Why Great Lure Molds Matter
When it comes to making soft plastic fishing lures, the quality of the molds being used matters. Molds are usually targeted for a lure's primary look and the number of cavities it provides. Beginner bait makers often attempt to research and shop based on that premise alone and instead focus on plastisol and other additives. Purchasing a high-quality, well-designed mold should be the primary focus for all, whether they are a beginner or an advanced soft plastic bait maker. Several key factors should go into a great mold design.
What Mold Material Means to Final Products
Several materials are utilized in the mold-making industry. When comparing costs, some mold materials will seem quite appealing. However, the old saying ‘you get what you pay for’ will matter to the finished product of your fishing lure.
- Open-pour molds made of acrylic and silicone feature low prices and might tempt beginner bait makers but sacrifice the finished products’ appearance. Molds such as these are hard to heat or help plastic maintain a proper temperature. Baits made this way often lack shine and don’t blend or weld properly, and a common problem, cold cracks, will often occur.
- Stone molds offer consumers savings upfront. However, they are limited in cavity counts and usually require oil to act as a release agent for the plastisol. In truth, stone molds, when compared to others, can incur a higher cost. After comparing cavity counts and the extra use of oil to help improve finished baits, other molds prove to be the better option.
- Cast aluminum molds should not be confused with CNC machined aluminum and are also available in today's market. Cast molds are a far cry from aluminum CNC mold designs. Using a cast mold will create a usable lure to fish with, but due to the casting process to manufacture the mold, differences remain. Baits made with cast molds will have a matte finish, will not be as detailed, and each cavity may have a few flawed inconsistencies.
- Machined CNC aluminum molds set the standard in the industry today. Bait makers, new and old, enjoy the simplicity of using CNC aluminum soft plastic bait molds. Detailed designs help bait makers create that store-bought look for the lure that is very appealing. Cavity counts are higher with injection molds and bags of baits that can be made rather quickly compared to injecting one bait at a time. Glossy finishes are easily achieved with machined aluminum bait molds, eliminating that flat, dull, and matte finish. Open-pour molds produced from machined aluminum offer several advantages as well.
- The detail in the design and the mold usability increase drastically when aluminum is used.
- Eye sockets are cut to match lure eyes that are commonly sold in the marketplace to an exact fit.
- Heating the molds is easy with griddle plates, heat guns, or even a small torch flame. Molds that can be heated eliminate the simple problem of cold cracks and allow for a huge variety of hand-pouring techniques.
- The bait maker's imagination is the only thing that limits the use of a CNC aluminum open-pour mold.
- Skin pouring, layering, capsuling, and striping are a few of the styles that one can use when pouring soft plastics
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The mold material will play a pivotal role in the enjoyment of your bait-making experience. Consider each of the following when making your mold purchase:
- Quality of the details
- Cavity count
- Finished product appearance
- Whether you can use the mold efficiently
- Whether the mold is injection or open-pour
Selecting the right product is key to enjoying being able to ‘MAKE YOUR BAITS — YOUR WAY.’
All Molds Are Not Created Equal
When it comes to mold design, all molds are not created equal. Material is not the only reason a mold should be considered great. Designing and implementing a fishing lure mold design is not as simple as pressing a few buttons. The functionality of a fishing bait or lure is also a key component to enjoying making soft plastic fishing baits for personal use. Mold designs like the products offered at Angling Ai are created by actual anglers, people who fish often. Aluminum CNC soft plastic bait molds created by fishermen for fishermen lead to the creation of a great fishing lure mold design.
Angling Ai employees have over 125 years of fishing experience. Fishing freshwater and saltwater environments from coast to coast provide an array of knowledge when designing a fishing bait mold. Whether fishing for largemouth or smallmouth bass in a tournament setting, casting for redfish, speckled trout, or snook on the gulf coast, or targeting panfish on brush piles, anglers at Angling Ai have experience. Here is our process:
- Designing a great lure mold starts with an idea, and several factors need to be considered. What type of lure do we want to develop? What species of fish will this bait design target, or how many? What style or styles of fishing can the lure be used for? How can this design have multiple uses for the consumer? Will it be affordable for the consumer? Will the consumer be able to use the mold easily? Once all of the questions are answered, the design process begins.
- Detailing the lure and desired appearance is the next step in creating a great lure mold. Often a design is completed, and the visual appeal leaves something to be desired. Moving forward with a design requires an aesthetic standard to be satisfied.
3.After the look and details of the lure are achieved, a mold is created. How simple a mold is to navigate is extremely important to a consumer. If the mold is difficult to use, the consumer is more than likely going to avoid using it. Angling Ai tests new molds during design before moving forward. The mold is injected or filled with plastisol in various ways and techniques. Results will often vary, and molds will be adjusted several times before the process can move to the next phase. For example, adjustments can range from size changes to cavities, appendages, vents, and orientation.
4.Testing the lure's action or movement is next. This practice can take several attempts before the experienced anglers at Angling Ai are pleased with the results. The action of a lure is more important than the simple look of the lure overall. Sometimes this requires the process to start completely over.
5.After the look and action of the lure are approved, bait performance will be tested. Lures are fished to test the effect they will have on the water before being released. Even though the design has moved forward to being fished, adjustments can still be made to the appearance and movement of the lure. Testing is critical to great lure mold design.
6.Finally, once all the requirements have been achieved, the last process can take place. Will the mold be cost-effective for consumers? Cost analysis is reviewed, and a new fishing lure mold will be available for release. Great mold designs entail an intricate process that matters to the quality and enjoyment of making soft plastic fishing lures.
Great Lure Molds Should Matter
Great soft plastic fishing bait molds are more than just a cut above others. The knowledge that goes into design troubleshooting to provide customer service, testing the action and performance of the finished products, easy-to-use functionality with multiple applications for bait maker’s to create high-quality soft plastics, and affordable pricing is necessary to create a great mold. CNC-milled designs with aluminum provide the highest quality finish for soft plastic fishing lures. Influencing the look, feel, and performance of fishing baits created from fishing lure molds does not happen just by chance. Go to anglingai.com to get high-quality aluminum soft plastic bait molds and ‘MAKE YOUR BAITS — YOUR WAY.’ Great lure mold designs produce great fishing lures, and you will ‘Put That on a Hook.’
Have any questions about our lure molds? Contact us at Angling Ai, and we’ll be happy to help you.
