Pop Mold Tutorial Part Ii

[longhorn]

POP Mold Tutorial Part II

When the mold is separated remove the plastic originals. The originals will have tape goo on them and I usually throw them away.

Use a knife to smooth the edges of the mold top and bottom. Make the bottom and top edges flat and radius the edges all the way around the mold top and bottom.

Next carefully remove any very thin edges from the cavities. Don’t remove too much as it will make your bait less like the original. Don’t "hog out" the cavities. That will result in a bait that doesn’t look like the master. I run the knife lightly along the entire cavity edge to give a smooth edge that will be thick enough not to break when the bait is released. The cavity opening must also be wide enough to pour into.

When the mold has been trimmed as you like it, place in a 325 degree oven for at least one hour. A rule of thumb is one hour per inch of thickness. I just put it directly on the rack. This baking will remove the moisture from the plaster so the glue will stick to it.

Now is a good time to clean up your mess so you don’t' lose kitchen privileges and to prepare your glue mix.

I use a bottle with a wide mouth so I can pour the excess mix back in for re-use. Mix the Elmer's with water. 50/50 is a popular ratio but it can be thicker as well. The cavities can also be painted with straight uncut Elmer's and an artist brush is you're so inclined. I use the flooding method because I'm lazy.

When baking is finished remove from oven and place on a paper plate. With experience you'll be able to tell if the mold is ready. If you set it down and moisture condenses on the surface it's setting on then it's not ready.

Pour glue mix into all the cavities. Slide the plate back and forth to kind of swish the glue mix. This will help the glue fill all the little areas of the cavity.

With your finger rub glue mix over the entire top surface of the mold to seal it.

After a few minutes turn the mold over and drain off the glue. At this time rub glue onto the bottom and sides of the mold. This will seal it and keep it from leaving white marks everywhere.

Then set the mold on something fairly level to dry.

You can pour the excess glue mix out of the paper plate back into the bottle if you wish.

The first coat of Elmer's mix is usually not enough. I poured the molds after the first coat to illustrate a common problem that comes up over and over…bubbles in the baits.

These bubbles form when the POP has little areas that are not completely sealed with the glue mix. No big deal, just do a second flooding or take a brush and dab some glue in the area with bubbles. When all the cavities are sealed the baits will come out with no bubbles.

These were poured after a second coat of glue mix and had no bubbles.

I used these 4 1/2" finesse worms as an example. This process works well on anything you can stick down including round baits.

Hopefully this covered the basics. Best of luck in making molds and soft plastics…there's nothing like catching a fish on a lure that you poured yourself in a mold you made yourself. I encourage you to design some baits…the possibilities are endless.

Longhorn

3/1/10

[Hammy]

can't wait to try it! great tutorial!

[softworm]

Great info Longhorn. I'm in the process of making one now. Thanks for the great tutorial.

[TBaits]

I am so glad you posted this tutorial! Thank you very much! I have already poured several POP molds, but I had one certain mold of a ringed worm that kept coming out with many air bubbles in my plastic when others didn't - know I know the answer! I have already sealed all my molds 2-3 times, but that one obviously needs a little finer attention. Again, thank you!

[longhorn]

POP is good for many lures but for ringed lures I'd recommend RTV

[Capital Fishing Lures]

Great job on this info, ima have to go try me this, just went and bought all the stuff

thanks

[kilrbil]

This is a great tutorial...One thing I would like to say being that I just finished the first process...the key to getting through the first step is to make sure you use a good double stick tape...if the originals don't stick well enough they will move as you pour the plaster in!

[heman]

This is a great tutorial...One thing I would like to say being that I just finished the first process...the key to getting through the first step is to make sure you use a good double stick tape...if the originals don't stick well enough they will move as you pour the plaster in!

great tutorial! i just picked up some POP from Home Depot.. hope it works well. I'll be trying this next week! can't wait,

[ProP-JunKie]

two part question: can you make a two part mold from POP, I've only seen one pieces, and if not how do you pour round baits like Senkos? thanks

Edited January 12, 2012 by ProP-JunKie

[longhorn]

Yes you can...if you do a search there should be lots of stuff on two-part POP molds. For the first put the senko halfway in the POP, add a couple marbles halfway in for line-up. When the POP hardens leave everything as is and put a light coat of Vaseline on everything and pour another batch of POP on top when that sets up cure and coat the mold per the tutorial. Put the senko near the edge of the mold but not too close as you'll be cutting a sprue hole to pour or you can actually mold that in by using clay. There's lots of discussion on this. I've fished around Spokane a couple times..Newman, Liberty and Long Lake.