cwenbass Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 I just ordered my first mold and it looks great. However, I am having problems pouring. I can never get the plastic to fill up the entire cavity, most noteable in the tail and the 2 small arms off the the side on a beaver. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Predator Bass Baits Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 If your using calhoun plastic that is probably the problem, you will need to get the plastic to around 350 for it to pour and sometimes even higher then that. I have problems with all of dels 2 piece molds with calhoun plastic so I switched to M-F plastic.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwenbass Posted January 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 What is MF plastic and what is the diference? I get the plastic to about 350, but I just can't seem to get it down there fast enough before it starts to set up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Predator Bass Baits Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 Try and get the plastic hotter, just to the burning point, That is just the way cal allways was with me. M-F is another supplier. http://www.fishingworld.com/M-F-Manufacturing/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwenbass Posted January 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 Hotter than 350? I also have the problem of the plastic setting up after the initial pour on the lip of the pouring cup. It tends to interfere with the pour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallheadz Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 If you are using salt add a little more softner, this actually makes the mixture thinner at the same temp you currently pour at. If you are not using salt then go a little hotter and make sure your molds are warm as well. A hot mold will flow plastic alot better than a cold one. When your plastic sets on the lip of the pour spout, just pull that off and set it aside and keep pouring with what is in the cup. Add the stuff you pulled off on your next reheat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Predator Bass Baits Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 Try it hotter. Give it another 30 secs in micro and keep going hotter until you find what works. I know what your going through. Even if you heat the mold and your plastic is not hot enough it still will not work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Predator Bass Baits Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 Cool avatar small headz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwenbass Posted January 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 I am heating on a portable electric stove. Also, whenever it starts to settle on the spout and I peel it off, I end up pulling some of the plastic out of the cavity. Also, won't the softener soften it up too much. I like the way it come out with just the plastic and a little salt. It feels very much like a beaver and i don't want them too soft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmik26 Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 If you get it much hotter then 350 I would think you are going to run into problems. If you are using A LOT of salt this could also be a problem. Post your amounts and people can comment on that. One thing that concerns me is when you say "whenever it starts to settle on the spout and I peel it off, I end up pulling some of the plastic out of the cavity." Make sure if your pouring from a pan you are getting a small enough stream into the fill hole. Pour the entire bait, let it set, open the mold, and trim spout off. If all that don't work, try this. Pour some without salt just to see if it pours, if it pour add some salt in little amounts and see were it stops filling. If it don't fill, call up MF and LC and ask them to send you a sample, this way you can make a decision on which of the 3 major vendors you like the best. Also, if it doesn't pour without salt give Del a call, I think he might be able to tell from the batch # if there are any problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redg8r Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 Incomplete pours, excessive buildup on the spout, & lifting of material when cleaning the spout are signs of premature cooling. Going on what you've posted, I gotta ask, Are you pouring in a cold climate, garage, basement, outdoors? I ask because you say you have the temp to 350 which is good, you could go 375, but not much more, so that leads me to think you plastic is cooling too fast & your molds are cold. just my Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delw Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 The plastic isnt the problem. the best way to pour the bug molds is that you need to pour fast( volume wise) what happens is that if you pour to slow the plastic cools and it wont flow into the tail. with a good volume of plastic it will stay hotter longer and allow it to flow into the tail. you also want to try to pour down the center not on the side, it takes a little practice but you will get it shortly. April pours them all day long from calhoun plastic that and the buzz frogs, if she can do it anyone can. They pour with salt ok also but make sure your plastic is hotter. Try doing it with out the salt first. one other thing if your adding salt make sure you add softener, one reason is because when the bait cures it will be as hard as a rock with out softener and the other is that the softener will make it thinner. I use the senko formula 1 cup plastic 1/2 cup salt 1/4 cup softener and it pours if you lessen the salt to 1/4 cup and the softener to 1/8 cup it will pour better. Generally your first pour with salt wont come out very good do to the mold being cold. The mydth about the different plastics is just