Custom Baits - Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Les Young on 01/08/26 17:40 UTC
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[ Invalid Attachment ] Brand new mold & makes no difference whether single color or laminate.
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What is the temperature of your plastic? How cold is the mold? Are you holding pressure?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqN06pM0w8A&t=911s
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On these I cook the plastic just long enough for the plastic to turn clear before adding any colorant. Held pressure for 10 seconds. Same when I done a laminate except holding pressure longer with the same results.
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Try shooting hotter/faster and hold pressure. Plastic could be setting before air escapes. Possibly a venting issue. That's my bet.
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Mike I tried shooting faster & I cooked it until plastic became clear before adding colorant & glitter & warming back up a little but I may need to get it hotter. I usually don’t have an issue with that part. It’s the same baits doing it too. The onLole closest to the injector does a fine job.
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You don't know what temp you shoot at? Just being clear won't help you diagnose. Closer to the injector is hotter.
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I'm just throwing darts here, but it looks like your plastisol might be cooling at the gate before the bait is fully formed. The first three look pinched, but the top bait looks more full (although it's hard to tell). Have you tried shooting the mold twice, very quickly to warm it up, then a third time (with re-warmed plastisol) to see if they come out properly? Besides plastisol temperature, I wonder if the mold is too cold, causing the plastisol to prematurely cool at the gate when injected. If all else fails, you can try to enlarge the gate.
Just some ideas...
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You don't know what temp you shoot at? Just being clear won't help you diagnose. Closer to the injector is hotter.
Mine it was three hundred & some degrees but I don’t remember the exact number. I’ve been doing this a long time & have never had this happen though.
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On these I cook the plastic just long enough for the plastic to turn clear
That's a whole mess of degrees short of the 350 needed to fully convert the plastic and probably way too cool to inject and get decent results. A cold mold, a cold injector in addition to the too cool of plastic can hand you baits like you show. Use a thermometer.
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I also think that your plastisol is cooling before your baits are completely formed. I have done the following with modest success and encourage you to give it a shot. I shoot my difficult molds directly on my heated griddle and I get them plenty warm. I heat my plastisol to the required 350 then add my colorants. I dont shoot it until it gets to around 320 or so. Hot mold-cool plastic. I turn the griddle off and wait until the mold has cooled enough to handle. See if that works.
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That's a whole mess of degrees short of the 350 needed to fully convert the plastic and probably way too cool to inject and get decent results. A cold mold, a cold injector in addition to the too cool of plastic can hand you baits like you show. Use a thermometer.
I tried it at 365 & almost same results but with 2 baits fully forming also had color mixing at that temp so I definitely don’t think anything’s cold because I heated injector, blending block & mold with a torch to be sure. Any other suggestions? Thanks
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Hi Les,
Warmed mold, warmed injector, warmed plastic all seems right. I had that trouble and realized I was trying to suck up the plastic too fast, creating air pockets in the injector. Maybe? Are you purging the air from your injector before shooting?
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I have that mold and run into similar issues occasionally. Here’s how I fixed it…I have no idea. I will list things I did to lessen it though. I started using a hot plate I bought at Walmart. I heat my molds up on it then use it to keep my injector hot. Usually let the molds get hot enough that I can still handle them without a glove as I’m making the color(s). After drawing up plastic in the 320° or so range I’ll hold the injector as upright as possible and after a two count I’ll purge out most of the air and some plastic back into the cup. Put the injector in the mold and after another two count (gives any remaining trapped air time to rise upwards I inject slowly and hold slight pressure for a three to five count. As I’m removing the injector I continue to feed plastic so I’m not creating a vacuum pulling plastic away from the cavities.
The mold is not broken, it’s just the dynamics of the plastic having to follow the paths. I’ve gotten away with slamming plastic in this mold a few times. But inevitably you’re going to get incomplete or dented baits. I hope this helps in some fashion.
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[ Invalid Attachment ] Heated injector & mold got plastic hot & let cool some & shot at 345 holding pressure to a 20 count same issue hot or cold. I also purge any air out of my injector every time I get ready to shoot so it’s not air in the injector. I’ve tried it at different temps several times.
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I haven't had this issue, so not really sure.
Could it be related to your injector? Bad O ring or something similar?
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You mention blending block, but the baits look to be one color? If you are using a dual injector, I would only inject with a single to eliminate as many variables as possible.
You may eventually have to modify the gate on that mold if all else fails. I know it may not be what you want to hear, or do, but the problem might be the gates not being large enough to allow the cavity to properly draw plastisol from the runner. Also, the runner itself might not be large enough. I know my fluke style mold has a huge runner...
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Could it be how you're clamping the mold? Long shot.
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You mention blending block, but the baits look to be one color? If you are using a dual injector, I would only inject with a single to eliminate as many variables as possible.
You may eventually have to modify the gate on that mold if all else fails. I know it may not be what you want to hear, or do, but the problem might be the gates not being large enough to allow the cavity to properly draw plastisol from the runner. Also, the runner itself might not be large enough. I know my fluke style mold has a huge runner...
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The bait pics posted are single colors but a laminate does the same thing. Like i said i've tried both laminates & single colors, injecting hotter & cooler all with the same results. I guess i'll have to talk to Brennen on the phone to see what he thinks is causing it.
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Could it be how you're clamping the mold? Long shot.
I don't know but anything's possible. I'm just using the hand squeezed spring clamps, but i always use a bunch of them after having a couple issues when i first started making baits. I use 2 on each of the ends & one on each ends on top.
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Is that even a Do-It mold? No hinge. The injection port is nothing like what Do-It does. I'd be calling whoever made the mold.
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Tom I believe 4n2T0 put a photo of his own mold. I believe Les has the Do-It Split tail mold.
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Tom I believe 4n2T0 put a photo of his own mold. I believe Les has the Do-It Split tail mold.
Aha.
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Tom Chris is right. I have the do-it wutzit 4” split tail mold. :D
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I talked to Brennan today & he's trying to help me figure it out.
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Awesome, I hope you're able to resolve the issue. Make sure to post and update to let us know.
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I will.
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Awesome, I hope you're able to resolve the issue. Make sure to post and update to let us know.
Brennen thought it was a venting issue so he sent me a replacement mold. Now it's going to have to get just a tad bit warmer before i get out in the unheated garage to see how this one works. :D
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Just to clarify Brennen replaced this mold thinking it was a venting issue but i also think it was partly a temperature related issue too because i've had to get this mold pretty hot to shoot good full baits.
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I know for sure he just replaced all of his o rings... ;D
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I know for sure he just replaced all of his o rings... ;D
Yes sir.