SlowFISH

They have a few others you may want to investigate... if I were buying more today - I'd be tempted to try the 5179.... seems to have a higher glass trans temp. They also have epoxy based materials that handle higher temps better than the 519/5179 - the Epoxy 5065 looks like a good candidate - but with the 49lb density I'm not sure how smooth the mold will be - might give a textured finish. The 5169 stuff makes parts that are nice and smooth provided you don't have alot of grooves from tool paths... and a little sandpaper and water helps smooth areas out as well if necessary. Also - it's hard to find - but the have a clearance section.... sometimes you'll find tooling boards in there as well - say someone gets it shipped and they drop it and bust a corner in shipping- they send it back.... it will end up on the clearance section - usually considerable cheaper. Let me know how the stuff works out for you. I've used other materials like the materials in the 400 series (REN). They machine so easily.... you can blast through that stuff... but you'll have to seal it off for making baits... the finish is similar to a POP mold... so you'll have to coat it with clear coat or sealer before you can use it. It is also worse from a heat perspective.... but if you just wanted to make something as fast as you could to test - it's cheaper than 5169/5179 and works if you can live with long demold times, deformation and sealing up a mold. J.

There are materials.... Check the Freeman Supply site... they make urethane boards for a whole lot of different applications and most of these items DON'T need coolant running and cut much faster and easier than aluminum. I use the REN 5169 for all my stuff. IT IS MUCH MORE FORGIVING than aluminum... so for a hobbist that has a little benchtop TAIG, makes mistakes and still learning - it's a good material. There are some downsides to this stuff though.... Assuming your cutting cavities to pour/shot into and not making masters.... It will warp/deform slightly as it takes on heat - so you need to make sure you clamp it reasonably tight as it takes on heat. I have some molds that never move/warp as they are relatively small baits - and I have some test baits (BIG AND THICK) I cheeped out on using a proper sized block and those distort more... never to a point they won't work - but you need to make sure you aren't sloppy when clamping. So if you use a proper size piece of material for the bait your cutting - you'll be fine in most cases. I said it takes on heat.... so your baits will take longer to cool down slowing your demold times. It's not as bad as a silicone mold - but has nowhere near the ability of aluminum to dissipate heat. Probably close to Plaster of Paris. While it is slower as the mold heats.... There is a benefit to this... you can make baits with very fine appendages or thin sections and almost ALWAYS fill them as the mold won't close off sections as fast as aluminum. Also - you can cut/glue this stuff if necessary. They sell a special glue - but clamping two pieces with some epoxy works just fine as well. I've filled parts of cavities I screwed up or wanted to change - re-clamped and machined the new areas without cutting a whole new mold... so it's friendly in that respect as well. I don't know if I would recommend this stuff for a production type mold... but it's real good for prototyping or if your a hobbist and the flexibilty/easy machining is of value to you. As for cost - it's comparable to Aluminum.... so your not gonna save on materials - you'll only save by not breaking as many end mills, machining a bit faster and having the flexibilty I spoke of. J.

+1.... My throat/nasal passage is very sensitive to "contaminants" after years of not being smart with dust/fillers/etc.... I always use a respirator with filters (a 3M one - not a cheap 50 cent dust mask) and have a strong fan pulling the air out of the location I work in. When I do this - I have no issues at all (that I can tell)... but if I spend 5 minutes without the respirator - I can start to feel it in my throat/nose. It doesn't take much or long for this stuff to start to effecting you - being smart about it each time is wise advice as implementing safety after it's already done its damage doesn't really do much for you! J.

I agree with all above - two of the biggest challenges with paint is that your surface has to be PERFECTLY smooth - and I mean like glass perfect - using 2000 grit sandpaper... any distortion and the "texture" breaks the chrome surface up - making it look silver instead of chrome.... and the second - is that most of these surfaces have to be immediately covered with a clear topcoat - as the second you touch it - you've dulled it and there is no polish/cleaner that will fix it - it's done... plus this stuff is very fragile - almost like a very thin film instead of a paint. The best chrome paint I've seen on a hobby level was the Spaz Stix stuff... but it is intended for you to spray it on the inside/back of a clear plastic then back coat with white/black/etc. which is why it works well... when you try reversing that process is when the problems start. Foils/tapes/etc are the only ways I've found to get a chrome finish - otherwise I spray a cretex silver and go on from there. J.

Mark - Only time I notices flake weakening the bait is with a thinner bait and if you use alot of the LARGE flakes (.040)... those flakes seem to bunch up at times in thinner areas where they can't flow through easily and can make a bait a little weaker if they land in the wrong spot (the joint of an appendage or where you insert the hook/etc.) I like alot of flake and if you use the smaller ones haven't seen it make a difference. J.

