Custom Baits - Forum
Soft Plastic Bait Making => Getting Started / Customer Support => Topic started by: Nordy on 03/25/14 14:58 UTC
-
So I am looking around here learning this. I see and understand the molds, but what do the Laminates do?
-
I'll assume you mean the laminate plates. They go into the mold to split a color so a bait is half one color and then when injected with another color you end up with a two color bait.
Here's a laminate.
(http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad259/cttackle/881cc651-8c0d-4a84-bd2d-092538561bf8.jpg) (http://s941.photobucket.com/user/cttackle/media/881cc651-8c0d-4a84-bd2d-092538561bf8.jpg.html)
This one was done by hand pouring the pearl white instead of using a plate. Not all molds or baits will split and leave you with a clean looking bait in the end. You'll learn which will and which can't split as you get into this stuff.
-
Those baits look awesome! I sure wished a laminate plate was offered for the Ring-It worm. I'm not really great at hand pouring
-
Those baits look awesome! I sure wished a laminate plate was offered for the Ring-It worm. I'm not really great at hand pouring
its just something you get with practice :) I use a 1 cup Pyrex cup for my hand pouring but others use spoons (which I need to try)
Just use some scraps or spares that you think would look cool to practice with.
-Jeremiah @bullfroglures
-
Nordy, laminate plates are basically just plain plates that are made for your mold. It is blank and doesn't have any bait cut into the metal so all you're making is a half bait when you inject. Then you take the laminate plate off, put the actual mold plate back on and inject with a different color :)
This is a little hard to explain what they are but what helped me understand was going to the ccm website and looking at an actual laminate plate. Then it should make more sense
-Jeremiah @bullfroglures
-
just get the small BT twin injector... No more laminate plates needed. ;D
-
I can see a spoon or even maybe hand pouring things when time is not a factor, but a lam plate in production is better unless you're shooting with a twin :D
-
Thanks everyone after reading all the post I should have know I guess a little brain fart. Anyways wow I am excited bout starting this. Hardest is finding the right mold to start with. Arg its tough
-
Nordy, what do you like to fish with..what is your "go to" soft bait of choice when things get tough and you have that confidence bait..Thats the one you'll need :D
-
Nordy, what do you like to fish with..what is your "go to" soft bait of choice when things get tough and you have that confidence bait..Thats the one you'll need :D
Walleye fishing! Paddletails and like the moxi tails style.
-
There you go :D start there
-
That new ring it mold ctom is shooting is probably perfect for what you're looking for :D I want one myself !
-
Nordy is coming to my house on Sunday for a little primer on plastics. He'll get to see first hand how simple hand pouring on a walleye sized bait can be. For a beginner I always suggest "simple" and hand pouring 1/2 a bait is simple. The lam plates can have some issues...under-shooting - the top color goes in below the bottom color below. Twin injectors are awful complicated for anyone just starting out and can have an element of hazardous to handling them. Until new shooters understand the plastic and some of the basic handling techniques, they should keep things bare-bones simple.
-
Nordy is coming to my house on Sunday for a little primer on plastics. He'll get to see first hand how simple hand pouring on a walleye sized bait can be. For a beginner I always suggest "simple" and hand pouring 1/2 a bait is simple. The lam plates can have some issues...under-shooting - the top color goes in below the bottom color below. Twin injectors are awful complicated for anyone just starting out and can have an element of hazardous to handling them. Until new shooters understand the plastic and some of the basic handling techniques, they should keep things bare-bones simple.
Thanks I like simple and cool and fun. This looks so addicting!!!
-
Yes - I get the undershooting all the time on the 5" wutz it - mind you I am using a handmade sheet metal as my lami plate - but when I shoot the tops I often cant get the plastic to shoot all the way. It's a frustrating mold for me.
-
2 things here Grey....
1. If you are shooting and removing numbers of portions to go back in molds to re-inject with a second color, you are breaking that seal that develops with a hand poured color filled immediately with the second color...no re-moving of baits or portions. That seal is hard to re-establish by re-placing the portion that the plate made. The big thing when you are doing the injection is to slooooow it waaaaay down. You'll be far less likely to get the under-shot problem injecting these slowly.
2. On you 5" wultz-it. The bottom side has all the venting. Try reversing your color order. Shoot the top color with the plate or by hand pouring and then inject the bottom color so the venting does its job. On just about every mold I have I have added venting to the top or un-vented half of the mold using a jeweler's file with a very sharp edge. The vents do not have to be deep or wide, just enough to let air escape. I do this because I never know what idea is going to come along where vents will be needed in the mold where vents normally are not found. The easiest fix in your case is to reverse your color order.
