Senkosam Posted January 25, 2013 Report Share Posted January 25, 2013 Top pour aluminum molds have always been a pain to pour into because of the hollow cavity in the front part of the bait especially if the mold is cold. Bear solved the problem by making an expanded well above each cavity and no bubble has ever formed in any of molds. I have stick and worm molds from other companies and most form bubbles when the mold is cold. even after a few pours. The bubble can take uip 1/3 to 1/2 of the lure, making that part hollow and making the lure unusable. I discovered this remedy this morning: Take a socket from a socket set that can sit over the hole and place it there before filling the cavity completely. The hot plastic gets sucked down into the socket just like in Bears and prevents any hollow spaces. I've tried this with four different cold stick molds and a two-part plaster creature mold I made a few years ago and no bubbles. If you don't want to buy injection molds for the same designs you already own molds for, this works. Plus, if you look at most injection mold openings, they also have a well above the smaller pour hole. So nice not having to deal with bubbles and repours!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painter1 Posted January 26, 2013 Report Share Posted January 26, 2013 would the sprue extenders work for this also? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ipt Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 would the sprue extenders work for this also? seems like this is just a home remedy for sprue extenders, quick solution @ money saver! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 You can do the same thing by wrapping the top of the mold with duct tape, and letting it extend an inch above the mold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 I have been having the same issue with my Del's stick mold so this post really got my attention. I just came in from my unheated garage workshop. I warmed up the mold a bit before I began. I did 7 pours with the sockets and all of the worms came out perfectly. Though it is a bit of a pain trying to get the socket in the right spot with my gloves on. I did one pour with the duct tape. It was a disaster. When the hot plastisol hit the duct tape it melted and the plastic ran over the side of the mold. The adhesive on the duct tape got mixed in with the plastisol and ruined it. Mark how do you do the duct tape thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ipt Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 I have been having the same issue with my Del's stick mold so this post really got my attention. I just came in from my unheated garage workshop. I warmed up the mold a bit before I began. I did 7 pours with the sockets and all of the worms came out perfectly. Though it is a bit of a pain trying to get the socket in the right spot with my gloves on. I did one pour with the duct tape. It was a disaster. When the hot plastisol hit the duct tape it melted and the plastic ran over the side of the mold. The adhesive on the duct tape got mixed in with the plastisol and ruined it. Mark how do you do the duct tape thing? are you hand pouring or injecting? i have a hand pour stick mold that i can actually inject with a socket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Like stated POURS. I've never been able to inject this mold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ipt Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Like stated POURS. I've never been able to inject this mold. ahh i still call it pouring even though i inject. i have a hand pour mold thats very similar that i can inject. shoot me a PM if you want to inject them, maybe i can help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted January 29, 2013 Report Share Posted January 29, 2013 I never had a problem with the tape contaminating the plastic, but I pour at 340-350. I originally put the tape around a mold to stop excess from running down the sides, and the reservoir feature was just a bonus. I did enlarge the sprue cavity in my mold to hold more plastic, too. I don't try and fill the duct tape reservoir with plastic. I just fill the cavities, go back and top them off as they sink, and don't worry about runoff any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senkosam Posted January 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2013 Where can you get sprue extenders? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonteSS Posted January 30, 2013 Report Share Posted January 30, 2013 http://www.bearsbaits.com/Sprue-Extenders_p_365.html ....Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senkosam Posted January 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2013 (edited) $15 each ! think I'll stick to using my sockets. Thanks for the quick response. Frank Edited January 30, 2013 by Senkosam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveMc1 Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 $15 each ! think I'll stick to using my sockets. Thanks for the quick response. Frank $15 for a set of 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass-Boys Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 (edited) just pour slower and top off the mold with a second pour. should stop the air pockets Edited January 31, 2013 by Bass-Boys 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 just pour slowerand top off the mold with a second pour. should stop the air pockets If I poured any slower I wouldn't have anything in the mold. When you state top off with a second pour do you mean stop before you see the material, go on to another cavity, etc then come back and finish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ipt Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 you can always stand there and wait for the plastic to get sucked in, or you can go onto other molds and come back to top off... but sockets are something everyone has, and they work great. this is a great idea from senkosam! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass-Boys Posted February 1, 2013 Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 If I poured any slower I wouldn't have anything in the mold. When you state top off with a second pour do you mean stop before you see the material, go on to another cavity, etc then come back and finish? no fill it completely and pour the next cav. then go back and put more on the 1st cav, pour the 3rd , then go back over the 1st 2 cavs ,, ect. this works for me,, maybe the sockets are a better option for some people... if so great idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senkosam Posted February 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 (edited) In the past I've waited for the plastic to be sucked into the hole and I still get a bubble. $15 / 3 makes sense - not bad. Of course if you have 4 sprues, you have to get another set if you want to pour faster. I don't sell, so it wouldn't be a problem or I could put a socket over the 4th hole. The socket idea is kind of a pain unless you have enough sockets of the right size because they do take a while to cool off so you can pull the excess plastic out. Fortunately the wife bought me socket sets for more than a few years as gifts thinking more is better or thinking I collected them, so now I have 4 of each size in metric and reg. LOL Edited February 1, 2013 by Senkosam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted February 1, 2013 Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 Me too on the sockets. I must have 6 or 8 sets. I tried some other stuff to use for extenders and none of them worked as well as your sockets. They are a bit of a pain but like you I don't sell them. I only use this mold every year or so and I hope I remember the sockets next time I decide to pour up a bunch. Nothing else has worked as well as the socket idea. I have tried stage pouring, slow pouring, fast pouring and injecting with two different sizes of injectors. The sockets haven't made a worm with a void yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Long Lake Lures Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 As an even cheaper alternative, I use 1/2" coppper pipe coupling fittings in this situation. Hope this helps, Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 As an even cheaper alternative, I use 1/2" coppper pipe coupling fittings in this situation. Hope this helps, Dave OK so I have a mold like Senkosam and have always had problems with it. I have never been able to get consistent pours or inject. Senkosam's idea of the sockets fixed my problem except that I could never get 4 to fit the top of the mold and the last one barely got the job done (but did get it done). I was in a hdw. store today and remembered the post from LLL Dave. So I bought 4 of the copper couplings for $0.59@. I just came in from making 8 pours and every one of them were flawless. Thanks so much to Senkosam for bringing this to my attention and for Dave for the copper coupling idea. That is why I have always like this site!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass4Me Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 Would deep well sockets work better? AND..... They would be much easier to hold on to while wearing gloves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ipt Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 ive only used regular sized ones, i can only imagine deep well ones would work to your advantage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
