bconite Posted October 15, 2005 Report Share Posted October 15, 2005 Just thought for those who like to play around and tinker with things like I do, you might want to give this stuff a try. It's shrinkydinks.. Yes I have kids... This stuff is basically plastic paper that you cut with scissors. So cut your lip template out then you put it on a piece of thick cardboard. Then bake it in an oven for 3 to 5 minutes. I use 4" x 4" ceramic tiles to put them on when shrinking because the surface is like glass. Obviously it shrinks and ends up being almost exactly 1/16th of an inch thick. It's tough as nails. I haven't been able to break any lips that I have made so far. You can buy this stuff at just about any craft store. I got mine at ACMoore in the kids section. So, now you can get your kids to make your lips for you... I wish... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellure Posted October 15, 2005 Report Share Posted October 15, 2005 That reminds me of something I use to do. You can melt the see thru, colored plastic beads that kids use to make colored sun catchers. Melt the beads flat first on aluminum foil, then place them in the oven over the spinnerbait blade of your choice. Once it cools, you can separate the plastic from the blade. Smooth the edges and tap a hole, attach a swivel and you've got a colored blade. Kids too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bconite Posted October 15, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2005 One nice thing about this stuff is it's paper thin so you can stack the paper one on top of the other and cut multiple lips at the same time. If you do try this method make sure what ever you put it on in the oven is completely dry or you will have small water marks on the plastic. And you have to use wax paper so that it shrinks evenly. It's real cheap stuff. I think you can do about 6 to 8 lips per piece of paper and packages come with 6 to 10 sheets for about 5$. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lure--Prof Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 Sounds pretty neat--I wonder how it holds up to temperature extremes and whether it stays clear year after year without ambering... Dean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baitmaker2 Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 any possibility of getting you to post a pic of what they look like, sounds interesting, we are always looking for something new/different Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bconite Posted October 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2005 Good point Dean! I'm not sure how well they will hold up in cold water because it's a plastic. Warm water is no problem. I'll try to get some pics posted today so you guys can see. They look just like 1/16th lexan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bconite Posted October 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2005 Here are the pictures!! The white template is how big it was before it shrunk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeeter Posted October 18, 2005 Report Share Posted October 18, 2005 I have seen these lips that bconite is doing. They look really nice. They turn out symetrically perfect. It is a point about the cold water, But I couldn't bend one. The stuff is really tough. It is something that definitely should be considered. Skeeter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSpannTx Posted October 18, 2005 Report Share Posted October 18, 2005 The only other concern I have is if the size is always consistant piece to piece after shrinking? Thanks, Noel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeeter Posted October 18, 2005 Report Share Posted October 18, 2005 From what I have seen..... it is. Skeeter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaPala Posted October 19, 2005 Report Share Posted October 19, 2005 Here is another alternate material: http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123012131 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoop10 Posted October 19, 2005 Report Share Posted October 19, 2005 let's see. That's $15 per square inch. Small baits - $15 per, Big baits - $30 per. Throw in the diamond band saw blade to cut and, yeah, I'll take it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Posted October 19, 2005 Report Share Posted October 19, 2005 Maybe we can melt it,and use it for a top coat too!! ..Nathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cullin8s Posted October 19, 2005 Report Share Posted October 19, 2005 i've now seen it all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 I've been reading all these posts about new materials for lips. As most of you know I'm mainly a soft bait guy. But, in years past I used to make topwater baits. (I've never made a diving bait) I'm amazed at the progress some of you have made and continue to make. Now to the point. Being used to "molds" my first thought was; can't a mold be made (silicone) of a lip and an acrylic material be pured into it to form a lip? : :idea: I may be way off base but I've not seen anyone mention a similar idea on TU. Just thinking off the cuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeeter Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 Acrylic will crack in cold water. What you could do is dissolve lexan in acetone and then pour it into a plaster mold. I don't know how silicone would take to acetone. Skeeter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 It was just a thought Skeeter. How do the major companies make them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaddoxBay Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 I think they are injection molded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lure--Prof Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 Nathan, please let us know how it works as a topcoat, melting procedure, etc. I'll be working on the underwater camera/lure retriever/small explosive device that will be necessary should we hang one up :!: :-D In the meantime, bconite, freeze one of the plastic lips and tap it with a hammer. If it shatters we'll know to be suspicious of its cold water characterists. Dean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeeter Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 Lips are generally made by an injection mold process. The mold is placed in an aluminum block with bands on it so that it does not blow apart during the injection. The stronger the block.... the more expensive it is. They are rated by 1000lbs. per square inch. So you might purchase a 15,000 psi block. Then pay to have the mold made that fits inside of it. Then the lip mold is placed in the block and set into the injection machine. Polycarbonate pellets are placed into the machine and melted. Then it is shot into the mold under very high pressure. To give you an idea... it would cost around $5800.00 to have a block and mold made for a 2 cavity mold. You could make two different size lips in that mold and kill 2 birds with one stone. Oh yea, don't forget that you have to pay the guy that has the injection machine and pay for the pellets also. Normally, that part is not too bad. Skeeter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 Could a person have a CNC alum. 2 part mold made and inject the product like those hand injection deals for soft plastic? Has anyone ever tried that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBait Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 Making things too complicated You can buy lips at a place like lurehardware.com fro 20 cents a piece.. or you can buy a 4x8 sheet of Lexan for 60 dollars.... That would make 1000 lips mighty cheap. You have internet access...order it off the internet... I am familiar with the shrinky dink stuff and I havent seen a uniform shrinkage from my past experience. But I was helping my daughter make figures.. They buckled and disformed. I suppose if it were an emergency...but I cant imagine that kind of emergency. M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaddoxBay Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 In the meantime' date=' bconite, freeze one of the plastic lips and tap it with a hammer. If it shatters we'll know to be suspicious of its cold water characterists. Dean[/quote'] Its already in the plan. If I can find the stuff this weekend that is the first thing I was going to try. I am also going to leave some outside to see what the old UV light does to the stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bconite Posted October 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Tbait, The uniform shrinkage depends on what surface you bake the stuff on. If I use a slick cardboard surface then they come out almost perfect. Any thing else i've tried, during the shrinking process, it has melted to the surface I was cooking it on. Then you get an uneven melting process. Cardboard is the ticket. I have been using the cover of regular college ruled notebook. I'll give it a freezing test when I get a chance, but I'm out of town this weekend and won't have a chance till monday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaddoxBay Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 I got to play with this stuff just a little last night. I did manage to break the stuff but it took some force. I didn?t chill it though so I don?t know if that will make it worse. I am going to play with it some more to see how it works on a bait. Bconite, Is the stuff you are using clear? The shrinkeydinks my wife got is frosted. She said that was all they had at that store? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
