How Cost Effective Is Making Your Own Senko's?

[hoosierbass07]

 When you make soft plastics, are the fumes dangerous?  

[Comfortably Numb]

 When you make soft plastics, are the fumes dangerous?  

 

Yes. 

[einscodek]

You guys REALLY love senkos

Why not load up on them on sale at the end of season every year then?

All that plastic equipment costs $$$ and time away from fishin'

[Comfortably Numb]

Baut making is a hobby and should not be confued as a way to get cheaper baits.

[enforcer]

there is cost efficiency in making ones own baits , the materials are fairly cheap , but most important is the resale value is quite  high if the equipment is taken care of

 

during largie season I found that I shreaded so many baits that I needed to make my own . I've spent so many  days after work and on the weekends that I averaged roughly 5-6 days on the water .

Cost of baits wasn't as much of a factor as selection and the reliability of the products still being on the shelf mid season , I loved the gulp worms and I'd easily blow thru a pack a week since the summer bassing here is soo productive , but I had too many experiences of them being sold out . So I looked into my own baits , plastic is relatively cheap and I simply started machining my own molds since I have the right machinery  . Bait choice is almost instant , color of the day is at hand .

 if affordability is a problem for a guy/gal , then there are a lot of materials that can be used to hand craft molds , a lot of people are using silicone bondo etc , Personally I found the two part urethane from smooth-on to be extremely tough , durable and fairly easy to work with . It's not as easy to have as perfect of baits as a machined aluminum mold , but  at the end of the day we are probably  more picky about our baits than the fish are . I made my first few molds with plasticine and urethane , I'd model the bait then cast it . It worked ok except the urethane gets pretty warm while curing and the plasticine melts some , so it was a bit of a mess to clean the finished product but where theres a will ............ .

 

I'm sure that any fly tyer will agree , we have more money worth of hooks , feathers and hair than if we just bought bags of flies at the tackle shop

[Comfortably Numb]

Welcome to the site Enforcer.

 

I have been looking over your molds. They look like great quality at an affordable price.

[enforcer]

Thanks for the welcome and the compliment .

[AustinHellickson]

On 7/30/2014 at 8:25 AM, bradc36 said:

 

Just read through this and I have been seriously considering doing this exact thing, but Denea lives a half hour away from me, there has to be better ways to go about this now.

What is good cheap mold making material that gets you the full 3D effect of the senko or any soft plastic? I am looking for cheap molds to buy or the material.

[nocellcontracts]

On 7/15/2014 at 10:17 PM, Denea said:

 

(1) I have been pouring my own plastics since 2010, and it has paid off big time for me (in the long run).  In the beginning, you spend a lot getting all of your equipment (see below for a breakdown on pricing (give or take $5 depending on where you purchase it).

 

• I have five (5) 5.25" Senko style molds (each is 5 cavities, injection molds) - $73.50 each
• Calhoun's Medium Plastic 2.5 Gallon - $74.50 (my senkos last between 2-5 fish with a 3/0 hook through the top)
• I have a large injector, medium injector, and a dual injector for laminates - I don't know the exact amounts on these, but the medium injector was around $50 (Large is probably $70-$75 and when I purchased the dual injector is was around $100)
• Gloves (ones that can withstand heats of 300-400+ degrees if you get plastic on them) I use Hot Mill Gloves which can withstand 450 degrees ($5.50 at Bear's Baits - these are mainly for injection molds)
• Eye wear and a painters mask are highly recommended.  The plastic burns at high temps, and releases toxins which are hazardous
• Pyrex cup (preferably a 2 cup size)

I have probably a total of $2,000 in everything that I have purchased over the years.  I am doing this as a hobby and for me to have an unlimited supply of plastics.  I also have craw, tubes, lizards, frogs, grubs molds which can run you anywhere between $50 to $150 per mold (depending on what you want).

 

It's a big initial investment in the beginning, but to me, in my opinion, the risk (money spent & time) has well been worth it.

 

(2) I just poured (on Saturday) 50 blue fleck with green glitter (.015 size) with 1.5 cups of plastic in 20 minutes. I can pump out 25 at a time with my 5 molds.  I have poured as many as 500 baits in about 5-6 hours.  I work overnights, so the night before I go back in, I stay up late and pour plastic.

 

(3) I had purchased GYCB back in 2008, and went through a ton of them.  I was spending $50-$60/week just on senkos.  I decided to pour my own.  The plastic I use seems to be a little bit stronger, but can also depend on how hard the fish hammers it.  My avatar shows my senko from a local pond.

 

If you're interested, I can send you some of my plastics I have poured.  Just shoot me a PM, and I will send them out on Thursday or Friday (my weekend).

 

Hopefully this little bit of info help you out some.

How much does it cost per senko when you make your own?

[Rangerdeepv]

Just started this summer and it has taken hold. Lots of fun and can make any bait. Great way to recycle my 'old' plastics also. 

[FishTax]

I think I saw a video on YouTube of someone melting old chewed up senkos and then repouring it as new bait. Anyone tried that?

[swhit140]

On 12/3/2023 at 9:09 AM, FishTax said:

I think I saw a video on YouTube of someone melting old chewed up senkos and then repouring it as new bait. Anyone tried that?

I save my old plastics and just re-melt them, it takes a couple seasons to accumulate a amount to do re-melts depending how much you fish. I just have a simple Stick Bait top pour aluminum mold, Pyrex cup & old microwave. You'll have your initial cost/time, but overtime you'll save a few bucks.