Tip: Welding Soft Plastics - Save $

[Fat Boy]

I use a soldering iron at home to weld soft plastic lures together, especially the expensive ones like Senkos.  It works great.  While on the water, I purchased one of the battery operating soft plastic welders and have used it for years, still works like a charm.  You can weld damaged spots or weld 2 separate baits together.  This really comes in handy if you have a hot bait and only a couple left and you still have a lot of fishing time to go, it can save your day...

I don't throw anything away!   

[Fish Stick]

If you don't have an iron, a lighter and paper clip or other piece of wire will work too.

You can also use this method to combine parts for custom baits.

[chrisfrank]

They also make a variety of different glues for soft plastics.   Anyone used them before?  I've seen them in stores but never tried it.

[Cider]

   Welding soft plastic?    Never heard of this.  I always toss it and put on a new one when it gets mangled.  Can you give some more detail FB?  What kind of damage are we talking about that is repairable?  Got any links to websites or can you post an pictorial/instruction type thingy?

[Fat Boy]

Sorry for not responding sooner Cider, as I said in my IM response I've been a bit tied up.

Yeah, the fishing glue thing works too.  So does super glue.

Here's some info:

http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=15139&hvarDept=100&hvarEvent=&hvarClassCode=10&hvarSubCode=1&hvarTarget=browse

Here's another "welding tool" that works well in the field:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/standard-pod-wrapped.jhtml?id=0001624&navAction=push&navCount=6&indexId=cat20362&parentId=cat20362&parentType=index&rid=&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fcatalog%2Fpod-link.jhtml_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20166

You can repair just about any tear, cut, or whatever, even make your own creations.  I use a soldering iron when I'm at home.  Let's say that you're repairing 5" Kalins Green Pumpkinseed grubs that the tails are worn, heads are mangled, or have tears from them where the hook cuts through, or just won't stay on the hook.  Let's say that you have 2 grubs that are in dire straits ready to toss.  Keep them, then use some for spare parts.  If you're replacing the tail, take the one with the best body and cut the tail off.  If the head end of the body needs repair (won't stay on the hook), insert the hot soldering iron head long into the grub body quickly and melt whatever is there holding the grub upright so that it doesn't spill on you or anything else.  This will "weld" the plastic inside the head but leave a big hole.  Use the tail as "solder" to fill in holes that either you, the fish or hook made by holding it onto your soldering iron and melt it so that it drops into the hole.  You can secure the grub in a fly tying vice if you don't want to risk burning yourself with the hot plastic.  Then, heat up the rear of the body and attached the "new" tail from the other grub and you have a near new grub.  You can also make your own color combinations this way.

If I'm not making sense or you don't follow me, I can try to take some pics and make a tutorial on this.  Might be kinda cool anyway to do... When I have some add'l time.

[Cider]

That's pretty kewl FB!!  I never would have thought you could do that with soft plastics.  Shows you how wasteful I am!!

It would be neat if you could post a few pics on some of your repairs and creations!  That is if you can find some of that "additional time" in the bottom of one of your pockets!!