quick mass production ideas

[whitley]

I'm looking for ideas to speed up the pouring process. I have at least two or three molds of each lure. I pour in 2 cup pyrex cups. Does anyone have any ideas how to mass produce baits. I finally got my baits into two local stores and there first order was large.

[woodsac]

I have at least two or three molds of each lure.

How many cavaties are in each mold? I make sure that each mold has enough cavities to fill one full pack of baits. When 1 mold is full, I just rotate it with an empty one.

If you are pouring single colors, you can invest in a hot pot. Although I poured out of a buddies pot and didn't like it.

Make sure that you have your colors ready in advance. I will mix up 5 or 6 pyrex cups with the colors I'm pouring in advance. Right before one cup is empty, I throw the next one in the microwave.

[Pop]

Hi Woodsac, what size cups do you use. Do you need to heat the cup more than once while pouring? Pop

[whitley]

Thanks woodsac. I have enough molds to fill my packs. What is a hot pot? How much plastic does it hold. I am pouring stiks and I use a lot of powdered salt. Which requires stirring. Where can I look at a hot pot.

[pourboyplastics]

Pouring Pots are the way to go for mass production. We use sta-warm pots, lee pots and other modified pots for our production. You just need to find out what fits your budget and how many baits you want to produce, some of these pots can get up there in price.

[Pop]

Brad, I can see pouring from pots into two part molds, but I would think one piece molds are easier to pour from cups. Am I wrong? Pop

[Mojo]

I have 2-5 cavity beaver molds for 10 cavities total. I sell them 10 to a bag, so one batch = one bag. I pour out of a 1 cup pyrex. 10 cavities take right at 4 oz of plastic. I'll fill up 4 cups with 4 oz plastic each. After pouring all 10 cavities with one 30 second reheat the 2nd cup goes into the microwave. As it's heating up the first batch is pulled out of the molds.

I could probably increase my speed with more cups, but I've poured 100 beavers in 2 hours, and 180 beavers in 3 1/2 hours by myself. Once you have your recipes figured out it will go pretty fast.

I will probably be buying 4 or 5 more pyrex cups soon.

[Pop]

What kink of Beaver molds are you using. My aluminum molds only have two cavities. Pop

[whitley]

Hey mojo where did you get your 5 cavity molds. Do the stay warm pots pour plastic with salt in them. How much plastic do they hold

[james bradshaw]

I have a Sta-Warm pot, that holds 2-1/2 gallons. But I never have put more than a gallon at a time in it a gallon keeps you pouring for quite a spell. I haven't found a good way to mix the salt yet, still working on that. But it will pour salt without clogging!

James

[Mojo]

The 5 cavity beaver mold was a special order from Bob. He may or may not still be making them.

Del may also make them to order. You'll have to check with him.

[Pop]

James, what size valve are you using? Do you limit using the Sta-Warm pot to two sided molds only?

Thanks for the info Mojo.

Pop

[james bradshaw]

I pour all of my open one sided molds with my sta-warm pot. It has pretty good controll, and you can just mix up a big batch of plastic, and pour untill it's gone. No re heating, no manual stirring, no mixing all of those little batches, that just take up all your time. Just filling molds with plastic.

But you do need a mixer of some sort! Like a drill press or lab mixer. I have the 1/4" valve . But I am going to buy a 1/8" valve for pouring smaller, narrower cavities.

Good luck!

[pourboyplastics]

Hi Pop,

I also use sta-warm pots for all my pouring needs, like James says you can whip up a ton of plastics and just keep pouring without having to keep reheating all the time. I have many multi pours so if I would have to keep reheating it would be very time consumming. I have both the 1/4 and 1/8 valves so for my vein pours I use the 1/8 and 1/4 for my beavers. With the sta-warm pots I can produce between 125-150 beavers an hour.

[Pop]

I guess I am having a hard time imagining the coordination of holding open the pouring spout and holding the mold in the other hand. Thanks for all the feed back. Pop

[D.J.]

I know this has been covered so I will apologize now. Where can a guy buy a stay warm pot? Thanks.

[D.J.]

Sorry, I found what I was looking for. I do have one question for the owner's of these sta-warm pots. What unit do you have or recommend. Thanks.

[james bradshaw]

Hey Pop it really isn't bad pouring from one of these pots. I can pour a bunch faster with a pot, than I ever could with pyrex, or an aluminum pot on a burner. It just takes a little practice! You will end up with less trimming and even less bubble problems with the Sta-Warm pot. I am using the 2-1/2 gallon, but I think the smaller pot would be better. If you talk to the sales guy at Sta-warm and tell him what you are doing with the pot then he will know which models to direct you to. I think I paid $850.00 for the 2-1/2 gallon. the smaller one wich is one or 1-1/2 gallon is the same price.

Good luck!