Newbie to custom soft plastics/ First pour

[Rwall89]

Hello all. I am a complete newbie to making my own soft plastics. Last night I did my first pour. It took several mishaps before I got it right. I first melted the measuring cup I was using. Then the plastic kept setting up on me before I could get it into the mold. Then I didn't get enough plastic into the mold. But finally I got it right and was able to make a good worm. I'll post a picture once I figure out how to do that.

I have a question about tube molds as I am interested in getting that next. Do you have to buy the spline for the tube mold separately or does it come with the mold?

[Rwall89]

http://custombaits.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=2932

Here is a picture of my first pour. Its june bug body with chartreuse tail. Pretty excited about it.

[ctom]

Welcome to the Do-It forums Rwall89.

On the spline, yes it is a separate purchase but it fits any Do-It mold calling for a spline so you have a ton of flexibility.

Go get some Pyrex measuring cups making certain it says "microwave safe" stamped into the bottom. The glass cups will help in the setting up department too. I hope you have a digital thermometer as part of your tools for cooking. Without one things won't go so smooth. Look at the 15 bucks or so as cheap insurance. Knowing exactly what the plastic temp is crucial. It helps at the beginning to organize all the things you need to make a batch and inject it ahead of time. That way you can slow down a bit and focus on the task at hand. There's a definite learning curve but you'll get it down quickly.

[Rwall89]

Thanks for the advice ctom. I do have a thermometer. I bought an infared one so I can get immediate temps. I also had an old pyrex pot that I am using now. Will probably change to a pyrex measuring cup soon because I think the pot is a little too big but it worked for my first one.

[2XL]

Keep plugging away Rwall. It will get easier and easier the more you mess with this stuff.

I would add one thing. Get yourself a notebook and take detailed notes on every step you took on every batch of plastic you brew up. Keep track of your cooking times, amount of plastisol used , how many drops and brand of coloring you used etc. Eventually you will develop a basic recipe that you can build on down the road.

[Rwall89]

Thats a great idea 2XL. Thanks. Can anybody see the picture I posted? I followed the directions on the sticky thread but its not showing up on my computer.

[Lamar]

  Add one thing on the splines. You'll need the inserts too. They now have three different splines for Do-it molds. They all fit all the molds and allows you to make some really cool baits. Check them out

[andrewlamberson]

When you order your tubes , order the digital that they sell.

IR thermometers are good for measuring the surface temperatures of solids....not the internal temperature of plastic. The probe on the thermometer makes a good stir stick too! When you measure your Temps you'll notice there can be a significant difference in different parts of the cup!

Get the temperature up to 350 degrees for the stirred mixture to avoid cloudy or sticky baits.

Injecting at the correct temperature for the mold you are using is critical!!

No hot enough the plastic will "freeze off" and not fully fill the mold.
Too hot leads to dents and flashing.

Spend a LOT OF HOURS and read up on issues and safety posts on the site!

Welcome aboard and enjoy!

Andy

[Rwall89]

How long does it take for probe thermometers to read the temp? I liked the infared because it has an immediate reading.

[andrewlamberson]

Approximately 10 secs...which you need to be stirring anyway.

A fast, incorrect reading from an IR is of little value!

[Mike J]

I'll second the digital. Like Andrew said you need to be stirring anyway and you need it stirred up all together to get a real temp reading. The surface, sides and center will all be different temps after a micro heat cycle.

[Rwall89]

I haven't been measuring temp until after i stirred. But with that being said, I have the digital thermometer in my shopping cart now. Just waiting to finish my order.

[Rwall89]

http://custombaits.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=2937
New worm I made tonight. Pretty happy with how it turned out.

[ctom]

There ya go. Very nice baits and that color is outstanding!

[Lamar]

  Nothing wrong with that.