Not sure what type of printer you used... but if it's an ABS (material) printer - Acetone will melt that stuff..... And I'd even suggest in the future - putting some acetone on a paper towel or rag and wiping the part prior to painting it.... sort of like chemically sanding it. Doing that will melt the surface a bit - which smooths out the build lines and starts to melt the layers together a bit - making a slightly stronger part. On very thin items we run (.03"-.04" thick) we do this to insure they don't delaminate so easily. J.

I don't use drywall tape (but I like that idea!!) but instead use wire mesh which adds a good amount of rigidity... I form/fold it to "stand off" the part - clip it as needed to create a couple legs then pour. Also - there are other plasters that are "harder/stiffer" if you look on sites that sell sculpting supplies. At one point I was using Ultra Cal l to get a decent mix of rigidity and detail... but I felt standard POP gave a smoother finish so.... I'd mix both - pour a thin layer of standard POP and brush it over the part - then back fill that with the Ultra Cal and let them dry together. Seemed to work well. J.

I think that song blasting in your boat would be better than using a Hydrowave!!! LOL!! Nice bait and song! J.

Not sure if Vac-50 is chemical resistant - but maybe some thinner/solvent wiped over/around the area might loosen/dissolve the paint and allow you to scrape it out without effecting the mold. Most of the castable materials give you info on what they will take from a chemical standpoint. J.

I'd throw this out there.... there are companies (lawyers) that will defend patents for you on their dime - but will keep a LARGE percentage of any money won/obtained by violators of the patent - much like others who seek damages from injury/etc. I have NOT looked into it very deeply and don't know how they handle all of the details or if you have to grant them ownership of the patent... but might be something to consider if you feel you have a revolutionary idea worth patenting - but may struggle with defending it - which is almost anyone that isn't a large corporation. J.

Mark - good to hear it's working.... only suggestion I'd have is in the mold itself - While I agree with Magic Man's original assessment with regards to enlarging the size of spure to fix the denting if holding pressure wasn't working... but since you've fixed that by shooting with a lower temp - I would say a larger sprue should allow you to shoot and not have to hold pressure on it.... eliminate sitting there for 10 seconds. On a bait like that - I'd have left good 1/2" - 3/4" above the tip of the bait to act as a reservoir of hot plastic. Regardless - nice mold and good to hear you have it working.... hows the "wiggle" compared to the original? I love making my own designs/molds - but that damn senko has a wonderful little wobble to it - hard to beat it. J.

I have one... Assuming the castings are hard... I'd coat the inside of the mold... use thinned glue or epoxy - maybe even shoot in some high temp paint with the goal of creating a gloss finish. That should take the roughness off the casting and give you a bit more shine... J.

I machine two sided stuff but really cheat..... Instead of mounting directly to my table - I have a piece of renshape bolted to the cnc bed and faced flat. This let's me machine holes right into it as necessary and saves me when I screw up a tooling path. (It happens!!!) I clamp down my material and machine the first half - as soon as my part is finished... I use the mill to place two 1/4" diameter holes on the axis I'm going to flip - I machine through the material of the part and into the ren on the table a good 1/4-1/2" deep. I then unclamp - push two 1/4 dowels into the ren and then push the part over the dowels. Then clamp down. Done. What I like about this method is I never have to worry about zeroing against vice/mold or using anything to index the machine - and if something happens (blow a breaker, have your 5 year old shut off your computer while machining - yeah it happens) I can pic the part up - rezero the machine somewhere on the bed - drill two new holes - push the part down and keep going. It works great for making soft-bait molds... as I use the holes I drill as the alignment pins to keep the halves together - so I can keep remounting the mold on my cnc effortlessly and tweak like crazy without worry of being off. Hope this helps. J.

+1... I've noticed a difference in baits I let sit for awhile before using them. First any slight "stickness/tackiness" seems to go away over time - liek they are hardening a bit (I use no salt/addatives and mix very well). I'm sure the type of plastisol makes a bit of a difference as well as environment they are "curing" in. I have a few baits that you can't lay down right out of the mold (the form has considerable shape to it and thin legs/arms). So I drop them into water right out of mold - then at end of pouring session stand them up and let them "cure" for a good 3-4 days. The baits I process like this seem to hold their shape much better than those I shoot and throw in my bag/box to use. J.

Sounds like you've worked around some of the limits already!!! I'd also suggest thinking about using ballast weight to help provide the z-axis strength.... if you'r running a spook bait standing on end - no reason you couldn't make a small cylindrical chamber inside towards the bottom of the bait running the full length.... use a small reamer or drill to clean it out - lube up a small rod/wire/toothpick/dowel with epoxy and insert it.... a little epoxy and dowel or wire gives a boat load of strength. Good luck! J.

