past the O ring.

[Tiderunner]

Mark...I'm pretty much doing everything you're doing. My glitter is MF brand as is my Plastisol..I'm heating to around 340*  adding  glitter and coloring. Sometimes I add the color before heating, but never the glitter.I don;t reheat unless my thermometer tells me to.

I do stir during the heating process as I find the mixture clumps. I also use a microwave so the plastic probably isn't heating evenly. Another reason I stir.

CNC  I also do a lot like you. I only worry about coming close to real Senkos because that's what I had success with. I fish a lot of smallmouth waters where I might be fishing anywhere from 30-60ft deep. I need my Senko to get down. I fish them with a Carolina rig when going really deep. I like lots and lots of wiggle so I go soft.

I go for casting distance, fall rate and wiggle on the trip down.

UPS notified me my gallon will be here Thursday. I'll do some experimenting. I'll still use the glass beads but not as high an amountso I can still drop back on salt giving me a clearer bait.

Friday or Saturday I head up north where I will be fishing deep deep clear water. I'll also be trying my Bismuth Tin jigheads I've been pouring all winter. ( most New England states no longer allow lead under 1 ounce inland )

Next mold is a 4 or 5 inch twin tail grub to match the jigheads. I'll let you know if my Senkos work.  BTW  I call mine Bobbos

[mark poulson]

Good luck!

[Tiderunner]

Made my first  Bobbos ( Senkos )

Using this plastic I still had to a lot of salt to achieve the weights I needed.  With 4 oz of plastic I added 1/4 cup of salt And 2 tablespoons of glass media. 2 tablespoons of stabilizer. and 2 tablespoons of softener.

I ended up with a bait weighing 10.7 grams which is right around my target weight,  I fish deep water so I need to weight for casting and sink rate.   (40-60ft depths )  Clarity of my baits were fair to good. Maybe using only glass media, or more glass and less salt it would be even better.

What I did get that seemed to be what I prefer in my baits is a very soft, flexible wiggly bait. I can now fish these wacky rigged or Texas rigged.  I can cast them like a rocket, and get action all the way down just by dead sticking.  I think this plastic would also make good worm and  larger grubs for me using only minimal salt and no glass media.

I'll probably stick to this plastisol for future use.

[wvspeck]

On 7/18/2017 at 10:26 AM, CNC Molds N Stuff said:

I used to use super soft with about 1/3 cup salt to 1 cup plastisol when I started.  When I switched to M-F soft sinking I dropped down to 1/4 cup of salt to 1 cup of plastisol.  I quit comparing my baits to Senkos(r) a long time ago.  Then again I don't pour a true Senko knockoff either.  I pour my own bait I call a Club-O.  I get great casting distance, good fall rate, I've caught plenty of fish, and even won a couple tournaments with them. 
 

Are You just using plain table salt?  Thanks