Alumisol Heating Recs

[RhettWheeler]

Hey guys:
So aside from a microwave... what do you recommend to use for heating the alumisol? Would a hot plate with a magnetic spinner work? Also, do you know what is the highest temp I can heat the alumisol to before it will burn?

[aka anglinarcher]

Rhett, as always, Mike or Larry will be your best source, and you can call Mike at 1800-447-9344.

In the old days, I used a hot plate with a magnetic spinner a lot in the Chemistry Lab. For the raw plastic, it would work very well, but it will not work for the thicker plastic during re-melting or after it goes through the gel stage. At least, not the ones I remember. A regular hot plate, not set too hot, with frequent hand stirring with a stir stick, is the normal way for melting Plastisol products. Perhaps, if the new magnetic spinners were stronger, and if it did not cause the gel plastic to climb the walls of the ........... I would not try it myself.

I have heated Alumisol to 370 degrees according to my infrared thermometer. I believe the color yellowed quite a bit at that time and I did not have my heat stabilizer handy so I did not heat any higher. In reality, I find I can pour Alumisol from about 315 to 350 degrees F just fine, depending on the amount of softener used.

I suggest that trying to heat Alumisol to the point where it begins to burn is the wrong way to go, but, for educational purposes, I would call mike.

[Mike - Alumilite]

Heat to 320-330F and then bring down to 310 to try to maintain. Much of this depends what type of heat source you have. Even at 310F you will need periodic aggitation to prevent scorching the material. If you add softener this will alter the temp range lower up to 20 degrees F. If you add Alumilite Hardener, you have to more dialed in to the temp as it flips or burns in a much tighter range than straight Alumisol or that with Softener.

Mike

[RhettWheeler]

Mike - Alumilite wrote:
> Heat to 320-330F and then bring down to 310 to try to maintain. Much of
> this depends what type of heat source you have. Even at 310F you will need
> periodic aggitation to prevent scorching the material. If you add softener
> this will alter the temp range lower up to 20 degrees F. If you add
> Alumilite Hardener, you have to more dialed in to the temp as it flips or
> burns in a much tighter range than straight Alumisol or that with Softener.
>
> Mike

So do you think heating the liquid to temp them adding a magnetic stirer to agitate on a hotplate will help me to keep it in that range? the stirring should provide the agitation it needs do you agree?

[Mike - Alumilite]

Yes as long as the magnet keeps it aggitated enough to prevent the top to cool/thicken/skin while the bottom stays warm/liquid but not too hot to scorch. Guess it would probably depend on the amount and size of heater/magnetic stirrer. I've never tried the ones I have for this application as I'm typically only pouring a few baits at a shot and heat and pour the Alumisol as needed.

Mike

[RhettWheeler]

Mike - Alumilite wrote:
> Yes as long as the magnet keeps it aggitated enough to prevent the top to
> cool/thicken/skin while the bottom stays warm/liquid but not too hot to
> scorch. Guess it would probably depend on the amount and size of
> heater/magnetic stirrer. I've never tried the ones I have for this
> application as I'm typically only pouring a few baits at a shot and heat
> and pour the Alumisol as needed.
>
> Mike

Yeah that's a good point. i'm usually only doing a few baits at a time too. I think i'd want to more so try it for my clear coat. Just keep it spinning so when I'm done taking the heat gun to some baits I don't have to wait to dip 'em. I think it's probably just by "bass ackwards" process though who knows

[dahlberg]

I think most people try to heat it too fast. A microwave concentrates heat near the central core of material. A stove heats the bottom.
I stir it pretty often, and heat it to just barely smoking, if at all.
Also, if you have a fair sized microwave with a rotating platform inside, it helps to put the container as far to the edge of the platform.
Another thing you can do is after you've got the plastic up to temp, turn down the microwave to around 50% power to "hold" the plastic at a lower temp than if you keep zapping it on high.
Alumisol with hardener added is also much, much more likely to burn so if you are using hardener you have to stir sooner and more often.
conversely, with softener added you have more latitude in terms of having keeping a close eye on it.
best
L

[Mike - Alumilite]

One other trick I find myself doing more and more to reduce the air in the heated Alumisol is once I get it up to temp (and after mixing in my Alumidust, color, or whatever else I'm adding), I let it sit in the microwave for 30-60 seconds after its done, then zap it for another 30 seconds in the microwave without stirring it, and let it sit in the microwave for another 30-60 seconds. I repeat this process a couple times until the top surface is perfectly clean with no air bubbles. This allows it to degas itself ... bubbles that were generated when I was stirring it come up to the top and pop. I then allows me to pour perferctly clean/bubble free Alumisol which gives me much less porosity in my lures.

Mike

[RhettWheeler]

That sounds like a good strategy to try. I'll def. give it a shot!