Help! Pouring

[fordtech5]

Hi Everyone, yes i am a newbie! ,, i am just learing, my kids and i are having fun making our own pop molds and carving and making clay forms to copy,, my probim is i never seem to fill the entire mold, (two piece) and the plastic stops flowing in the fill port,,, i have tried adding a air bleed also and still cant get a full fill,, these are 7 inch fish molds , any help would be great!!

The Newbie

[nova]

after the plastic is hot

You may have to add more vents to the mold. If you do that don't forget to seal the pop again. The other thing is that you have to make sure that when you pour you get a nice narrow even flow of plastic directly into the sprue opening without hitting the sides.

www.novalures.com

[fordtech5]

You may have to add more vents to the mold. If you do that don't forget to seal the pop again. The other thing is that you have to make sure that when you pour you get a nice narrow even flow of plastic directly into the sprue opening without hitting the sides.

www.novalures.com

how big should the "sprue " opening be?

[Frank]

The sprue should be about 1/4 and like nova said try not to hit the side pour down the middle. The plastic temp should be around 320 to 340. This will make it thin enough to pour a small stream and if you hit the side it will not close real quick. Good luck and I hope the kids have a blast. Frank

[nova]

how big should the "sprue " opening be?

Like Frank said 1/4" at the opening to the mold and about 3/4" at the top of the sprue.

Good luck and post some pics when you get going.

www.novalures.com

[mark poulson]

I'm also a new pourer.

This is what I've found when hand pouring.

I typically make 4oz batches of plastic, plus my salt and glitter, in a pyrex cup in the microwave.

In order for the plastic to stay "pourable", I need to get the temp. between 370 and 400. At those temps, I can pour all twelve of the Ika cavities in my POP mold.

I add the salt and glitter after the plastic is hot, and stir like crazy before I pour.

If the temp drops from the stirring, I put the mix back in the microwave for another 30 seconds.

Once the plastic cools and thickens, it doesn't pour for beans.

I do use heat stablizer so I don't scorch the plastic, which makes it darker, and makes it smoke really badly.

[Frank]

I'm also a new pourer.

This is what I've found when hand pouring.

I typically make 4oz batches of plastic, plus my salt and glitter, in a pyrex cup in the microwave.

In order for the plastic to stay "pourable", I need to get the temp. between 370 and 400. At those temps, I can pour all twelve of the Ika cavities in my POP mold.

I add the salt and glitter after the plastic is hot, and stir like crazy before I pour.

If the temp drops from the stirring, I put the mix back in the microwave for another 30 seconds.

Once the plastic cools and thickens, it doesn't pour for beans.

I do use heat stablizer so I don't scorch the plastic, which makes it darker, and makes it smoke really badly.

Mark Whos plastic do you use. Mine turns yellow by that temp. Maybe the temp is why it smokes so bad. Frank

[Richard Prager]

Mark Whos plastic do you use. Mine turns yellow by that temp. Maybe the temp is why it smokes so bad. Frank

You shouldn't need to use heat stabilizer in the initial heating. It is already in the plastisol. For reheats all you should need is about 4 drops per cup. It is the heat stabilizer that is smoking as that will burn off first. In 5 years of pouring I think I used about 3 ounces of heat stabilizer at best.

[mark poulson]

You shouldn't need to use heat stabilizer in the initial heating. It is already in the plastisol. For reheats all you should need is about 4 drops per cup. It is the heat stabilizer that is smoking as that will burn off first. In 5 years of pouring I think I used about 3 ounces of heat stabilizer at best.

I use heat stablizer when I reheat plastic. I use a lot of old baits for my green pumpkin baits, since I have a ton of them.

And I reuse the leftover from one pour as a starter for the next.

I'll have to try and cut down on the amount of hardener I use, and see how it goes.

I use all Del's products.

[Frank]

I use heat stablizer when I reheat plastic. I use a lot of old baits for my green pumpkin baits, since I have a ton of them.

And I reuse the leftover from one pour as a starter for the next.

I'll have to try and cut down on the amount of hardener I use, and see how it goes.

I use all Del's products.

Well that plastic sure takes alot of heat. The only other one I have found that takes that kind of heat is bears new one. Frank

[heman]

I'm also a new pourer.

This is what I've found when hand pouring.

I typically make 4oz batches of plastic, plus my salt and glitter, in a pyrex cup in the microwave.

In order for the plastic to stay "pourable", I need to get the temp. between 370 and 400. At those temps, I can pour all twelve of the Ika cavities in my POP mold.

I add the salt and glitter after the plastic is hot, and stir like crazy before I pour.

If the temp drops from the stirring, I put the mix back in the microwave for another 30 seconds.

Once the plastic cools and thickens, it doesn't pour for beans.

I do use heat stablizer so I don't scorch the plastic, which makes it darker, and makes it smoke really badly.

mark, just wondering, how did you make an ika cavity using POP?

[mark poulson]

Heman,

I just posted a picture of my mold in the soft baits gallery.

Click on the gallery link below my name, and it will take you to the mold in the soft baits section. I hope.

Basically, I made a wood box from 1X pine and 1/4" masonite, cut it in half, cut the skirts of a dozen Ikas, and embedded them half way into the wet POP. I remade this mold twice before I figured out to coat the ikas with POP before I embedded them, to cut down on air bubble.

Once the first half is set and cured in the oven for an hour at 170-degrees, I coat the first mold half with two thinned coats of D2T. Then I mix up another batch of POP, fill the second half of the mold with it, spray Pam onto the first mold half, with the Ika masters still in place, and set the first half down onto the second half that's full of wet POP. I do coat the masters with fresh POP before I put the mold together, again to cut down on air bubbles.

After the first half is on top of the second half, the one with the fresh POP, I turn both over, so the wet POP is on top, and tap the top with a rubber handles screw driver to hlp get any remaining air bubbles to migrate away from the masters.

Once the POP sets, I repeat the curing and sealing process with the second half.

I use cut off nails to align the two halves, and I clamp them together before I hand pour my Ikas.

I hope this helps.

[heman]

Heman,

I just posted a picture of my mold in the soft baits gallery.

Click on the gallery link below my name, and it will take you to the mold in the soft baits section. I hope.

Basically, I made a wood box from 1X pine and 1/4" masonite, cut it in half, cut the skirts of a dozen Ikas, and embedded them half way into the wet POP. I remade this mold twice before I figured out to coat the ikas with POP before I embedded them, to cut down on air bubble.

Once the first half is set and cured in the oven for an hour at 170-degrees, I coat the first mold half with two thinned coats of D2T. Then I mix up another batch of POP, fill the second half of the mold with it, spray Pam onto the first mold half, with the Ika masters still in place, and set the first half down onto the second half that's full of wet POP. I do coat the masters with fresh POP before I put the mold together, again to cut down on air bubbles.

After the first half is on top of the second half, the one with the fresh POP, I turn both over, so the wet POP is on top, and tap the top with a rubber handles screw driver to hlp get any remaining air bubbles to migrate away from the masters.

Once the POP sets, I repeat the curing and sealing process with the second half.

I use cut off nails to align the two halves, and I clamp them together before I hand pour my Ikas.

I hope this helps.

mark, thanks for the little write up and picture. I will be trying my hand at making some POP molds soon. one question though, so are these just ikas without the skirts? or did i miss read something?

[mark poulson]

Yeah, they are just the Ika body. I buy skirts from GYCB, cut them in half, and melt them on with a soldering gun.