M-F plastic turning yellow vs clear 1st time heated

[Senkosam]

Never had an issue with plastic turning a yellow tint and then more brown with each reheat. I prefer clear plastic for some lures. Temp is less than 300 degrees so I know overheating isn't the issue. The plastic is 6 years old but I've never heard of old plastic yellowing.

 

[Bass-Boys]

I have heard that the heat stabilizer gets bad with age.  

[Driftwood]

Yup, I have some 3-G plastis from a storage cabinet ( that will tell you how old it is.) and I have had to add a lot of heat stabilizer to it and mix the fire out of it.( hardpack) 

[Senkosam]

Guess I'll have to use dyes in small amounts to get color tints I like for many designs.

Thanks

[Redfisher]

Try heating the cup alone for 1 minute and shake the hell out of it.  Pop caused bubbles with heat.  Heat in the microwave at a slower pace.  Try 1 minute then 30 second burst.  If you start to get worried add some stabilizer.  Reheat cut it up small and then slowly heat with 30 to 20 second burst.  Pop any bubbles with heat.

[Apdriver]

I have some older Calhoun’s that yellows now on the first heat. It’s prolly 4-5 years old. When fresh, it would take multiple reheats without yellowing. When I make some more baits, I’m gonna add some heat stabilizer and see if it helps but for the most part the colorant covers it. I don’t make many clear baits or lightly colored stuff. 

[Bass-Boys]

10 hours ago, Apdriver said:

I have some older Calhoun’s that yellows now on the first heat. It’s prolly 4-5 years old. When fresh, it would take multiple reheats without yellowing. When I make some more baits, I’m gonna add some heat stabilizer and see if it helps but for the most part the colorant covers it. I don’t make many clear baits or lightly colored stuff. 

I have the same issue with some Calhoun's thats  3 years old . 

I am sure the heat stabilizer goes bad . 

 

[hpssports]

Same here with Calhoun. I've got a couple of gallons sitting on the shelf that's about 4 years old. Tried some of it a while back & it yellowed. Same with some old MF I've got stashed as well. I guess if I ever use it I need to invest in some heat stabilizer.

[Les Young]

How do you guys have any plastic that sets around & gets old? I order plastic about 3 times a year & never have none left because i wait until i open the last gallon to reorder.

[Senkosam]

Don't pour nearly as much as I used to. You must sell lures. I never did - personal use only.

Now with a candle flame to fuse lure parts together,  hand poured or store bought stored for decades, I come up with much better designs for catching all freshwater species. Last year I bought molds off Ebay cheap and use the parts from those pours not found on the usual mold sites. Guess I'll have to buy new plastic for clear lures or lure parts.

BTW - M-F never responded to my voice recording asking the question about yellowing. 

 

[Bass-Boys]

7 hours ago, Les Young said:

How do you guys have any plastic that sets around & gets old? I order plastic about 3 times a year & never have none left because i wait until i open the last gallon to reorder.

I ordered 2 - 55 gallon barrels. Plus I do not make baits just to make baits. Only make um when they are needed. I bet most guys have made so many they will never use um .

Edited June 12, 2020 by Bass-Boys

[Senkosam]

To buy that much plastic you must be selling !  I admire those who do sell lures in that they must have the discipline to consistently reproduce the same exact colors and lure softness for every order. Not me which is why I don't sell lures - only glitter.

I can't only use a few lures that I know catch fish when fish are found and active. Variety is the spice of fishing as I've said many times before where color variety is secondary to the combination of design, action and size - at least for me,  soft plastic being the most versatile material of all. When I look at many of the soft plastic lures sold on Ebay, I shake my head knowing that they don't have what it takes to catch the most fish most of the time and with different presentations - another part of fishing variety. I'm fortunate having local waters I can test lure designs/presentations and record the best of them on my pc via photos for future reproduction.

Edited June 12, 2020 by Senkosam

[Driftwood]

I used to sell but sold out a few years ago and retired from my day job. Just make what I  and a few friends need and am enjoying retirement. 

[Apdriver]

No sales for me either. Working full time and then all the time it takes for other things in life only leaves time to make for myself and give a few baits to friends and family. 

[Redfisher]

Did any of the tips help at all.  When plastic sits it can also collect moisture.for that long a time.  Condensation in the container forms and the heating process slowed down helps sometimes, not always.

[Senkosam]

No bubbles indicating moisture. Just yellowing.

[leonardjl@live.com]

On 6/12/2020 at 12:46 PM, Driftwood said:

I used to sell but sold out a few years ago and retired from my day job. Just make what I  and a few friends need and am enjoying retirement. 

Driftwood, could you email me at the address I posted with. I have a question for you about one of your old baits. 

[basscatlildave]

I bought some plastic from from somebody that was getting out of pouring and I have no idea how old it was. It get more brownish and stinks bad. I just use it for dark baits and add scent and all seems fine. Down here we always need black worms. 

[Glideb8]

I get the same thing.  I have a gallon of M-F that's 3 years old and it's perfectly clear to start with, but when it gets close to pourable temperature, the whole thing turns yellow like I put yellow color pigment in it.

[Bass-Boys]

yup ., just add some heat stabilizer to it and it should cure the problem . 

 

[bryanmc]

On 6/10/2020 at 5:14 AM, Senkosam said:

Never had an issue with plastic turning a yellow tint and then more brown with each reheat. I prefer clear plastic for some lures. Temp is less than 300 degrees so I know overheating isn't the issue. The plastic is 6 years old but I've never heard of old plastic yellowing.

 

Is it turning yellow on the initial heating or reheats? 

[SlowFISH]

If heat stabilize "goes bad" in the Plastisol that sits for long periods.... how long does Heat Stabilizer that I bought to add to my plastisol last?   Wouldn't that go bad over time as well?

J.

[Bass-Boys]

4 hours ago, SlowFISH said:

If heat stabilize "goes bad" in the Plastisol that sits for long periods.... how long does Heat Stabilizer that I bought to add to my plastisol last?   Wouldn't that go bad over time as well?

J.

I would sure think so . I tossed what I had , it was 4-5 years old , and got a new bottle just in case. The color was a touch different in the new from the old one too , also the old one was sticky around the cap . I am going to get a new small bottle every year now. Not sure if that is needed but that is what I will do .

[SlowFISH]

1 hour ago, Bass-Boys said:

I would sure think so . I tossed what I had , it was 4-5 years old , and got a new bottle just in case. The color was a touch different in the new from the old one too , also the old one was sticky around the cap . I am going to get a new small bottle every year now. Not sure if that is needed but that is what I will do .

I just went out and checked my stash...  have two heat stabilizer bottles - one I bought YEARS ago - and it's pretty yellow looking... another I bought last year that is LESS yellow.  Maybe it doesn't go "bad" but turns yellow over time when exposed to moisture/etc.

J.

[mark poulson]

I just finished a qt. bottle of heat stabilizer that was at least ten years old.  It had yellowed, and the plastic bottle had yellowed, but still worked, and didn't affect lure color.