Custom Baits - Forum
Soft Plastic Bait Making => Soft Plastic and Plastic Baits - How To??? => Topic started by: SBuck88 on 04/12/18 12:10 UTC
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How much softener do you recommend to soften up my medium plastic for softer Senkos?
Thanks
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That would depend on what plastic [Essential, Crystal Clear, ?????] you are using and whether you're adding a compound to weight them up.
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With essential plastic no HD (maybe 2tbsp glass bead media) I use 1 cap full of the pint size bottle in 4oz. With 2 tbsp of HD in 4 oz I use 1/4 cap to 1/2 cap of softener. Those ratios seem to work for me.
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When I make senkos I vary up the recipes but my favorite is 4 ounces medium plastisol and three tablespoons of softener. The first time I tried this I thought I really screwed up when I demolded. The baits just felt funky. After curing however, they were just like I wanted them.
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That would depend on what plastic [Essential, Crystal Clear, ?????] you are using and whether you're adding a compound to weight them up.
I use Essential medium and add a tablespoon of salt and glass media.
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My personal feelings are that 3 tablespoons in 4 ounces is a bit much but with the salt and glass in 4 ounces I could see 1 1/2 tablespoons as a start. You can always adjust either more or less. I guess I'd find a starting point and make adjustments as to amount using more and less and keeping track of the results.
I make primarily small baits and one full quart of softener to a 5 gallon pail of Essential and get a real nice working plastic at that ratio. I've got Essential that has no additional added softener that I use for larger baits....walleye sized baits. I don't add salt or HD or glass or anything to weigh down my plastic but I do know that some components used for weight also affect the stiffness or softness of the plastic.