Clear Plastic

[Wojo]

Hey Guys,

When I want clear plastic for dipping, do I just heat up regular MF and use that? Everytime I heat up plastic for dipping, it eventually turns a goldish yellow. Am I overheating it, or is there a additive I can use to keep it clear?

Thanks,

Wojo

[pieterbez]

Hi Wojo

For dipping I use regular Medium Plastic.
Try adding some heat stabilizer to the plastic. This will stop it for turning yellow.
I have reheated 1/2 pint of plastic about 15 time without it turning color.
If it starts to turn yellow, add 1 drop of white colorant to clear it up again.

[Jason]

Watch your heat as well.  We try and get as many things as possible to dip at once to maximize the time it's hot.  If possible, also use a container that best suits what you are dipping.  A lab beaker vs. a 4 cup Pyrex...

Jason

[TAE73]

Jason you still using the teflon cups?

[Wojo]

I have not used Teflon yet. I am using a small beaker for the clear so I do not waist much. Do you sell the heat stabilizer?

Thanks for the info

[TAE73]

Sorry they are not teflon, but silicone cups.

[Jason]

I still use the silicon cups but have found myself using the 4 cup pyrex more.  I really just depends on what I'm doing.

We sell heat stabilizer.  It's with the plastic supplies at the very bottom.

Thanks,

Jason

[Wojo]

Thanks guys, I will try it!

[Muskygary]

How much heat stablizer do you use to say 4 ounces? Or what's your formula?

[Jason]

I'm sure I will mess this up, but I will try and explain how this works.  Don't take this as being 100% factual, but the concept is correct.  Heat stabilizer is typically a metal of some type that has been dissolved into a liquid and added to the plastic compound.

When the PVC melts it splits and produces a chloride that will attack the other parts of the compound.  That's where the heat stabilizer comes in.  The chloride prefers the metal and attaches itself to it vs. the other parts of the compound.  Once a molecule has been attached to, it can not be used again.  This is why additional heat stabilizer is needed, as you continue to heat your plastic, additional chlorides are produced.

The production of the chloride happens when the compound is heated.  How much it produces is based on how hot it gets.  Because of this, there is no "formula" for "x" amount of plastic.  It totally depends on the original plastic formula (quality of ingredients) and what you've done to it.

Over time, you will get use to the plastic you are using, refine your heating techniques, and get a feel for when and how much stabilizer you need to add.

With that said, try adding 5-10 drops and see how that works for you.

I'm not a chemist by any stretch of the imagination.  However, I have learned a ton conceptually about the different ingredients and how they interact as we've worked on our formula.

Hopefully this helps a little.

Jason

[TAE73]

Dumb follow up question - can you add to much stabilizer? I usually give it a squirt from the 4oz container at the start of heating plastic. So I know its move than 10 drops, I havent seen any problems or color changes.

[Jason]

Hi Ted,

To much stabilizer can cause the following: additional smell / smoke, less clarity and oily baits.

Jason

[Wojo]

Hey guys,

I am not sure if I missed it on another post but will heat stabilizer keep the clear plastic from getting air bubbles? I get a lot of air bubbles in my clear as well.

thanks

[Jason]

Hey guys,

I am not sure if I missed it on another post but will heat stabilizer keep the clear plastic from getting air bubbles? I get a lot of air bubbles in my clear as well.

thanks

What plastic?  What kind of bubbles?  When are they appearing?  Are you using the microwave?

Adding heat stabilizer will not prevent them, but cheap or the wrong kind of stabilizer can cause them.

Micro bubbles are caused by boiling heat stabilizer, heating to fast or bad micro to focused in one area.  They can also be caused by not thoroughly de-airing the plastisol (something the mfg should do).  The PVC is like a small snow flake and it traps air.  You have to literally suck the air off it.  These types of bubbles will manifest as the plastic is cooking.

Medium bubbles can be caused by having to shake your plastic.  Some mfg use larger PVC to save money.  The PVC weighs more and doesn't suspend well.  Depending on the size, this will cause soft or hard pack and a need to shake (or sometimes more than shake) your plastisol.

Large bubbles are usually caused by the user agitating the plastic by stiring or purging an injector.

Hopefully this helps.  If not maybe you can give a little more detail.

We will have our final samples this week and assuming the test feedback is positive we will have a new brand available in a few weeks.

Jason

[Wojo]

I am getting the micro bubble during heating....I think I was heating it too fast. I was using a small beaker in order to not waist plastic. This was the only time I used the small beaker because wanted to heat up a small amount....and this was the only time the micro bubbles appeared....I think that might be it....You are the man!!!

Thank you