SALTGATOR

Molding soft plastics has traditionally meant large industrial machinery. SALTGATOR's makers say they set out to design for individual creators rather than factories, rethinking the process rather than simply shrinking an existing machine. The result is a desktop-sized soft-gel injection molder intended for small workshops, garages and shared spaces.

One unit, short setup

According to the maker, heating, mixing and injection are integrated into a single compact unit, with no additional equipment required. The campaign claims setup takes 10 minutes and that beginners can become comfortable with the machine in under 30 minutes, with a demo video showing the production of soft-plastic lures.

Safety, recycling and custom molds

The maker says an enclosed design and eco-friendly materials significantly reduce the risk of harmful fumes and burns compared with conventional heating setups, with home use in mind. Worn soft-plastic items, such as lures damaged while fishing, can reportedly be remelted and reused repeatedly; the team says the volume of discarded fragments after fishing trips led them to make recycling part of the project's mission.

SALTGATOR is also described as compatible with molds made on 3D printers, letting users design and cast their own one-off pieces. The maker states the machine offers precise heating temperature control and a broad range of compatible materials, though specific figures are not given.

Support and contents

• Preset mold library
• Basic molds
• Material samples
• Detailed instructions
• Access to video tutorials

The campaign also points to the fishing channel @CatchEmAllFishing, which it says published footage of fish caught on SALTGATOR-made lures and described their performance as comparable to commercial products.