Custom Baits - Forum
Soft Plastic Bait Making => Getting Started / Customer Support => Topic started by: vtfishing5634 on 04/25/17 16:44 UTC
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Today I received my first mold and some other supplies just to start up and inject a few Senkos. After a few tries, almost every time I opened up the mold and pulled the Senkos out a couple (not all of them) had a small part right in the middle that was hollow. I made sure before I began to shoot the plastic in I pushed all the air out of the injector and I topped it off. I didn't see any bubbles in it either. Does anyone have an idea why that happened and what I'm doing wrong?
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I think you may be injecting too fast. I have a fat treat worm mold that will do the same thing unless it's injected at a slower pace.. After you shoot the first time it will warm your mold enough for you to shoot the next round more slowly. Try that and I think it will work for you.
Welcome to custombaits.com. Good luck.
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Temp of your plastic you are shooting?
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Shoot then hold pressure for a few. Then top off.
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Here is a recent thread on the same issue
http://custombaits.com/index.php?topic=9537.msg73392#msg73392
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Just checking up....
Are you able to get good baits now?
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andrewlamberson thanks for the tips I've been slamming bass near docks with some baits I made lately it's great to catch a nice bass on something I made. I have another question I've been struggling with. Since I didn't want to empty my wallet for the regular yamamoto senko mold I just bought the do it essential series one but I've been trying to make a laminate plate that will fit it. The simplest thing I could think of was getting a sheet of metal and bending a part for the injector to fit in. I haven't tried it out yet. Has anyone done anything like this or has made a laminate plate without buying it online?
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Yes. a sheet of metal, cut out the indentations so the injector will fit. When you shoot the color you will have two haves. Take one side out, clean out the sprue and close the mold and inject the second color. Now empty the mold of your baits and put the second half (from the first shot) back in the mold and shoot your second color. Double the baits !
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I've made a bunch out of sheet metal. It works great. Also in a pinch I've just put a piece of aluminium foil between and it works ok too.
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Here's some info from a previous post on using aluminum foil to make a "poor man's laminate plate". The advantage of buying a real laminate plate (that is designed for the mold) is that you only get 1/2 of the bait when you inject and then you just add the other side from the original mold and inject and you get your finished bait...vs. two halves when you use the foil.
By the way...some baits make a pretty good leech when shot as half baits. For example the Glider and the shorter carrot baits. Plus you get 2x the output from the mold!
http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/36-gauge-aluminum-roll-864678/
Cut a piece slightly bigger than your mold. Insert it into the mold and press shut. You may need to reopen and cut a small hole at the alignment pins (most of the time you do not). Cut the sprue hole out with a pair of scissors. I then take a razor blade and trim all the sides so it fits exactly..with one exception....The open end of the mold (across from the hinge) I leave about 1" of foil hanging out so I can mark it with the name/size of the bait the plate matches up with.
This will give you a "custom" laminate plate...so to speak. When you inject you will get both halves of the bait in the first color. I typically shoot a bunch in one color....then reload the mold with the 1/2 of color 1 and then shoot color 2.
Works VERY well with stick baits!!!! And fast!!!!!
The aluminum is 36 gauge is thicker than aluminium foil...but thinner than anything you can find at the hardware store. It's thin enough that it does not affect the clamping of the mold but will last darn near forever. This method works well for any bait that does not have a "top" or "bottom" ..otherwise you either have to remelt half the bait...or use on of the laminate plates (which is a better idea than remelting!).
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http://www.hobbylobby.com/Crafts-Hobbies/Hobbies-Collecting/Tools-Blades/5-x-7-Tin-Metal-Sheet/p/93887-PI0330
This makes super nice lam plates too. Cuts with kitchen scissors and cleans up nice with a Dremel. Holes drill out very nice. This is a thin steel product and is way more rigid than the aluminum, yet just as thin. All of the lam plates I have made were done using this product.
Either this or what Andy has suggested will work a whole lot better than foil products and they'll last forever if you treat them right.
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Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I don't have any metal with me right now so I tried andrewlamberson's method with the aluminum foil and after a few tries it worked. I think for a more long term method I'll get some metal. Either way it beats spending a couple hundred bucks on a new mold and laminate plate.
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Try making one out of an aluminum pie plate.
Andy
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That's a great idea Andy. I'll give it a try. I'm amazed how many simple solutions there are that I haven't thought of.
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You can also cut the ends off a popcan cut it down the middle and flatten it out. Free or 5 to 10 cents depending on where ya live lol.