RTV molds / Resin cast

[Rowhunter]

Woody, the tensil strength as listed is 6000 psi if that means anything to you. It is a very tough , dense material that machines well. Then we need to add microballoons to get it to float, and this affects the overall strength. The more buoyant the less strength. Now if you have the mixture similar to Maple, it would be strong enough to use screw eyes for hook attachment. If I'm not mistaken I do believe The Greek was working on some needles.

Douglas

[Slipknot]

Those are really sweet!

[the greek]

I picked Dougs brain for a couple months about a year or so ago. He told me pretty much everything I know about this and shortened the learning curve on it for me immensely. I only dabbled with it for a real short time but it was really neat what you could do with the stuff. If I ever get some more time to play with it again I would really like to get into it a bit more. For now I had to put it on the backburner. Cost is high and waste is big when your figuring things out and trying to get into it. Your molds are THE most important part. I did make a bunch of needles. I weighted a few and went with straight resin on a bunch of others. I gave them all away exept for one I have and it was one of the bad pours. I poured mine on a rod that I removed immediately after the bait hardened to get my through hole. Everything was done and ready to prime out of the mold. Thanks Doug for everything and I'm sure I will try this again soon. It's crazy if you think about the possibilities. Your stuff is off the charts. Woody here are the needles I made.

[Rowhunter]

Those look great Ted, I know that they'll hold up well, how was the performance? Were you still working on the mixture?

Douglas

[the greek]

Douglas I tried making these needles as my first resin baits because I knew I would be able to make a mold fairly easy and be able to vary the weighting easily as well with the way I set the mold up. I was weighting them on the rod I removed for my through hole and could pretty much put a weight anywhere along the blank. I unlike many here only use a needle as a delivery system for a teaser. I only use them in the fall and in a heavy surf at times. I only need them to cast well and stay down. Using just resin and no microballoons they did that. I have never made a wooden needle that caught well. It along with a bunch of other plugs is something I've never had any success building or fishing with.