Garage Made 6" Open Pour Swimbaits

Can't find what you're looking for in a catalog or in the store shelves? Ever think about just making it yourself? Come share your inspirations and creations with fellow tinkerers in TackleTour's Garage Baits forum!
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Preston
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Garage Made 6" Open Pour Swimbaits

Post by Preston » Wed Apr 13, 2022 9:40 am

So late last year I started dipping my toes into making soft swimbaits. 6-7 months later, here are a couple that I really like. I don't sell baits, and I'm not trying to promote them. Just want to share the fun of it, and if anyone has input on improvements, please share! Or if you see something I've done completely wrong, please share.

These are 6" swimbaits that fit 6/0 to 10/0 Beast hooks. It's the Epic Bait Molds, Epic Stud mold.

My process is time consuming. Like total time from start to finish is 60-90 mins for 1 bait. A lot of that time is cooking on a griddle and waiting.

Things I've learned.
1. Vacuum Chamber!!! Nothing makes a great bait look like garbage more than air bubbles. Vacuuming cooked plastisol yields better results than vacuuming uncooked plastisol.
2. Mica powder is amazing. I use it as a colorant which creates such a beautiful pearl or metallic look to the bait. I also skin pour and paint it on the inside of a capsule like make up.
3. Gill patterns are the most fun. :big grin: All colors can work and purple almost always ends up in my gill patterns.
4. I love purple... too much
5. Getting it wrong led to more learning than getting it right. The 2nd bait I ever made was flawless. I didn't know why and it took me 2 weeks of mistakes after that to figure out how to do it right. :crying:
6. I've made and intentionally destroyed more baits than I've kept. You have to tear them apart to know if all the layers bonded correctly. I make a bait with slight tweaks to the process, then tore them apart and adjusted the process based on my results. Frustrating and time consuming, but so satisfying to finally be getting things right... I think.

Thanks for checking them out.

Preston
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Canga-
Elite Angler
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Posts: 370
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 5:27 pm
Location: Central Wisconsin

Re: Garage Made 6" Open Pour Swimbaits

Post by Canga- » Wed Apr 13, 2022 6:01 pm

those are some bad ass baits, sir. i dont do any hand pouring, just injection, buts a fun and fulfilling hobby for sure! your list of things learned is great for a beginner as well, good stuff!

Uknowme
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Re: Garage Made 6" Open Pour Swimbaits

Post by Uknowme » Thu Apr 14, 2022 3:36 am

That is pretty sweet.

Preston
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Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2021 11:10 am

Re: Garage Made 6" Open Pour Swimbaits

Post by Preston » Thu Apr 14, 2022 7:47 am

Canga- wrote:
Wed Apr 13, 2022 6:01 pm
those are some bad ass baits, sir. i dont do any hand pouring, just injection, buts a fun and fulfilling hobby for sure! your list of things learned is great for a beginner as well, good stuff!
Right on, thanks! It's kinda funny. You only do injection baits, and I started with open pours. Just got an injection mold this week and plan to do my first shoots this weekend. Any tips?

Preston
Senior Angler
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Posts: 113
Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2021 11:10 am

Re: Garage Made 6" Open Pour Swimbaits

Post by Preston » Thu Apr 14, 2022 7:48 am

Uknowme wrote:
Thu Apr 14, 2022 3:36 am
That is pretty sweet.
=))/ :hugs:

Canga-
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Posts: 370
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 5:27 pm
Location: Central Wisconsin

Re: Garage Made 6" Open Pour Swimbaits

Post by Canga- » Fri Apr 15, 2022 5:50 pm

PursuitFishing wrote:
Thu Apr 14, 2022 7:47 am
Canga- wrote:
Wed Apr 13, 2022 6:01 pm
those are some bad ass baits, sir. i dont do any hand pouring, just injection, buts a fun and fulfilling hobby for sure! your list of things learned is great for a beginner as well, good stuff!
Right on, thanks! It's kinda funny. You only do injection baits, and I started with open pours. Just got an injection mold this week and plan to do my first shoots this weekend. Any tips?
there isnt much different between open pour and injection, really, hold a little pressure and top the mold off for sure, depending on the mold you got it might take a little to figure out the optimal temp for it, but most can be shot anywhere between about 310 and 330ish.

