chachybaby Posted August 29, 2011 Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 Hey guys, I was looking into making my own custom hand pour mold. Not sure what materials I would need to get this started. How can I go about making a basic open pour mold? What is a cheap reliable material to use for making a mold? Are there any tutorial type videos or links that can help me out as well? Thanks, C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted August 29, 2011 Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 I make mine from Bondo fiberglass resin from the auto parts store. I get a nonstick pan, glue the baits down in it, spray the pan and baits with cooking oil, mix up the bondo and gently pour it over the baits and fill the pan. I then go away for 24 hours. When I come back I dump the pan, pull the baits out and smooth the edges with my dremel tool. They aren't great but they are functional. I tried to add a pic but it did not work this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova Posted August 29, 2011 Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 Plaster of paris (POP) is the cheapest and easiest to use. www.novalures.com 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chachybaby Posted August 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 Oh nice, thx guys what kind of dish or pan should I be using? If i use POP, do I need to do anything to it after it sets? How long normally for it to cure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdL Posted August 29, 2011 Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 Internet search is your friend. Google, Bing or whatever seach "fishing lure mold". There are you-tube videos, and other forums that will have instructions on POP mold making, coating as well as RTV and Bondo. They each have their advantages and disadvantages. My opinion is to pick one and work at it 'till you get the results you are satisfied with. But two things I know for sure= 1. Fish really don't care how pretty the bait is or how perfect. I've caught fish on some pretty scrappy lookinb baits. 2. Lure building can be additive so beware. It can cut into your fishing time if you let it. good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted August 30, 2011 Report Share Posted August 30, 2011 I've made both POP and RTV molds. Both work well. The RTV works best for top pour molds for baits with fins and details. The POP works well for two piece molds, and for injection molds. Be sure to seal the POP with several coats of D2T epoxy, thinned 50/50 with denatured alcohol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chachybaby Posted August 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2011 k went out and bought some of the POP tonight and did a trail run of a mold. First attempt the plaster solidified pretty quick before I could pour. Had to try again and it worked out pretty good. It looked really good after pulling the baits out and modifying it a bit. One of the baits didnt stick properly so when pouring the plaster it kinda floated up and made the hole a bit deeper than it should. All in all, looks good... now need to figure out the next steps before pouring baits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted August 30, 2011 Report Share Posted August 30, 2011 (edited) Be sure the POP is dry by setting in an oven on low for half an hour. Then seal it with thinned epoxy, or thinned Carpenter's glue. Several coats. It's important to thin the epoxy or glue so you don't lose the details in the mold. Let all that dry overnight, and you're good to go. Edited August 30, 2011 by mark poulson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chachybaby Posted August 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2011 the addiction is already setting in... its too late thx Mark, good timing, where can I find the D2T expoxy and denatured alcohol?? any brand name in particular for these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chachybaby Posted August 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2011 I used the POP for a top pour mold of a drop shot bait.. should it be ok? theres not much detail besides some ridges on the back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted August 30, 2011 Report Share Posted August 30, 2011 D2T is Devcon 30 minute epoxy, also known as Devcon 2 Ton (D2T). You can get denatured alcohol at lumber yards. Make sure you mix the 2 parts of the epoxy well before you add the alcohol. Otherwise, the alcohol will bond to one part of the 2 part epoxy, and it will never set right. Use a cheap brush to apply it, let it soak in, and recoat. Several thin coats are better than one thick coat. Adding the alcohol will make the epoxy take longer to set, but that's the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova Posted August 30, 2011 Report Share Posted August 30, 2011 When I use 2 part epoxy to seal my POP I get mine at the dollar store. You don't have to pay an arm and a leg and it works just fine. The glue is Elmer's white glue and you mix it 50/50 with water, shake it up and flood your mold once it is bone dry. Do this several times to get a good seal letting it dry between coats. www.novalures.