# Hand pouring plastics



## dbrady784 (Feb 17, 2014)

Does anyone on here pour their own soft plastics? I’m sure it’s kinda a similar rabbit hole to fly tying. Not really cost effective, but fun and rewarding. With that being said it seems like a lot more work, and a lot more expensive than fly tying (or continuing to buy soft plastics). Looking for anyone’s personal experience with this. If you’ve done it or do it, are you still doing it or did you kinda burn out of it? Seems like a much larger investment than a lot of other fishing related manufacturing things such as melting lead, fly tying, rod wrapping. Wondering if it’s worth it.


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## ibefisherman (Apr 20, 2017)

I pour a lot of my own plastics, but i mostly have been using them for bass here in Fla. and they work great. Give some curly tail type baits to use in keys to a friend for cuda's and he has been doing well with them. Is it cost effective? a gal of plastic is 30 bucks and sometimes found on sale. I get tons of baits out of a gal for what i do. I enjoy making my own baits. Like everything else you get out of it what you put into it. Very basic's are a microwave, plastic, mold, color(s), also suggest a mask as your melting plastic, not something you do inside your house. If you can jump onto facebook and plug in making your own plastic baits or go to Youtube as there is also a ton of videos there too. Have more questions let me know be glad to help.


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## ibefisherman (Apr 20, 2017)

I see your from Vero Beach, I'm in Sebastian so one day if your interested to see how it is done you can come and see.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Plastisol is some nasty stuff. If you don’t wear the proper PPE you will end up with cancer. A buddy of mine here in Texas used to pour his own and sold a lot until his wife got cancer and died. Now he has them poured by a major lure manufacturer.


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## dbrady784 (Feb 17, 2014)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Plastisol is some nasty stuff. If you don’t wear the proper PPE you will end up with cancer. A buddy of mine here in Texas used to pour his own and sold a lot until his wife got cancer and died. Now he has them poured by a major lure manufacturer.


Melting lead isn’t much better. I wear a mask, and now sleeves (after burning my arm pretty good).


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## Tx_Whipray (Sep 4, 2015)

My son and I pour some bass baits. Senkos, curly tail worms, and creatures. We do it in the garage with the door up and a fan on, but probably should get more serious about wearing a mask. Not like we don't have a jillion N95s laying around the house. He sells his baits to buddies at school and a few dads around the neighborhood that fish the ponds around here. If he can sell about 50 more bags without me having to invest another dime, he might just break even. It's fun father/son time, which is all that matters.


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## dbrady784 (Feb 17, 2014)

ibefisherman said:


> I see your from Vero Beach, I'm in Sebastian so one day if your interested to see how it is done you can come and see.


Great sent you a DM


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## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

Larry Dahlberg was the best reference for pouring your own baits.


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## dbrady784 (Feb 17, 2014)

Jason M said:


> Larry Dahlberg was the best reference for pouring your own baits.


Appreciate it. Have been watching other videos but will check it out. A big turn off for me is having to mix the plastisol everyday or every few days. At least thats what the video I watched had said. Any one have experience with this?


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## ibefisherman (Apr 20, 2017)

dbrady784 said:


> Appreciate it. Have been watching other videos but will check it out. A big turn off for me is having to mix the plastisol everyday or every few days. At least thats what the video I watched had said. Any one have experience with this?


I have let my plastic a long time, not a problem, just shake and mix back up. I show you when you come over to Sebastian.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Tx_Whipray said:


> My son and I pour some bass baits. Senkos, curly tail worms, and creatures. We do it in the garage with the door up and a fan on, but probably should get more serious about wearing a mask. Not like we don't have a jillion N95s laying around the house. He sells his baits to buddies at school and a few dads around the neighborhood that fish the ponds around here. If he can sell about 50 more bags without me having to invest another dime, he might just break even. It's fun father/son time, which is all that matters.


The N95's won't do anything to protect you because the plastics release vapors when heated, not particles. That said there are plenty of cheap masks you can get that are rated for vapors/VOC.


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