Preston
Senior Angler
Senior Angler
Posts: 113
Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2021 11:10 am

Re: Garage Made 6" Open Pour Swimbaits

Post by Preston » Wed Apr 20, 2022 8:58 am

Canga- wrote:
Fri Apr 15, 2022 5:50 pm
PursuitFishing wrote:
Thu Apr 14, 2022 7:47 am
Canga- wrote:
Wed Apr 13, 2022 6:01 pm
those are some bad ass baits, sir. i dont do any hand pouring, just injection, buts a fun and fulfilling hobby for sure! your list of things learned is great for a beginner as well, good stuff!
Right on, thanks! It's kinda funny. You only do injection baits, and I started with open pours. Just got an injection mold this week and plan to do my first shoots this weekend. Any tips?
there isnt much different between open pour and injection, really, hold a little pressure and top the mold off for sure, depending on the mold you got it might take a little to figure out the optimal temp for it, but most can be shot anywhere between about 310 and 330ish.
Right on. Thanks. That's what I read as well. Shot a few, had some minor denting on a couple. Gotta figure that out.

Canga-
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 370
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 5:27 pm
Location: Central Wisconsin

Re: Garage Made 6" Open Pour Swimbaits

Post by Canga- » Wed Apr 20, 2022 6:31 pm

PursuitFishing wrote:
Wed Apr 20, 2022 8:58 am
Canga- wrote:
Fri Apr 15, 2022 5:50 pm
PursuitFishing wrote:
Thu Apr 14, 2022 7:47 am
Canga- wrote:
Wed Apr 13, 2022 6:01 pm
those are some bad ass baits, sir. i dont do any hand pouring, just injection, buts a fun and fulfilling hobby for sure! your list of things learned is great for a beginner as well, good stuff!
Right on, thanks! It's kinda funny. You only do injection baits, and I started with open pours. Just got an injection mold this week and plan to do my first shoots this weekend. Any tips?
there isnt much different between open pour and injection, really, hold a little pressure and top the mold off for sure, depending on the mold you got it might take a little to figure out the optimal temp for it, but most can be shot anywhere between about 310 and 330ish.
Right on. Thanks. That's what I read as well. Shot a few, had some minor denting on a couple. Gotta figure that out.
what mold did you get? some molds are way more prone to denting, and require different things to get rid of them, for instance the hammer molds from angling ai have to be shot on the cool side or they dent horribly.

Preston
Senior Angler
Senior Angler
Posts: 113
Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2021 11:10 am

Re: Garage Made 6" Open Pour Swimbaits

Post by Preston » Fri Apr 22, 2022 1:44 pm

Canga- wrote:
Wed Apr 20, 2022 6:31 pm
PursuitFishing wrote:
Wed Apr 20, 2022 8:58 am
Canga- wrote:
Fri Apr 15, 2022 5:50 pm
PursuitFishing wrote:
Thu Apr 14, 2022 7:47 am
Canga- wrote:
Wed Apr 13, 2022 6:01 pm
those are some bad ass baits, sir. i dont do any hand pouring, just injection, buts a fun and fulfilling hobby for sure! your list of things learned is great for a beginner as well, good stuff!
Right on, thanks! It's kinda funny. You only do injection baits, and I started with open pours. Just got an injection mold this week and plan to do my first shoots this weekend. Any tips?
there isnt much different between open pour and injection, really, hold a little pressure and top the mold off for sure, depending on the mold you got it might take a little to figure out the optimal temp for it, but most can be shot anywhere between about 310 and 330ish.
Right on. Thanks. That's what I read as well. Shot a few, had some minor denting on a couple. Gotta figure that out.
what mold did you get? some molds are way more prone to denting, and require different things to get rid of them, for instance the hammer molds from angling ai have to be shot on the cool side or they dent horribly.
I got the 4" Stinger mold from anglingai. Most of my research indicated that one shot pretty well, but who knows.

