New Member

[Cklip13]

Hey all,

New to the forum, new to bait making. Been something I've been looking to get into for awhile. The wife was nice enough this holiday season to buy me some items out of the catalog. Got the essential series starter kit, es beaver bug and es senko molds and the lee's plastic pot.

Been scouring the forum the past few days and now I have a few questions.

The plastic production pot, my first thought was hooking a pid controller up to it control temp but it looks just way too easy to microwave. Looking into lead as well; is this pot suitable for lead? difference in the spout? temp? Thinking of returning the pot and using the money elsewhere.

Just bought some essentials. Gloves, respirator, pyrex, thermometer. Next on the shopping list will probably be some plastic, colors/flakes, dual injector and some new molds.

[Lamar]

  Welcome. For plastic go with the microwave. If your just cooking for yourself then it's way easier. I like she got you the ES Beaver. We might have another bass guy on board. These crappy guys are over running us.

[ctom]

Cklip13.....

Welcome aboard!

First off, I 'd consider returning the pot and getting a microwave for cooking your plastic. There are a couple different schools of thought on cooking including a hot plat and steel pot or the more expensive injection machines, but the microwave is pretty much the standard to learn with ad much easier to control what you are doing. I am not certain that the hot for plastic will work well for lead but really the pots are not that spendy. Whatever microwave you get for this make certain it is dedicated  to plastic use.

It sounds like the list of goodies you'll already put together his well on its way. The Essential plastic is a very forgiving and easy to use plastic and I really recommend you getting that at first. The colorants and glitters and hi lite powder and other additives used are up to you as far as brand or supplier but I like the Do-It product line. One item I really suggest putting on the list to get is a notebook. When you start working plastic and developing color formulas you want to be able to look at how the process un-folds as you work thru it if issues arise and then you'll want to keep track of what components and the number of drops of colorant go into each color. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to replicate a color and not remember what you put into it to make it.

I'm sure others will chime in here, but welcome aboard.

[Lines]

Welcome to custombaits.com Cklip13. I promise you'll love plastics and lead. Your wife may be sorry, but you'll love it.

[Cklip13]

I plan on pouring finesse and creature style baits. Besides colorant, flakes and worm oil what else should I purchase? I'm thinking heat stabilizer, but would you recommend getting hardner or softener or anything else?


And how about salt vs hd sinking additive for senkos?


Lines, I'm sure the wife won't mind, she'll know where I am if I'm not in the yak.

[andrewlamberson]

HD for sure over salt for darker colors.

After you get rolling look into glass bead media for the lighter colors.

Make sure you get gloves and a digital thermometer.

I strongly recommend the Essential plastic. It's heat tolerate and tough.

Welcome aboard!

Andy

[Lines]

Lines, I'm sure the wife won't mind, she'll know where I am if I'm not in the yak.

True! Have you ever heard "How can you fish for 5 or 6 hours straight and be bored after 30 minutes of shopping?"

[superharmonix]

Welcome CKlip- agreed with my bros here.  Notebook for sure- start small.  lots to learn and it is part of the fun.  Enjoy and welcome!