pouring your own
Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2003 12:45 pm
Recently I've gotten into pouring my own soft plastics. They only thing you save by pouring your own is s&h, tax, gas and time for various elements you want in your worms, grubs, lizards etc. such as:
1. colors you run out or that are no longer available (Riverside is out of business and had unique colors I'll never see again)
2. floating versus sinking. (Senko)
3. softness or harder for more durability. (I pour a harder plastic for the business end (1/3) and soft plastic for the action end (2/3). I rarely lose Senko-type worms, even to pickerel.
4.sizes that may not be offered or that you run out of.
5. The expense of Senkos at plus 50 cents ea.(add tax if you shop local)
Do the math --- 10 fish=$5.00 spent
(If you win the money, fine. But add in losses to pickerel , and your profit goes way down, fast.)
6. The reuse of old plastic. (The color may be a little different with repours, but adding color will bring it back sometimes.)
7. Not needing a large inventory of each kind and color (worrying about supply sources drying up)
Initial expenses are:
1.worm dye
2.plastisol plus hardener (or the old plastics your're tired of storing for over a decade)
3.pyrex container and microwave (or small metal pots and heat source)
4.glitter
5.stirring sticks
6.molds (premade or those you can easily make from cheap plaster)(3-for-a-buck aluminum pans)
7.Sand and salt (for Senko-types)
8.electricity or gas (your bill willgo up)
9.worm oil or oil-based scent
Everything's a trade-off.
Don't expect to pour certain bodies that have thin parts - injection molds are needed for that. Thin curly tails can also be a challenge.
Here's a few:
(2 part mold)(The 5" Little Frank finesse worms(center) I actually named the Sperm Worm (I can shoot them all day long and not worry about a thing.)
FrankM
1. colors you run out or that are no longer available (Riverside is out of business and had unique colors I'll never see again)
2. floating versus sinking. (Senko)
3. softness or harder for more durability. (I pour a harder plastic for the business end (1/3) and soft plastic for the action end (2/3). I rarely lose Senko-type worms, even to pickerel.
4.sizes that may not be offered or that you run out of.
5. The expense of Senkos at plus 50 cents ea.(add tax if you shop local)
Do the math --- 10 fish=$5.00 spent
(If you win the money, fine. But add in losses to pickerel , and your profit goes way down, fast.)
6. The reuse of old plastic. (The color may be a little different with repours, but adding color will bring it back sometimes.)
7. Not needing a large inventory of each kind and color (worrying about supply sources drying up)
Initial expenses are:
1.worm dye
2.plastisol plus hardener (or the old plastics your're tired of storing for over a decade)
3.pyrex container and microwave (or small metal pots and heat source)
4.glitter
5.stirring sticks
6.molds (premade or those you can easily make from cheap plaster)(3-for-a-buck aluminum pans)
7.Sand and salt (for Senko-types)
8.electricity or gas (your bill willgo up)
9.worm oil or oil-based scent
Everything's a trade-off.
Don't expect to pour certain bodies that have thin parts - injection molds are needed for that. Thin curly tails can also be a challenge.
Here's a few:
(2 part mold)(The 5" Little Frank finesse worms(center) I actually named the Sperm Worm (I can shoot them all day long and not worry about a thing.)
FrankM