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Softies material

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sergio_kutz View Drop Down
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    Posted: 28 Aug 2012 at 11:37am
Hey guys,
 
I'm looking at starting to make some of my own softies with my own take on things. I've got the moulds sorted, but I'm not sure where I should go for the actual material to make them out of. I want it to be a slightly firm plastic, but to float. I want to run wire through the body and have a treble hook on the back, but still have it float. So i'm just after some help as to what I should look at using. I've tried looking at plastics and their 'specific gravity' on the net, but then I get lost in all the names of things and don't know what would actually be a good material to use, and where to source it from.
 
Some help would be great! I've looked at u-make-em soft plastics and jsut don't know if they'll be bouyant enough for what I've got in mind.
 
Many many thanks!\
Serge
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Screamingreel View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Screamingreel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Aug 2012 at 11:43am
Interesting project
regards John
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Poolie View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Poolie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Aug 2012 at 11:56am
I know people add micro balloons to make their urethane lures more bouyant, what do you think maybe worth a try? The bloke in the clip below adds them at around the 5min mark.
 
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fishaholic5 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fishaholic5 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Aug 2012 at 11:58am
Glue some poly foam onto the wire, seal it with epoxy, put sparkle tape on the sides and then mould your plastic around it, it'll floatLOLLOL
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sergio_kutz View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sergio_kutz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Aug 2012 at 12:09pm
Hmm, good idea fishaholic5, I'll just have to get the balancing of it right, have the foam too much on one side and it'll be floating on it's side, depending if the hooks are enough weight to keep it upright. Have ordered some materials and will hopefully have some made up within a few weeks. First attempt will do it without any floatation and see how it goes.
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Doc View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Doc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Aug 2013 at 4:20am
There are polyurethanes with the specs your looking for. Density is variable with the shot size and there are very few stronger elastomers than urethane they are available from a company called ERA polymers they are in Sydney Melbourne they also have test samples they can send you .
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Kahuna View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kahuna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Aug 2013 at 12:46am
There is a new material called RST its boyant and more stretchy than Z man grubs. I believe it is very expensive though. 
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Big-Pete View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Big-Pete Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Aug 2013 at 1:34pm
Look up u-make-emsoftplastics they sell all the soft plastic material etc. Plus you can talk to them about what you need.
 
I hope its ok to post this if not please delete. They are Australian based. ACT I think
 
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senkosam View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote senkosam Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2016 at 10:36pm
From my experience using many grades of soft plastic, soft texture is the mos buoyant, salt water plastic the most dense and the least buoyant. Once you put a hook it even soft plastic lures, they will slowly sink.
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Doc View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Doc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 2017 at 12:02am
There are very few polymers that are lower than 0.92 Specific gravity and most of them are polyolfin mixes 
Most soft plastic lures are made from plasticized PVC with an SG 1.07 to1.15 with no additives 
When mixed with micro spheres they become stiffer and have a lower tear strength. The spheres do'not stick very well to plasticized PVC. The micro spheres are typically made of glass and unless silane coated 3M product range can improve tear strength by sticking better 
Steel has a Sg of 7.85 so thats nearly 7 to 8 times of plasticized PVC so a 1mm wire is the same weight as a 7mm Ppvc rod 

I have made some surface lures for a guy by doing a double shot.  65% of the lures volume had micro spheres mixed in with Ppvc the other 35% was Ppvc. The only the other issue with micro spheres is it increases melted shear strength (it's harder to stir)and colors end up very pastel colored. 

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