Pitbull Baits Posted March 13, 2009 Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 I am using a microwave to pour with until I get a spot cleared for my Lee's pots. I have never poured with a microwave. I am using sealed (with Elmers) POP molds. I am getting bubles on top here's some pic. Anybody got a clue to what I am doing wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigdestroyer Posted March 13, 2009 Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 Are there bubbles in the plastic when you are pouring, or are they only forming after the plastic is poured? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pitbull Baits Posted March 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 after its poure. They are sealed with straight elmers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear21211 Posted March 13, 2009 Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 Looks like your elmers was to thick and is melting off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zbass Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Your molds have small spots in the sealer that have not been sealed yet. Flood the cavity with elmers mixed with a little water a couple of times and I bet that wont happen or at least as bad. Then do it again and problem solved. One quetion. Do the bubbles appear out of nowhere when you are pouring the plastic? If so that is the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longhorn Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Zbass is right. There are small areas of the mold that are not sealed. Recoat in these areas or the entire mold. This is common. One coat of Elmer's is never enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallie Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 You said sealed with straight Elmer's. If that means without thinning, I would suggest thinning it. Longhorn brought this technique to the forum and everything I have read hear talks about thinning. I thin mine about by adding about 40% and it seems to work well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallie Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 40% water is what I meant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pitbull Baits Posted March 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 I am thinning it down and resealing it. I but two to three coats of straight elmers on them. after you put the mixed elmers in can you wipe them out with a foam paint brush? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Prager Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 I usually flood the cavities with about a 50/50 mix, let it soak in for about 45 seconds or so and then pour it out. I repeat this a few times. I make sure my mold is bone dry before I seal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallie Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 I fill the mold with it, let it sit 5 minutes and pour it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pitbull Baits Posted March 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Thanks everybody I saved 95% of them. I did a little of everybody style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman2 Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 I'm resurrecting this because I had the same problem with my first pour. My guess, prior to coming in to read this thread, was that the plastic was too hot. If Pitbull's pour was like mine (and the end result looks very similar), it poured fine, mold filled fine, then the bubbles appeared. It just looked to me like it was 'boiling'. I warmed the POP molds prior to pouring. I did seal the mold first with straight Elmer's, then after reading this thread, I cut in the water and flooded. I made the mold about a week ago and only sealed the top side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longhorn Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 This seems like a classic case of pinholes in the mold and coating. This detail is rarely covered on this forum but a small hole in the mold and coating (on POP molds) will cause the bubbling you're talking about. Nothing to do with the plastic temp. I mark the areas where it's bubbling and you can usually tell by looking at the bait and go back and re-coat with an artist brush and straight Elmers in the area where the bubbles are coming from. Then try again. This is just a part of POP mold making. Sometimes a mold will have none of this and other times it will be a pain. When you get it completely sealed it will be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman2 Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 This seems like a classic case of pinholes in the mold and coating. This detail is rarely covered on this forum but a small hole in the mold and coating (on POP molds) will cause the bubbling you're talking about. Nothing to do with the plastic temp. I mark the areas where it's bubbling and you can usually tell by looking at the bait and go back and re-coat with an artist brush and straight Elmers in the area where the bubbles are coming from. Then try again. This is just a part of POP mold making. Sometimes a mold will have none of this and other times it will be a pain. When you get it completely sealed it will be fine. The mold that had the most bubbling do not show these holes you speak of. Certainly not to the extent that the bubbles occurred. I did notice on some of the baits that the finishes were different. Some of the bait was nice and shiny, with dull patches here and there. I may just have to start all over from scratch. I'm going to PM Pitbull and ask him some questions in case he doesn't see this thread. I do appreciate the help though, i just doesn't seem logical yet in my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Longhorn is correct, it is pin holes. Just give it another thin coat, if you cannot locate the holes. You are almost there! If you just start again, you may have the same problem. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman2 Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 So, small pinholes, that I can't see, are causing this? IMG_4499.jpg picture by terrysavoie - Photobucket I gotta admit, even my wife can't agree. I want to believe you, it just doesn't add up for me yet. The top side came out okay. I haven't cleaned up the edges at all. IMG_4500.jpg picture by terrysavoie - Photobucket I also have to admit, I'm a little disappointed (and ashamed to post these pics) that I can't do something some 18 year olds do better the first time. And all the time I spent reading..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 WOW! some serious bubbles going on there. You have to swallow your pride and post the pics, then members can see exactly what is going on. Think of it this way, if the bubbles are not in the plastic when you pour, then they must be comming from the mold. PoP is a grainy lattice work of gypsum and is full of air. Take a lump of cured plaster and drop it in a jug of water, see how much air comes out of it, looks like a fish tank aerator. When you pour hot plastic into the mold, this heats up the air inside. The air expands and finds any holes and forces its way out, vigorously apparently! Give another coat and let it dry thoroughly, before pouring again. Repeat until the bubbles stop. The clue is that you stated that the finish is patchy, this indicates that the mold is not fully sealed yet. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gone2long Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Also looks like moisture infiltration if the slightest amount comes in contact with plastic you get a similar result. Is there anyway your molds have moisture trapped behind the Elmers along with the pin hole issue and can you here any noise when pouring? Just a thought. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zbass Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 I will lay odds that it is a sealing issue. Not saying you did it wrong or anything, but I bet that if you seal your molds again you will see an improvement. If not, I'll eat my words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 I like Chris's thoughts (MrBilky). What method did you use to dry your molds (oven, air dry etc) and for how long? What did you do to the top half, that it is better than the bottom half? I am thinking that the top half was poured first and has had longer to dry. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Prager Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Just a thought. Are you using plastisol or remelting store bought plastics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman2 Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 I did re-melt. I'm on a very tight budget, and a buddy gave me $75 worth of old plastics he didn't like. I cut them up into little pieces and added a little fresh plastisol. Vodkaman; I should restate what I said. The bubbles came through in the bottom of the actual bait, while viewing from the top has no visible bubbles. The only issue is the previously mentioned dull patches. I mixed the POP with a electric mixer (metal blade) and let it air dry for a short while, then placed in the oven for another hour or so. Sealed them the next day, and they sat for at least 10 days prior to my first use yesterday. I poured each individual bait without stopping so there was no difference in time to dry. Mr Bilky; I have to admit I have no clue whether there was any noise (nothing noticeable at least). I was outside in the metal pole barn trying to not burn myself with hot plastisol as I have sufficiently gained respect for it due to posts on TU. Seems like it all might be a moot point now. I flooded the cavities this morning but apparently didn't get enough of the glue out prior to placing them in the oven. Now I have air bubbles from that. I think the molds are toast given the amount of detail the plastic picks up from a proper mold, I don't know how I'd fix it. More proof that I learn better by doing over reading. I'm going to have to start over, reading about making POP molds again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Prager Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 I think using the mixer is your biggest problem. You are creating the bubbles using this method. When you add the pop to your water, try to gently mix it up with your hand. More like working it in with your hand than stirring around. With the store bought plastic, try heating it up slower as well and stir out the bubbles before pouring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman2 Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 I think using the mixer is your biggest problem. You are creating the bubbles using this method. When you add the pop to your water, try to gently mix it up with your hand. More like working it in with your hand than stirring around. With the store bought plastic, try heating it up slower as well and stir out the bubbles before pouring. I had read where guys used a mixer, maybe it's the advanced method or it was too fast. Mixed really well though. I'll have to psyche myself up for it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
