Pearl powder problems...

[Nick Calderone]

Okay...
Made my first few pours today. Everything went great...poured several worms in various colors just to get a feel for the process. When I felt a little more confident, I started to mix in the glitter...so far so good. So, after a few dozen worms, I decided to use the pearl powder. Here's where things got a little crazy. I poured 1/4 cup plastic and mixed it with about 1/2 teaspoon of powder...I MIXED IT VERY WELL! Then, I heated the plastic to about 350 degrees (according to the digital candy thermometer) Everything was going smoothly...then I noticed that the plastic wasn't thinning out to a watery consistency like it usually does. It seemed to stay thick...I continued to heat it, but it never eally would get thinner. I didn't wantto scorch it, so, I stirred it vigorously and then removed it from the heat. I tried to pour it, but it was just too thick...and it seemed to solidify rather quickly. I couldn't even pour the other two cavities in the mold. So, what did I do wrong? Too much pearl? Does it need a higher heating temperature when using pearl powder? Also, on a side note, I noticed that after the plastic had cooled, the pearl powder was swirled rather than a consistent solid pearl color...and YES, I mixed it VERY thoroughly. Just curious if that is normal. Either way...I need a little help.
Thanks in advance....
Nick

[wannabefishing]

that's WAY too much pearl to be adding... with a 1/4 cup of plastic use just a touch, like maybe a 1/16th of a teaspoon... in 6oz of plastic i usually just use about 1/8th of of a teaspoon.

The pealr colours aren't there to actually make a base colour, it's just there to give a sheen to a colour... if yuo're pouring pearl white then add a couple drops of white, don't go all out on the pearl... i've got a bottle from Del that's lasted me 2yrs and my most popular colour uses it ;)

[Nick Calderone]

WOW! I used waaaaay too much pearl! I guess thats a rookie mistake for me! Thanks for the advice! I will give it another try and post the results!
Thanks again...
Nick

[ruf-nec]

For solid pearl white I use .2 grams of powder per 1 ounce of plastic.

[ghostbaits]

Nick:

Go to Walmart and get the measuring spoons with smidgen, dash and pinch. Never use more than a pinch!!! They are great spoons for measuring glitter as well.

Jim

[Nick Calderone]

Thanks everyone for all of the advice! I poured a few more today with waaay less pearl and they worked great! Now I want to pour some using the Hi-Lites powder as soon as April ships them to me!
Thanks again!
Nick

[wannabefishing]

Use even less of the hilite powders in most cases if not all cases ;)

[Delw]

Nick:

Go to Walmart and get the measuring spoons with smidgen, dash and pinch. Never use more than a pinch!!! They are great spoons for measuring glitter as well.

Jim

I thought I was the only one that seen those., I was telling someone a year or 2 ago and they laughed at me, then when I went back I couldnt find them

[BB Nitro]

I was looking for something like that, so I could stay consistent but I didn't see them. I'll keep checking back. For now, I use basically a flathead driver, that I can tell approximatly the amount by how "far" or "deep" the head is covered.