Custom Baits - Forum
Soft Plastic Bait Making => Getting Started / Customer Support => Topic started by: 2XL on 03/13/15 08:45 UTC
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I'm having some issues with the tails not completely filling out on these molds. It's odd as when I first started shooting the 3" mold I had zero issues consistently making good baits. Lately though, I've been lucky to even get 3 or 4 baits that have the tails fully formed. I don't know what has changed but it's getting a little frustrating. Things I have tried are shooting hotter plastic, using worm oil to lube the tail section of the molds, holding my injector ( using firm but not too hard a pressure ) for a ten count before topping the mold off and moving my clamps around and adjusting the pressure used to clamp them to the mold.
I have no doubt there is something I am doing wrong vs it being an issue with the mold but I can't seem to figure it out. So here I am, asking for any suggestions as to what I can try/need to change to up my success rate with these baits.
Thank You in advance for any advice.
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Try heating the mold a little. Set your oven to 190 degrees, open the mold and lay it on the oven rack for ten minutes, then shoot it. Be sure to keep the tail portions oiled. Double check the vents to be certain there are no tiny tags of plastic blocking them.
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Little oil on the tail
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I have been preheating my molds on a griddle. Not super hot but warm enough that you can hold it in your bare hands for a ten count. I have oiled all the tail sections on the mold too. Not a heavy dose just a light coating. I wiped the mold down before oiling the tail section and the vents looked fine. I took a utility knife and made one pass through one of the tail vents to see if that would help. I've not had a chance to shoot the mold since doing that so it remains to be seen if it helped or not.
Thanks for the replies. I'll get it sorted out sooner or later.
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Having trouble with the 3 and 4" NO Magic
No Magic...You done messed up now.
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Oh sure. Pick on the fat kid. He's an easy target. LOL
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No Magic...You done messed up now.
He is right it ain't magic it's freaking awesome :P the key to the mold is soft plastic some regular will not do good in it. Some times I shoot 2 or 3 times before it gets going good but once it's heated up it's perfect
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The NO Magic subject title was a product of having fat fingers and not enough coffee in me so sorry for that. No offense intended.
I'm shooting this mold with the essential plastic. The first few time I shot it I got good baits every time. Lately it's been hit or miss, mostly miss. I have a gallon of CC soft plastic and was wondering if I could mix a little of that with the essential to soften it up? If so, would a 50/50 ratio work ? I'm fishing walleyes mostly and don't want too soft a bait. I have zero problem experimenting with whatever combo it takes but would appreciate someone pointing me in the right direction.
Thanks for the help guys.
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50/50 would be fine. I mix it that was all the time. You could try 30/70 first see where that gets you. Then add some soft plastic as you go.
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This mold is still hit or miss with me but at least I'm getting more good baits than bad ones. I went to a 50/50 mix of Essential and CC Soft and that seemed to help some. I think where I am clamping this mold may be part of my problem too. It seems when I clamp the mold closer to the center the better my baits turn out. I'll get it figured out sooner or later.... Maybe LOL
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Are you using two clamps? On my 4" Mo's I use two and just barely bear down on them. I shoot soft plastic and I don't use a ton of pressure but I do pre-heat my mold.
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Yes, two clamps. I'm not cranking them tight , just snug enough that the tails don't blow out.
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2XL,
The only way I can get any of these molds to shoot consistent tails is with hot plastic, oiled tails, shot fast, and I increased the size of the vent on the tail.. otherwise no dice... Im shooting in medium plastic because these no point in shooting a bait this big in soft or super soft. With the tail that thin I should be able to shoot in hard plastic and still get the action out of the tail, not sure why they would only be designed for soft plastic only, makes no sense..
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Bill,
I'd prefer to go with the medium plastic with these. What's the temp of the plastic you're shooting ? I may just end up opening the tail vents a little and see what happens.
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I'm shooting 350 - 360. If it cools down below 340 I start getting inconsistent tails again.
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2XL....
The worst thing that you can do by opening the vents up is having to remove a tiny piece or tag of flask where the vent is. No biggie. It'll be easier to trim or pluck that off than all the other fussing.
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2XL,
The only way I can get any of these molds to shoot consistent tails is with hot plastic, oiled tails, shot fast, and I increased the size of the vent on the tail.. otherwise no dice... Im shooting in medium plastic because these no point in shooting a bait this big in soft or super soft. With the tail that thin I should be able to shoot in hard plastic and still get the action out of the tail, not sure why they would only be designed for soft plastic only, makes no sense..
This is wild as I can shoot all the way down to 320, no oil and with a razor slit on the tip of each tail cavity on the side that doesn't have a vent and everyone fills fine. I have to shoot it fast though. Any hotter and the tails get rippled. The hotter the more ripples.
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It's funny as when I do get good baits I have a tiny bit plastic to trim that came out of the vent hole anyway. A little trimming is no big deal to me if that's what it takes to get good baits consistently using the Essential plastic.
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Seeing as my boat was stuck in the garage due to construction debris all over the driveway , I decided to mess with some plastic instead of going fishing. I opened the vents just a tad on the 3" MOs mold = Just a couple light swipes with the file. I preheated the mold and shot it fast with 330-340 degree essential plastic and got good baits every time. There's a little trimming at the tips of the tails to be done but it's no big deal and I'm good with that. I didn't mess with the 4" MOs but I'm sure a couple swipes with the file will have that mold shooting good too ...... I hope. LOL
Thanks for all the advice everyone.
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Nice to see you got it shooting good baits..