How necessary is a degassing chamber when starting out?

[Smugg]

Hey guys.   Hoping to start out on this new adventure and hobby and trying to put together a list of items and prices on what to start out with. 

So far, I'm going with a few hand pour molds, and then injection molds later. 

My question:  I know bubbles are bad for baits... but how critical is a degassing chamber to prevent them?   Any other means I can take to limit or prevent bubbling in the final product?  Trying to keep my budget slim during the start up.

Thanks!

[Apdriver]

I don’t think you need one. If you get some bubbles just let your cup sit for a minute and they will rise to top. Draw plastic from the bottom. You can pop the bubbles with a heat source. Heat gun, I pass a torch over them. Usually, fresh plastic won’t give you much trouble. Just my opinion.

[toadfrog]

Sometimes some of the guys that have turned their hobby into a bigger business will sell regrind . It is degassed and already colored . Only draw back is waiting for a color to pop up you want. Another thing is DON'T shake the plastic Stir it Very well . If you shake it like a martini you will infuse it with more and more air . Use an infra red thermometer to check your temp . Try to stay right around 350 or just under. Sometimes if you get bubbles you can let it sit and skim the bubbles with a spoon as they rise. A cup of plastic will take right around 2 minutes or so to heat depending on your microwave wattage. Add colorant after it is hot unless you have a formula that is proven already. Glitter should be added only after heating . It sometimes bleeds or curls up in an over heat. I think the color cook book is still available on TU /

[Smugg]

2 minutes ago, toadfrog said:

Another thing is DON'T shake the plastic Stir it Very well . If you shake it like a martini you will infuse it with more and more air . 

Thanks for your response, great info! 

I've seen some makers stirring the 5 gallon buckets, so that makes a lot of sense.   But I will prob be starting with 1 gallon jugs, which the inclination would be to shake it.   What would you recommend in that case to stir it, aside from transferring it into a larger container or bucket?

[wallyc14]

Depends on container . The ones that come from bait plastics is the wide mouth gallon jug. A small paint stirrer will work on a drill. The smaller one gallon jugs. I would put in a bigger container and mix.

[toadfrog]

I cut the tip of a dowel rod and inserted a one inch strip of thick plastic making something like a spatula. Being deer season almost an old arrow would fit in a gallon jug fletching end first. Like wallyc14 said Bait Plastics would be a good place to start . I prefer the medium for everything that's not salt water lures.

 

[Bass-Boys]

20 hours ago, Apdriver said:

I don’t think you need one. If you get some bubbles just let your cup sit for a minute and they will rise to top. Draw plastic from the bottom. You can pop the bubbles with a heat source. Heat gun, I pass a torch over them. Usually, fresh plastic won’t give you much trouble. Just my opinion.

Agree, I have been making baits for almost 15 years and do not have one. 

[Driftwood]

Yeah, you don't really need one. We have never had any issues with bubbles so I don't see a need for one. We mix our plastic with a paint mixer in 5 gallon buckets on a lower speed.

[hpssports]

You really don't need one. A few bubbles here & there isn't going to effect the baits much. If you're licensed business, I could see where you may need one, but for personal use I wouldn't worry about it.

[basskat]

I been pouring \ injecting plastic for over 15 years and have never de-gassed. Follow the advice from previous posts and you'll be good.

[robalo01]

I have been making soft plastic baits for 20 years. Never used a de-gasser. If you are heating in a micro-wave and are anal about micro bubbles, it probably makes sense. I find that heating 1-2 liters in presto pot and making mostly dark baits there is no need. It appears that heating from the bottom up and drawing plastic from the bottom makes bubbles irrelevant. my $0.02