-
Gray, here's my view...
Laminates are "pretty" and attractive, but I believe that they're not necessary. I believe that single-colored baits are all it takes. I believe that there is no man under the sun that can out-fish me just because he's throwing a laminate. I believe that laminated baits may sell better, but my previous statements are stronger (to me) than the retail aspect.
IMHO, save Yourself the agrevation/tension/stress, and shoot single-color baits. Either that or melt both colors at the same time, and hand pour the 1st color so the 1st color sticks in the mold better...the laminate plate system can break that bond and let the 2nd color get under the 1st. My Best Advice...shoot single-colored baits...Your ice chest will stink but You'll be thankful.
-
per Gary....." I believe that laminated baits may sell better". This is fact.
I'll also defend baits having long laminates to some degree....ie, the ring-it worm or the thump-it grub over a single color worm in walleye water. For me personally I have three times as many two color baits as single color baits and most of those are sporting tail colors different from body colors. I use a few of the horizontal laminates I make in crappie sized baits but I have outstanding, and much better, luck using baits with hot tails.
I make a ton of laminates because I live for the challenge of making them. I take pictures, post the pictures and I can sell those baits in a heartbeat. Somebody uses the heck out of them and they must have good luck because I get re-make requests all the time. But the one fact still remains and that is the best selling and best catching baits I have and make are those with hot tail colors.
-
Yes I do know what you mean - single color sure is a lot faster - I have some baits ray I sell that used to be laminates - that I now say these are single color lol
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
It makes a difference too if you are selling baits to make money or selling some to be a good guy. I sell baits but I sell baits at MY rates and MY convenience and the way I make them...this is all understood before any transactions are made. I love these guys who pm me with "I'll give you $11.00 for a bag of 200 of those nice baits. [lams of course] Oh, and yea, I want those big eyes in them. Can you do that?" Can we say "junk mail"? I too have limits and will only do certain baits as solids. Everybody has to decide what they can do.
-
It makes a difference too if you are selling baits to make money or selling some to be a good guy. I sell baits but I sell baits at MY rates and MY convenience and the way I make them...this is all understood before any transactions are made. I love these guys who pm me with "I'll give you $11.00 for a bag of 200 of those nice baits. [lams of course] Oh, and yea, I want those big eyes in them. Can you do that?" Can we say "junk mail"? I too have limits and will only do certain baits as solids. Everybody has to decide what they can do.
id have to give a laugh at the guy who offered $11 for 200 baits :) like BKJ I mostly use solid colors except on frogs and my loaded sweet potato sticks (brown on top, sweet potato bottom). But I also sell baits really small scale and people want laminates for sure. At first you'll be a little rough and slow but it does get faster and cleaner. Just a couple months at it and I'm getting clean lines.
For the baits under shooting, I highly suggest just hand pouring the first half. Not much slower and I have yet to get an undershot. I use a 1 cup Pyrex cup for my bass baits and you would be surprised about how thin of a pour you can get with those. If your baits are smaller you should listen to Ctom! :)
-Jeremiah @bullfroglures
-
I'd choke on my coffee with $11/200, even with the Small Fry and other little baits. $11/50 is more like a Custom Price for Panfish Plastic. A Wise Man once said, Never be afraid to lose a sale...set Your Custom Price...don't sell Yourself short....if they want off-the-shelf price then they'll have to buy off the shelf. Custom Bikes and Cars/Trucks and Boats and Rifles are all way more pricey than off-the-shelf, Tackle is NO different.
A Wise Man also said that they buy $60,000 trucks and $60,000 boats and they want to talk me down to $0.10 a bait.
Stick to Your Guns, my friends.
-
My grandfather always told me that the cheapest guy lives in a trailer.
-
all true and wise words --- I just finished a small fishing show up here and well, there was lots of bass guys and everyone was coming to me for the panfish baits....one custom plastic came by my booth - took 1 look and said, wow panfish baits - pain to bag...and you lam them too...you can have it...and I just thought well that made it easier for me to carve a niche.. 8)
I sold the 1.75" fry like hot cakes...no one batted an eye at the price...10 count for $4. I was worried..it wouldn't fly...but like I said nobody said boo about the price...and the couple other custom guys up here just want to do big bass baits and in single colors...mostly tubes...so leaves room for me
-
Awesome on'NAT, Gray! $4/10 sounds plenty fair to me!
-
I agree. I sell all my bags for $5.50 and I'm getting that mold right around Friday. Plan on 15 a bag. Maybe 12. If I was the one buying I'd realize these are handmade and are of a better quality hands down
-Jeremiah @bullfroglures