A-Mac Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Yup... thats right, yet another featherlite question. So I've been trying to pour up a swimbait (about 5" long) but I'm running into troubles w/ bubbles/craters in the casted sections. I try to be as careful as possible to not inject bubbles (which is a challenge w/in itself) and have tried different techniques to try and get rid of them. However, my options are starting to run thin. Any ideas? Also, is there anything that I can fill in the holes w/ so I don't waste a lure? Any info would be greatly appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K.C.K. Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 (edited) A-mac I pour a the mold a quarter full then tilt the mold in all directions till i see some in the vent holes them i pour the rest in the mold this should take care of your problem otherwise you need better vent holes When i pour another blank i take a toothpick with the left over plastic that's in the cup and fill any holes K.C. Edited January 15, 2009 by K.C.K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captsully18 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Good idea KC. Another thing you may try is applying Bondo putty, comes in tubes and can be purchased at Wal-Mart, to the holes or craters and then sand. The Bondo sands extremely easy. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snax Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 I sometimes use epoxy wood to fill imperfections. They are pretty rare in the bodies that muskydan666 pours for me. He has been using the Featherlite for a couple of years now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 The best way to remove the bubbles is a vacuum chamber. I did not own such a beasty, so what I did was to spread the mix up the sides of the mixing cup, with a regular butter knife or spatula, rotating the cup as I go. This thins out the mixture and exposes all the air bubbles. Because my mix was very thick, I then transferred the mix to an icing syringe and injected into the mold. This method did not get rid of all the bubbles, but did greatly reduce them. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Mac Posted January 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 thanks guys. i'm gonna give that quarter full deal a shot. I had a feeling it would just be one of those things that takes a lot of time and a paycheck worth of guess-n-test to get the technique down. Since my bait has 2 hinges and is only 5" long (including a hinged tail) there are a couple narrow areas, especially around areas that are slotted for microfibetts (which is where my bubble problems are poppin up). I'm gonna do a couple pours over the next few days... I'll make a post if something seems to work well. Plan on making a trip to illinois to fish a powerplant lake this weekend! Bad thing is, its suppose to be -12 tonight at Purdue! Its all good though, I hear there hittin' trick worms and maybe a proto gill bait Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snax Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 I'm going to be going through all these learning curves myself soon and your thread has been very helpful. I want to be able to make my own baits as well as having Danny make them. God forbid if anything happened where he was unable to make me baits I'd be screwed without being able to do them myself too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K.C.K. Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 For all you guys using featherlite You might want to give aluminite a try with micro balloons. with a 1 to 1 mix 100% resin to 100% MB it is still very flluid and pours well. gives you great floater baits. 125% to 75% gives you a nice slow sink and 150% to 50% a sinker all with the same ballast mixing in the MB is not as bad as you might think I just pour behind a fan and I get no exposure to the MB it is so light any drift gets sucked thru the fan Just a thought it might solve some of your problems K.C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 K.C.K., are your percentages by weight or volume? Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dramone Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 (edited) should be by volume, due to the usage of MB A-Mac if you post a pic of your castings (showing the bubble area) and mold as well mybe we can tell better. is it a two part mold or cuttet block mold? btw: if the mold is rotated during casting, often you will have a bubble free surface, but the lure might not be "solid", cause some bubbles can get caught beneath the thin layer of resin on the surface. Edited January 15, 2009 by dramone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K.C.K. Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Measures volume and I just rotate the first five seconds to get material in the places like fins where a bubble are most likely to be trapped , No problems yet.. Now I'm off to the lake K.C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Would heating the mold before pouring help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dramone Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 i never tryed to heat the mold, but i guess featherlite will get warm or even hot when it cures...at least the pu-resin i use does (exotherm reaction). so a heated mold could speed up the curing process, witch does not help to get rid of bubbles. to extend the pot life of pu-resin, try a retarder, but it does not make the mix more fluid, or "breather" (sorry, dont know the english terminus technicus) to gain more time to "move" the mold, if you have a ventilation problem. (a small amount of mix will not kick off as fast as a huge pot) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 What about a vibrator of some kind? We use them in concrete placement to eliminate voids and bubbles, and to help move the concrete more easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dramone Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 (edited) a "vibrating table" could help a litte, but as far as i found out during the past years, a bubble free resin casting depends more on, air vent placement, mold sprue placement, mold angel while casting etc. (cause its in some way a "closed system" exept for vent an sprue) if air has no chance to escape due to "sharp" mold "angels" where air can be traped, vibrating does not help. Edited January 15, 2009 by dramone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