that a mydth and personal preference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delw Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 Hotter than 350? I also have the problem of the plastic setting up after the initial pour on the lip of the pouring cup. It tends to interfere with the pour. to cure that problem pour about a 2-3" puddle of plastic on the table, use that to wipe the pour spout after every pour. a paper towel works ok but a 3" section of plastic cleans it out better. also when it sets up like that just pull it off and reheat it. Delw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Prager Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 Why would you be using salt for a bug bait? If you use salt, the bait will lay flat on the bottom. If you do not use salt, the bait will stand up tail off the bottom and be seen. Isn't this the objective of a craw imitation? I use these types for flipping and usually use a heavy weight. I use the the pyrex/microwave method and always wipe the spout with a paper towel after each pour while the plastic is still hot. I find it pours better when the spout is clean of plastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delw Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 I use the bug baits with salt so they sink like a senko with no weight( fish them weightless) I also use them with no salt as well on 1/2oz-1oz jig heads. A free falling slow bug bait casted next to a cliff or rocky shoreline were teh waves are hitting works realy well( free falling no weight just a little salt like a senko) both have there place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Prager Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 hmmmmm, never thought of fishing it like a stick! I live in South Florida and have only used them for flipping. Who knows, maybe there are some cliffs here that nobody has told me about either:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redg8r Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 pour about a 2-3" puddle of plastic on the table, use that to wipe the pour spout after every pour.Delw Sweet tip, wouldve never though of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Predator Bass Baits Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 You also mentioned you like the feel of plastic and do not want to soften it up anymore, well after a day or 2 the bait will get harder, I even have trouble with calhoune plastic with no salt heated to 350 in a heated garage at 70 and I even heated the mold in a toaster oven, it is just not worth the hassel of pouring 30 baits and getting maybe 2 frogs out of it, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwenbass Posted January 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 Red8 said stated my problems to the T. I am heating in a shed, but it is not cold in there. I dont know if I stated this also, but the plastic sets up at the mouth of the poring cup and prevents the plastic from flowing easily into the cavity. Can anyone suggest a good pouring cup. I am heating the plastic and pouring right out of the same cup. Should I not do that? Should I have a seperate heating cup and pouring cup? If so, do I heat the pouring cup on a seperate burner so the plastic doesn't set as soon as I transfer the heated plastic from the heating cup to the pouring cup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwenbass Posted January 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 One more thing, My ammounts are as follows 1 cup of calhoub plastic 1/2 tablespoon of salt 1 bottle cap full of heat stabelizer Before all the laughs start rolling in, please keep in my mind that I have never poured before. LOL:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Predator Bass Baits Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 Still not hot enough in my opinion, the 1/2 tbs is probably not going to effect much, yamy senkos need 1 cup plastic 1/2 cup salt to get same rate of fall Try 1/2 cup plastic and see what happens, it is harder to pour a full cup and you will not pour a cup of plastic before you have to re-heat it. It also needs a steady fast thin stream to fill a 2 piece mold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmik26 Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 cwenbass - you recipe is fine, maybe add a little softner. I would look into some sort of pouring cup that can produce a fine spout. Heating the plastic in the same cup your pouring with is fine. We use a 2 cup pryrex and the microwave mehthod, I wouldn't recommend using a pyrex on a heating plate. We started off with the burners then went to microwave, i'll never go back unless I start making LARGE batches. If all that fails try MF and LC, in my opinion they pour pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan_T Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 As Del stated try pouring in the center of the pour hole without getting any plastic on the sides of the pour hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwenbass Posted January 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 If I switch to a micowave, what supplies should i get in terms of cups, puring cups, etc? Also, how lonw and on what power setting do i cook in a micowave? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan_T Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 I use a pyrex measuring cup and metal spoons to mix with (do not use wood to mix with). I first heat for 1 minute and 30 seconds, stir and reheat for 55 seconds, stir and if needed heat for 30 to 40 seconds I repeat in 30 second intervels until I get the plastic to the consistancy I like. This will vary depending on your microwave. You will have to experiment until you find out what works best with your set up. Anyway right or wrong this works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