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree_Fish Posted August 30, 2011 Report Share Posted August 30, 2011 (edited) Hey chachy, I'm still a noob compared to most of these guys but in my experience water putty is easier to work with than POP due to the fact you can add vinegar to it to increase the working time before it sets. I'm sure there are retardants for POP as well but cant say what they are. I started out with POP and had quite a few issues, to me DWP (Durhams Water Putty) is much easier to work with and I was more than satisfied with the results. Just do a search for water putty mold here on TU, shouldnt be hard to find a tutorial. Edited August 30, 2011 by Mindhunter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chachybaby Posted August 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2011 wow, thx guys, alot of great information. I will look into all these avenues. Hopefully post a pic of great end result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chachybaby Posted August 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2011 guys, the POP still feels damp or cold after baking in the oven for more than half hour.. Am I missing something, should it stay in there longer? Also my mold cracked in half, using the devcon 2 ton epoxy to put it back together..not looking so good with this one. If it does pour, the baits will look scrappy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Largehead Louie Posted August 31, 2011 Report Share Posted August 31, 2011 Sounds like you didn't make the mold thick enough if it's already cracked. POP is so inexpensive that I usually make mine pretty thick. Never had one crack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova Posted September 1, 2011 Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 (edited) Did it crack in the oven and what temp are you using to dry the mold? If you set the temp too high it will steam the water in the plaster causing it to crack. I do mine at 250 for an hour then I take it out and place it on several sheets of newspaper(10 or so) for about 20 minutes; then back in the oven. The paper will draw out a lot of the moisture. www.novalures.com Edited September 1, 2011 by nova Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonteSS Posted September 1, 2011 Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 Just use Resin. $10 a quart and you can make 3 molds from that. So much easier to use, stronger, more detail, more durable. ....Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted September 1, 2011 Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 POP, Rock Puddy, Bondo body filler, and resin can all be used and produce excellent detailed molds. I don't believe one gives much better results than another. Durability is diferent about it. RTV has advantages because it makes demolding intricate masters easier (also two piece can be made with RTV also). Bondo body filler I typically mixed as directed and had no issues except that at times if you pour many baits the mold can start to warp as it gets soft. Internal bracing can be added while it is made to avoid/negate this. To be honest the quality of the mold and resulting bait all comes down to the ability of the guy/gal doing the work. I have POP molds that are going on 8 years of use that produce just fine baits. I never have messed with any "retarders" just mixed a little wet for POP and rock puddy. Biggest problem is most rush everything. I skip baking in the oven and prefer to just let mine cure out on a cooling rack. I still use Devcon thinned with acetone and do multiple thin coats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chachybaby Posted September 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 I thought I made it pretty thick, used more powder to water ratio. After leaving it out to dry overnight, today I baked it in a toaster oven at 400 for about 45 mins at least. 400 degrees in that toaster oven doesnt feel like a true 400, thats why I increased the temp. I noticedit was drier and less flaky. It cracked after baking, had it on the table drying some more. I'm an idiot though and pushed on one side of the mold thinking it'd be rock solid and not crack. How should the POP feel after a solid cure? I noticed mine was cool,damp to touch and was kinda flaking if you ran your finger across it. Is there a way I can tell its properly solidified and ready for the Devcon coating? When initially preparing, how much powder to water mixture do I add. The container says 2 parts powder to 1 part water. Is there an exact amount I should weigh out or measure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted September 1, 2011 Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 (edited) Heating POP should be done to certain temps. Skipping the "techinical" coversion through dehydration/hyrdation stuff avoid heating your POP mold for high temperatures and times. It will be cool to touch based on evaporative cooling. As water is driven off from the reaction that occurs when making the POP mold it evaporates and results in drop in temperature of the material, think sweating. I go for a thin pancake batter consistency. I usually pour my mold and demold 12 to 18 hours later. I have sealed at that point but you need to still let the mold cure. Guys heat to speed it up but I am a believer in slow curing but heating can be done successfully also. Edited September 1, 2011 by Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree_Fish Posted September 1, 2011 Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 Heres a link to some info Vodkaman came up with. Good to know when it comes to drying http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/topic/16349-pop-dryer-final-prototype/page__hl__%2Boven+%2Bdrying__fromsearch__1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chachybaby Posted September 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 thx guys, I've applied a few coats of D2T epoxy tonight, starting to look pretty good. Should I bake it again after applying the epoxy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted September 2, 2011 Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 When I used an oven in the past, I set it as low as it would go and wedged the door open an inch. There is a temperature limit for plaster curing. Too high and the plaster starts to revert back to its previous form and will be powdery and flakey. Lots of reading on the WWW on this. Start with Wikipedia. To test if dry, hold a cold glass close, if it mists up, it is not ready. It will feel very dry and have a brittle sound when you tap it with your finger nail. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
