Pouring Plastics / Does it always go like this?

[sweston]

Shake up the gallon of plastic. Start the gas stove up, place pot on stove, pour in plastic and color. Stir, stir, stir, smoke, smoke, smoke. Stir some more. Pour into molds get tons of bubbles, lots of over pour. Get mad. Rip worms out of molds and remelt to begin the same process over again.

I find it a never ending battle. I think I need a heavier pan to pour from instead of the crappy nonstick coated stamped steel pans i'm using now. The pour spout isn't too bad since I took the pliers and modified the pans to create them.

I made some molds from rockhard waterputy. This stuff is great! however I cannot seem to get it free of bubbles so my worms (the ones you throw back into the pot... see above) tend to look diseased.

What do you guys use for forms/molds, pouring pots, melting techniques, and ways to keep the smoke/fumes down?

At times the frustration is overwhelming.

Scott

[basskat]

Do a search on "Getting Started". This has been discussed several times in the past. You'll find a lot of tips in this search.

You'll find a gas stove just don't work.

[millsryno]

1st thing I would do is get rid of that pot and buy a 1 cup pyrex (or anchor brand) measuring cup.

[Dave V]

Read pouring 101. Great tutorial.

Don't sweat the "Diseased" look.just gives the bait texture.

I've began by melting on my BBQ burner in an old stainless pot into Plaster molds. I was using 1 sided molds so when i made them, I let the plaster set for 10 minutes and pressed the master into the plaster and there wasn't any bubbles at all that way. also gave the plaster a lip around the bait so over pours were few.

Now I'm ready to purchase a couple aluminum molds and 5 gal of plastic.

My technique has improved dramatically since i started about 1 month ago.

Keep at it.

Dave V

[Delw]

You cant heat pyrex on an open burner or flame( well you could but it will blow up / crack)

Pouring pans

Any brand will do wether they have a big spout or a small spout, the whole key to pans is that you dont fill it more than a 1/4 and in most cases a 1/8 full. you need to have your pan almost at a 90? angle to get the best pouring control. other wise it will run down the side of the pan.

if you heat it too fast your going to burn your plastic if you dont constantly stir it. go slow.

I recomend that you heat the plastic up in one container then pour a little into another container for pouring. for mig molds like stik molds and 2 piece worm molds you can pour out of a pyrex measurieng cup just fine and have it filled as well.

Delw

[texasbass1]

What I do to cut down on the smoke and shorten the melting time is first heat the plastic in the microwave and then pour it into a small pouring pan and keep it warm on a hot plate. Works great and really speeds it up for me.

[jm]

I preheat in the microwave, then pour it into the funky 5 for $9 pans you get at lurecraft. I can get a stream fine enough to pour the antennae on a crawfish, or the little tit at the end of a beaver wing. Now if I could just quit shaking.

You have to get the bubbles out of plaster. Bouncing it on the table, hitting the table beside it, a vacuum pump, whatever works. Otherwise just call your line. "whart worms"

There's lots of information on this site, both in the tutorials, and also in the discussions. Just use the TUSearch for what's your trigger at the moment.

hope it helps

jm