Not sure which machine and materials you are using.... but I'd make sure you consider the build directions vs. strength of the part as well. The ABS Stratasys machine we have a work makes great parts - but they can be weak if you don't have a considerable wall thickness to really strengthen the object since it's built in layers. In our case - we've found a quick rub down with Acetone can help "melt" the surface for a little more rigidity and seal it up a bit - but even then it will always be stronger in one direction (perpendicular to build layers) than the other. Your machine will also be good for building mold masters if you go the soft bait route... you can even print out vents/gates/etc and with little work make a mold. J.

Mark - laminates will definitely help make your injector go further and even more exciting for you is it should/will minimize the denting.... I made a few huge lizard molds (like 12" mongo lizard).... I use my silcone cups to pour a color on the bellies and sometimes top - close up and shoot.... I get a cool looking bait and the dents I was getting on the body are gone as there is less volume to contract as it cools. J.

Ha.... simple... love it... thanks for the tip - I've been fussing with stick on eyes and no doubt a simple black marker that I have hundreds of would make life so much easier!!! j.

Those are just awesome.... Quick question - How do you get the "black eye" - drop of colorant on the mold with a q-Tip prior to pouring or is that post pour with a Do-It marker? J.

I wear one of the 3M masks you can buy at Home Depot/Amazon - I've been using the mask for years for everything from home renovations / painting / spraying insect stuff / pouring /etc. I put new filters in regularly and buy them in multiples to keep cost down. I think my mask might be a good 10 years old.... works great - clean after use (rinse and dish soap when necessary) and just put on new filters when needed. After you get it adjusted right (fit wise) - you can wear it for hours and not feel like it's bothersome. Disclamier.... I can't tell you it's 100% safe fume wise.... but I can say - I smell no fumes when wearing it and I am extremely sensitive (nose/throat) to dust/fumes/etc... and I feel just fine after pouring while wearing this.... but please read up on tech data to make sure you feel OK with it. J. http://www.amazon.com/3M-Paint-Project-Respirator-Medium/dp/B00004Z4EB/ref=pd_sim_469_6?ie=UTF8&dpID=41h0wH0DqbL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0X7WY59JT8QX1PPJAG4R http://www.amazon.com/3M-Paint-Respirator-Supply-Kit/dp/B000A7PCS8/ref=pd_sim_469_7?ie=UTF8&dpID=41A0mugEo4L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0X2GHZFM02Z5F4G2090C

+1.... I helped a friend make some bike grips with a silicone mold. Found out gassing it before - pour the silicone without adding bubbles (no real trick other than don't dump it) and then out gassing it again after pouring helped a ton. Not sure what you are making your masters with - but if they are wood/plastic and have a nice, clean flat side - you can try some 3M double stick.... not the crap you'd find at CVS...try the 3M 465 Adhesive Transfer Tape.... I actually use it to mount down PVC/Wood/REN to my CNC table and it holds while I cut parts out if it's something I can't clamp. This should allow you to apply it, trim, then mount down in your box... might be worth a try. J.

I bought a few just to check out a year or so ago - they look damn good in person - amazing how far soft baits have come in the past few years. Would love to see someone take a crack at one like that - won't be easy!!! J.

Dave - You are right - I don't disagree that a well vented mold is a good thing.... but based on my experience (just as a hobbist) there is a point were you have such good flow through the mold - you wind up with alot of "hanging runners" that you'll need to pluck off - and if you're OK with that - then no big deal. And I agree - based on the bait, you may need a ton of vents.... I made a few ribbed baits that probably have 60-70 vents on them to get the ribs to fill... so I know what you mean regarding the need to vent well. I did look at a few other grub molds - and they have alot more venting than I expected - similar to above... but those were 3-4" grubs.... his above is at 7/8"... that's a small bait... doesn't mean he won't need the vents - but there could be overkill as well... and he should definitely have on eat the tail tip. J.

IMO you have ALOT of vents on that bait... if it were me - I'd have one good size one at the tip of the tails - then maybe a second smaller midway in the tail. You can always add venting - even if it's with a file by hand... if you have too many vents - you'll be pulling alot of extra material away from every bait. What you can do if you want the option of alot of vents and not want to file alot - is to cut a bunch of vents - but stop 1/16" of an inch short from actually entering the bait cavity - so there will be a very small wall between the bait cavity and the vent... if you need more venting - you'll only need to file away a very small area to add it. I hope that makes sense. I find it usually takes a couple tries to just get he right amount of venting... I tend to start with the minimum and add or make them bigger as necessary. J.

Couple things... Yes a little hotter might help... I'd also suggest trying to warm the mold too if your plastic is already in the 300 range... looks like it's "freezing" off before you can fill it fully. I'd also like to see the other half of the mold - specifically how big are the vents at the tips? If they aren't big enough (letting all the air escape easily) - that could be the problem. I make my own molds and tend to make the vents bigger than necessary as I'd rather pull off two little strings of plastisol from the tips than worry about filling out the mold consistently. J.