Custom Baits - Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: pjmcla on 01/08/13 17:17 UTC
-
I was wondering -- at what temperature does the cold start interfering with injecting quality of baits? What are the first / critical problems that show up for you?
I have sweaty molds and moisture collection problems due to humidity issues here in north Alabama as dew points get close to actual temperatures. And; it is uncomfortable on my arthritis.
-
I've been cooking in a pot and the last time I was home, after the plastic is cooked I lower temp, and at lower temp (330-340) the top of the mix starts to skin and the injector plugs get alot bigger. I'm guessing it may have been 45-50 degrees in my shop while this was happening, with no heater running. I can't heat and ventilate at the same time, reasonably. I'd bring the temp back up to get another shot or 2 and the little issues went away, but if there's flake in the mix, that extra bump in heat ensures flake-curling. Between cold air cooling the top of the plastic, and quickly cooling injectors, I guess it boils down to a little hassle and extra scrap...not too bad...but warmer weather is definitely better for shooting.
The only moisture issues I've encountered are at the top of the plastic mix. Baits have been coming out some kind'a nice, even when it's raining.
-
I could see the water causing pitting in your baits. You might borrow (steal) ;) a old hand towel to dry the mold before shooting. Maybe a blow dryer if the towel doesn't do it.
-
Hair dryer should help. I sit my molds on the griddle. I know some say that's a big no no. But I sit them on the griddle the other day and the wife called me to the house. Hour later I remember I had sit them on there. Ran to the garage. Pulled them off. Sit them to the side for ten min. Then shot them no problems from being on there. They were in a room at 40 degs when I sit them on there.
Sitting them on there helps with moisture. I have problem with moisture in my microwave more then anywhere. Getting bubbles in the plastic if i don't run the mic with the cups in it for min or so. I heat my molds and injectors on the griddle.
That's how I deal with the temp and moisture thing.
-
Coldest I have shot to date was 28° in the shop. Winter came fast and I didnt get around to pulling the heaters down from the attic. I also heat my molds and injectors and blending block on the griddle prior to shooting in any temp under 60°. All of my laminants be it 2-3-4-5 colors the molds are always heated. One tip i have is to move your plastic, colors and glitter inside if the temps are low in the shop. Heating cold plastic to hot then adding cold glitter will drop the temps fast, at least for me.
-
I use a 35,000 btu kerosene forced air heater to heat the garage. I put about 6" of wood about 3 feet in front of the heater and then load the wood with opened molds facing the heater. I then stack more molds on top of the first row of molds and another row on top of that. All that contains about a dozen molds.
I will already have started cooking a couple cups of plastisol in the cast iron pot. About 10 - 15 minutes before it's ready, I'll plug in the heater. By the time the plastisol is ready I will have laid out and clamped my molds. I use 4 injectors. When the molds come off the wood the injectors are put on the wood to get heated.
If the stars are in alignment everything is ready to go at the same time. Bingo, bango, bongo. It works for me. If you want to double your volume, have a second pot of a different color heating up.
-
i let my molds heat up some on a griddle as well as my injectors.
i also sit my cups with raw plastic sit on the griddle to knock the chill off the cup & to slightly warm the plastic before microwaving
-
Cool and humid is probably the worst condition. I used to get condensation inside my plastic jugs under those conditions. That would cause micro bubbles. Now that I'm using CCM plastic, that issue is solved. The hair dryer sounds like a good idea for drying sweat from molds. I actually prefer to pour when it's below freezing out. Humidity levels are generally low when it's cold. Baits cure fast, though I generally cure them at least two or three days before putting them in the Plano boxes. My molds stay cooler, shortening the time I have to wait to de-mold. I don't preheat my molds. If it's 20 degrees, my first shot is into a 20 degree mold. The only exception being ribbontail worms. They have to be hot to get full tails. Holding pressure on the injector for a 10-20 count depending on the mold keeps denting under control with cool molds. I keep my injector hot enough plastic can't set up in it. I see no need to deal with injector plugs. It gets too cold for me long before it gets too cold for the plastic.---Tim.