Custom Baits - Forum
Soft Plastic Bait Making => Soft Plastic and Plastic Baits - How To??? => Topic started by: ctom on 06/10/15 10:16 UTC
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I make a lot of clear baits using only uv enhancer and glitter. I have had some issues with color bleeding when the glitter is added before or during after the initial cooking but have found a way around the problem that works very well for me. I know what I will need for 4 ounce batches of plastic to get a shoot finished so I mix up the stabilizer and uv in X number of bowls of plastic. I cook each one until it has reached the magic number of 350 degrees, then I set that bowl aside for a couple minutes then add the glitter just before the plastic is too cool to mix it in well. Once the glitter is in there and mixed I allow the bowl to cool completely. I do this with as many bowls of clear that I will need. When I am ready to start the shoot I heat up one bowl at a time as needed to get the shoot completed. I seem to have way less staining in the clear from the glitter.
I suspect that there is a chemical thing going on during the initial cooking of the plastic that may be allowing even color-fast glitter to shed color. The re-melting temps don't need to get to 350 and the conversion from liquid raw plastic to its usable form is finished before its being used in this case. I'm not a chemist but I suspect that this may be the case, at least in part. The process works good for me so if anyone is having similar things occurring in clear plastic using glitter, maybe give this process a try.