Canga-
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 370
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 5:27 pm
Location: Central Wisconsin

Re: Garage Made 6" Open Pour Swimbaits

Post by Canga- » Fri Apr 22, 2022 5:45 pm

PursuitFishing wrote:
Fri Apr 22, 2022 1:44 pm
Canga- wrote:
Wed Apr 20, 2022 6:31 pm
PursuitFishing wrote:
Wed Apr 20, 2022 8:58 am
Canga- wrote:
Fri Apr 15, 2022 5:50 pm
PursuitFishing wrote:
Thu Apr 14, 2022 7:47 am


Right on, thanks! It's kinda funny. You only do injection baits, and I started with open pours. Just got an injection mold this week and plan to do my first shoots this weekend. Any tips?
there isnt much different between open pour and injection, really, hold a little pressure and top the mold off for sure, depending on the mold you got it might take a little to figure out the optimal temp for it, but most can be shot anywhere between about 310 and 330ish.
Right on. Thanks. That's what I read as well. Shot a few, had some minor denting on a couple. Gotta figure that out.
what mold did you get? some molds are way more prone to denting, and require different things to get rid of them, for instance the hammer molds from angling ai have to be shot on the cool side or they dent horribly.
I got the 4" Stinger mold from anglingai. Most of my research indicated that one shot pretty well, but who knows.
dont have any experience with the stinger personally but most of their molds shoot good (i have all 3 sizes of hammer, the paratrooper, 2.75 double dipper tube, 3.4" ecto craw and the n3d core). havent heard anything about the stinger being prone to dents, probably a temp thing.

Preston
Senior Angler
Senior Angler
Posts: 113
Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2021 11:10 am

Re: Garage Made 6" Open Pour Swimbaits

Post by Preston » Mon Apr 25, 2022 7:57 am

Canga- wrote:
Fri Apr 22, 2022 5:45 pm
PursuitFishing wrote:
Fri Apr 22, 2022 1:44 pm
Canga- wrote:
Wed Apr 20, 2022 6:31 pm
PursuitFishing wrote:
Wed Apr 20, 2022 8:58 am
Canga- wrote:
Fri Apr 15, 2022 5:50 pm


there isnt much different between open pour and injection, really, hold a little pressure and top the mold off for sure, depending on the mold you got it might take a little to figure out the optimal temp for it, but most can be shot anywhere between about 310 and 330ish.
Right on. Thanks. That's what I read as well. Shot a few, had some minor denting on a couple. Gotta figure that out.
what mold did you get? some molds are way more prone to denting, and require different things to get rid of them, for instance the hammer molds from angling ai have to be shot on the cool side or they dent horribly.
I got the 4" Stinger mold from anglingai. Most of my research indicated that one shot pretty well, but who knows.
dont have any experience with the stinger personally but most of their molds shoot good (i have all 3 sizes of hammer, the paratrooper, 2.75 double dipper tube, 3.4" ecto craw and the n3d core). havent heard anything about the stinger being prone to dents, probably a temp thing.
Right on. Thanks. I'm slowely working down in temp. Shot some yesterday. Some didn't have dents and a couple did, so less denting. Gonna go down in temp even more. More trial and error.

Preston
Senior Angler
Senior Angler
Posts: 113
Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2021 11:10 am

Re: Garage Made 6" Open Pour Swimbaits

Post by Preston » Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:17 am

Well these aren't swimbaits. Just some 4" creature baits in a color that I like. Was messing around with all sorts of color additives. These have regular pigment, mica powder, color shift powder, and flake. They are still garage baits!
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