Air bubble's in my plastic?

[fishley]

Can eny one tell me why I'am geting so many air bubble's in my plastic.I'am makeing my own type of jig's and I'am haveing a heck of a time some turn out great and work well but most have to many air bubble's please help Ive allredy wasted a gallon of plastic and it aint cheap.thank's a ton and good fishing.[laugh]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Hey fishley, you pourin' up some "mack candy"? I used to do a lot of different plastics, when I was chasin' bass more than I do now. You are right, you won't save a lot of money doing it yourself, but you can get shapes and colors that you can't find in the store.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have never had a bubble problem, but I suspect it is from one of two sources. The first is heat. You need to heat the plastic until it turns clear and is ready to cure. Pour it too soon and you can get irregularities in the finished product. It is also possible that you are getting it too hot before pouring. Are you using any kind of thermometer or regulated heater? If you do it on the stove, you can get a difference from batch to batch, unless you check the temp.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The second reason for getting wierd results is in what you put in the plastic. Some colors act different than others, and you have to get used to working with them. There are also additives you can put in that will turn out softer or firmer plastics. Are you adding any of that stuff?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You might also see if there is a helpline from the maker of the materials you bought. Sometimes you can get online help there.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I am assuming that you are pouring your plastics and not using an injection mold. Is that right? Also, what shapes are you making...swim baits? And, are the bubbles all the way through the finished lure, or just in one end...or layers? There could be a slight difference in the way you pour them too. A slow, steady pour will be less likely to leave bubbles than a fast pour that picks up air between the pan and the mold.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]That's all I can think of. Good luck.[/#0000ff]
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[maniac]

Air bubbles are usually caused by moisture! You could have some moisture in the plastic you baught. You could also introduce air bubbles by using wood to stir your hot plastic. And as T.D said, there could be moisture in the colorant your using. If you add salt,then you will get bubbles , because the salt attracts moisture. microwave your salt before you add it to the plastic. Always put the lid back on your plastic container, when your not using it. If your using a 1 gallon jug then your probably shaking it as the method of mixing it, this will trap air in the plastic. You need to stir it, to make sure you get the hardener off of the bottom of the container. Try to stir it more and less shaking. If you over heat the plastic it will cause more bubbles, but will most likely burn the plastic causing it to turn yellow. don't store your plastic on cement, the cold cement can cause condensation when it's cold.
Good luck!
James
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