longhorn Posted December 25, 2008 Report Share Posted December 25, 2008 Yes...I'm finishing a mold on Christmas. Celebrated at home yesterday and flying tomorrow to spend a week with the grandkids so I have a little time. The masters are taped down to the tray with double-sided permanent Scotch tape. For the box I use plastic corner protector (from Home Depot in 8' lengths). I can cut it to length to fit the particular mold I'm making and stick it down on the tape also. It cuts easily with tin snips. Seal it up with a little masking tape and play doh and it's ready to go. This is an RTV mold so sealing is more important than with POP. The RTV and POP won't bond to the plastic and it can be used over and over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zbass Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 Very interesting longhorn. I have always made a wood frame for my molds. I can use them over and over but I like that idea. I use fiberglass resin for most of my molds so I could coat it with vasoline just like I do for my wood molds. I wonder if that will hold up to the heat from the resin curing? What do you think. Merry Christmas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear21211 Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 That looks fairly simple and efficient Longhorn.Thanks for sharing that with us.I want to try an rtv mold next and will give this method a shot. Merry Christmas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 I like it. quick, simple and cheap. Right up my alley.lol. Thanks www.novalures.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stankdog Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 WOW! Pretty simple, easy, soloution, consider that idea officially stolen, thanks for sharing that!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dutchman Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 Longhorn, Sometimes I am a little dense. Your masters look like poured plastic and maybe a hook slot piece inserted. You will pour POP or RTV into ona on to of these. Am I correct or it wrog could you set me straight. Thanks a ton and Merry Christmas Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longhorn Posted December 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 Yes, the masters are poured plastic with an aluminum hook slot piece inserted which will become part of the mold. On RTV molds the aluminum piece can be removed allowing you to pour a solid bait and re-inserted when a slot is wanted. I don't know if the corner guard will withstand the heat of curing resin...my guess would be yes, it would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrav Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 Thanks for the idea, longhorn! Darn good one for a mold box, reckon a bit of gray duct tape on that and it'll just fold nicely around the master platform. Recently got a stack of 12"x12" cork "boards" and some EVA sheets from the hobby store (for pin downs) and was contemplating various box form ideas to fit around them...you just gave it to me and in a convenient form. As many times as I've toured the big stores for ideas, how did I NOT notice those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longhorn Posted December 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 Here's how the mold came out. Will show what it makes when I get back from vacation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimcline Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 very nice Longhorn, you should sell some of those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COBRA Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 duplo or legos work really good as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bojon Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 Great idea! I have used Legos,and they work fine,but you have to hide them from the kids if you plan on making another form in the future.Your idea sounds very practicle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve snider Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 Thanks for sharing i love the idea. This is my first post just wanted to say hey to everyone. If I come up with any new ideas I will post. I wanted to say thanks to everyone on the board. My baits would've turned out like crap without you guys! Steve Snider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munkin Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 I have tried other things but some legos work the best so far. Now I am molding bass crankbaits so they are not very big. Allen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loco Posted December 28, 2008 Report Share Posted December 28, 2008 longhorn, do you have an email address i could contact you at since i cant use the pm system here ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveh Posted December 28, 2008 Report Share Posted December 28, 2008 nice job. may have to try and make a mold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bojon Posted December 28, 2008 Report Share Posted December 28, 2008 Nice job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kajan Posted December 29, 2008 Report Share Posted December 29, 2008 Nice Job Longhorn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSC Posted December 29, 2008 Report Share Posted December 29, 2008 Watched you making ... Turned out great. JSC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GB GONE Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 Hey Gary.... What did you use for the inserts for the hook slot? I have been searching for something and have not found it yet. Looks like you found something just right! Mold looks super! Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loco Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 would a peice of sheetmetal work ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dutchman Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 Jim, The inserts are aluminum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longhorn Posted January 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Thanks for the compliments guys...I've been out since Christmas. The inserts are aluminum...don't know the thickness...just something I had. I'm not going to be selling any molds but there is really no reason to pay someone to make a mold. There is nothing secret about it. All you need is time and materials. I've never seen a mold question go unanswered. I would recommend practicing with POP. I make 99% of my molds from POP. Used RTV for this one because I didn't think the thin tail would release very well. All the other swimbait molds I've made are POP and they work really well and so do the baits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattlures Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 Your lure master should have the oposite of a slot. It should have a piece of metal the same size as the metal inserts coming out of the belly. That way when you pour your mold over your masters there is a slot in the mold. Now you have several pieces of metal( I used thin sheet metel from home depot) that will fit into the slot in the mold. You can remove them for a solid bellied bait or put them in for a sloted bait. I made a master metal piece and then traced all the reast using that master. I cut them on a band saw and smoothed the edges with a belt sander. The whole process is fast and easy. My bait master was hard so I used silicon for my molds. It just takes a little thinking. This is how I made my original minnows which are a slotted bait Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longhorn Posted January 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 Matt, As I stated earlier in this post the blades can be removed to pour a solid bait...the RTV doesn't bond to aluminum...so the mold comes out with a slot just like you said but my way seems easier than yours. I also made my blades by tracing a master...though I don't own a band saw or belt sander they came out just fine with tin snips and a file. What exactly was it I didn't think about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
