Any help for a newbie?

Hello. Let me start by saying that I have been looking at everyones pictures of the baits they made and I love them all. They are awesome. This looks like so much fun. I love buying crappie baits, I have an addiction to crappie baits. I have never made and of my own plastic baits and I am wanting to learn how. So if anyone does not mind me asking a few stupid questions. I have a Netcraft Catalog and I saw the Plastisol in there. I know I need that but that is about all I know. Do you guys make your own molds? I saw on YouTube where some guy made his own molds out of plaster...the baits actually came out pretty nice. Any help on the molds, how to mix the colors, etc.

Any suggestions on maybe a website that has a video of some plastic baits being made and how to mix the colors.

Thanks in advance.

Mike

I would stay away from netcraft stuff, plastic, colors and glitter are priced high. Their injectors will explode on you sending 350 degree plastic on you. Plaster is ok for bass molds but dosent work well with small crappie molds. Injection is the way to go. It gets expensive. Spending about 300 before you make your first bait.

baitman has it correct, be sure to check out the sticky posts at the top for some do and dont advice. It can be dangerous as baitman mentioned. A good place to buy plastic is bearsbaits.com there are several places that offer great molds that are injection molds like baitman mentioned. I have tried RTV, plaster, and bondo type materials for crappie molds and they are hard to do. A few guys here have had some success with it but it is not the way to go. You will either need a melting pot or microwave also to melt your plastic. I made a post somewhere on here that lists some of the things for getting started in plastices.

plastics not plastices

you guys have everything right feel free to ask any question that you may have you been by a lot of injection molds my searching the one that I use quite a bit is Jacob baits also bass tackle take a look at some other molds when you get ready to order any materials such as coloring be careful there is quite a few of them out there that will bleed we buy a lot of stuff from Luer craft you can go online to anyone of them and take a look.

Thanks everyone. I have been looking online at molds, videos, etc. I have decided to with the injection molds. Would you give me your opinion on the best plastic and coloring that will not bleed.

Also, how do you get the two color jigs? I saw a two hole injector, is that how or do you have to have a special mold?

Thanks again

twin injector is the best in my opinion. But the mold needs to be laid out out to where the top of the bait is on one side and the tail in on another to get a top and bottom color. Plastic varies greatly. some might really like one and others hate is. It really about finding one and learning to use it as far as how fast to heat it, what temp is best.

baitman is right about the two colors, I have one mold I wish was top to bottom but it is side by side. however, two colors for grubs in side by side works great. I use calhouns plastic and it works fine for me. I do not have the two color injector and I use aluminum foil to make my two color baits. you have to be careful about damaging them but if you are careful you will be fine. It is just more time consuming this way.

if you do buy a 2 color injector may I suggest bass tackle it is a very good tool I do have one but the one I have I do not like I do some work like the above but I use aluminum plates and shoot half then put the mold back together and shoot your second just make sure that you use aluminum plates to go up again sure mold that they are absolutely clean or when you put they molds together to shoot your second they may not stick together I found this out the hard way. I either use acetone or alcohol to clean with it will deftly take all degrees and grime off. A I'm giving away my secret all well that's what I'm here for.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by baitman

twin injector is the best in my opinion. But the mold needs to be laid out out to where the top of the bait is on one side and the tail in on another to get a top and bottom color. Plastic varies greatly. some might really like one and others hate is. It really about finding one and learning to use it as far as how fast to heat it, what temp is best.

---

baitman what kind of camera do you use to take your pictures it looks to me to be a Nikon.

its a fuji fine pics Z, not expensive. alot will do the job, just make sure you can do macro shots with it. When we looked for one we go through and use them in the store to take photos as close as possible. This one did the job with out spending a lot of money on one, Its 10 megapixel.

mine has a macro feature I just do not know how to use it and I lost my instructions

snake I use to use the plate but I found for myself it is much easier to use foil since all my molds are different sizes.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by crappieseeker

mine has a macro feature I just do not know how to use it and I lost my instructions

---

you should be able to look it up online and get the instructions. I have done that for a few things. One of them was 12 years old and the manufacturer still had them online

thanks baitman, I forgot how much you can do with the net. I might have to check that out

google is your friend. lol if its out there it can be found somewhere.

Thanks everyone. I guess now it is just time to give it a try. Thanks again for all the help.

take the time and read through some of the first postings on the plastics sites and the sticky posts at the top, some valuable info in there, and most of all good luck and be safe, also make sure you pour in a well ventilated area

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BGCrappieCatcher

Thanks everyone. I guess now it is just time to give it a try. Thanks again for all the help.

---

Good luck to ya and let us know how your doing with the plastics

Please post pics of all your fine creations