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How to make your own soft plastics
From: Peter Frawley

Here's a tutorial on how to make those soft plastics you see for big $$$ in the stores. Soft plastics lures are made from plastisol which can be bought for around $5 at any hardware store (try Bunnings). Wooden molds can be made cheaply or hard plastics ones bought from fishing stores. You will also need a pot and stove to heat the plastic.

1 - Pour the plastic liquid into the melting pan. Don't fill the pan too full as this will make it difficult to pour. Heat the plastic carefully and stir frequently. The plastic melts at about 78C. Continue heating and stirring until the plastic is smooth and about the consistency of syrup.

2 - Add color (food dye) to the desired shade. Most colors can be added to the hot plastic, but fluorescent colors will be brighter if added before the plastic liquid is heated. Stir well and you are ready to pour into the mold.

3 - Pour the plastic into the mold.

4 - Allow the worm to cool until it is firm, probably a minute or two, then pull from the mold and place in a pan of cold water to finish cooling.
      For any questions on this process just email me. Try different colours and molds as you master this process, if anyone finds any good recipes for plastics for yellowbelly contact me! Peter.
(3 December 2002)

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