Lure craft mf plastic

[Underdog]

Was wondering if anyone is using these brands of plastic and what they liked and disliked about them.

Thanks shawn

[Jason]

You win the loaded question of the day award!!!

You probably need to try a couple different ones and choose your favorite.  They all have pros and cons and different people like them for different reasons.

Here's my experience: I've used Calhoun, Polyone and MF (never tried LC).  Of the 3 I prefer MF even though it's the most expensive.  I know Robert and Jeff (it's a family business) and they take good care of their customers.  I believe the plastic is higher quality, has more stabilizer in it, smells less, works really well in a pot or microwave and I don't believe it has any heavy metals in it.  It is extremely clear and in my opinion easier to work with (more forgiving) than the others I've used.  The other great quality it has is it doesn't settle / separate like some plastics do.  You can literally leave it sit for several months and not have to shake it - big bonus if it's a 5 gallon bucket!

With that said, it works for me (that's why we sell it).  We only sell it by the pint and quart, I don't sell the larger sizes because you can buy it directly from them for the same price as I can buy it, even if I buy it in bulk 55 gallon drums.  They have better shipping rates than I do so it just doesn't make sense for us to carry it.  I normally buy the 5 gallon jugs for personal use and to test the molds with.

As I said above, try a few and see what you like the best based on how you work.

Tight lines,

Jason

[Underdog]

Thanks for the info Jason 

[Jason]

I would think others will weigh in as well.

Your next question needs to be what boat / motor people think is best.  That will get really interesting.   

Rods and reels are always fun also!

Seriously, another good question is about glitter and colorant.  I have noticed a huge difference in quality here.  The best I can tell, regardless of where you buy it, there seems to be two types of glitter.

As far as colorant goes the key here is how much pigment they use.  This is important because it dictates how much you need to use to get your color.  I'll have more on this later as I'm testing some brands now.

I would be interested in what others think not just about plastic, but glitter and colorant as well.  We can save scents for a different post.

Any takers?

Merry Christmas Eve

Jason

[shockley32]

I use Calhoun and really like it, however you must make sure it is really mixed up or can cause problems. Sounds like my next plastic purchase will be MF.

Brad

[Jason]

One thing that is more important, regardless of your choice, is ventilation.  I personally haven't smelled any that I thought were offensive, but I have had a headache with all 3 I've tried before I put in a vent hood.  When I was doing it in the garage I used a big fan to blow the fumes outside.  Inside, you need a vent hood.  Ideally a respirator as well.

The only plastic that I notice being oily is the sinking formula and have been told by them that it's because it's phthalate (sp?) free.  I don't normally use the sinking formula but have experimented with it and didn't think much of the oil as it was pretty much gone after they cured, and I put scented worm oil on them when I bagged them.

If your evaluating cost, you need to factor in shipping.  Depending on where you live and how much you buy, shipping can be a factor.

This is kind of like fishing line.  Everyone has their preference, none are perfect.