Hand Pour Laminates

[mark poulson]

A friend asked me to match some laminated worms she liked.

I made an 8 cavity PP mold, and poured up the first batch.

The are 6" straight tail worms.

They came out fine, but, between pouring and trimming, it's taking me 20 minutes a batch.

I pour using Norpor silicone cups, pinched down to a small spout with big black paper clip after the plastic's heated, for both heating and pouring the two colors.

My problem is it is killing my back to stand over the mold and pour that fine stream, first of the clear/flake back, and then of the pumpkin belly, which is up.

Is there an easier way, other than a dedicated Lee's plastic pot?

If not, I'll struggle through and get them poured, because I don't pour enough to buy a pot.

But my back is hoping there is an easier way.

Any help is appreciated.

[rockslide]

you need more molds! that will help and find someone to pull the worms from the mold. if your making pop molds 10 5 cavity molds should do the trick

[alsworms]

Mark.....

 

I always had the same problem.  If you can't raise the molds in any way, get yourself a good weight belt.  I always poured with one to avoid back problems, and they work great.

 

As for speeding up the process, I'm old school and always used the tin cups, so can't help you there much.  LOL

[Travis]

All comes down to practice as once you have it down pat there shouldn't be any trimming and should go very quickly.  I bought some of those silicone cups and used them for some time but overtime just found them to be a pour substitute to the anchor/pyrex cups.  They would pour a thin stream but not that much thinner (if all) to a pyrex and plastic the right consistency. More molds will help sure but  trimming is bad news for speed and typically end results.  How many are you needing to pour?   

 

 

You can also set up a pour station higher so you don't have to bend as much.

Edited October 22, 2013 by Travis

[mark poulson]

I think you guys are right.  

I'm already raising my pouring station, and I'm pretty sure getting a rhythm will help. It has with other molds.

I was just hoping there was some really neat trick I was missing.  Hahaha

[Travis]

Do you pour a small dab of plastic to use to use as a blotter when pouring.  I pour about a 50 cent piece and will use it to catch or dip onto any potential drips, and clean the tip of the cup at times to keep a clean pour spout.

[mark poulson]

Do you pour a small dab of plastic to use to use as a blotter when pouring.  I pour about a 50 cent piece and will use it to catch or dip onto any potential drips, and clean the tip of the cup at times to keep a clean pour spout.

 

Travis,

Since I use a silicone cup that's pinched to form a pour spout, I think it would be a problem trying to clean the "spout" during the pouring.  I could try just moving the clip to make a new spout in a cleaner part of the cup.  I'll try that.

I am sure that raising the pour location to the top of my table saw will help my back, and my friend says she'll do the trimming, so I should be okay.

 

I'll let you guys know how it works out.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Cami]

If you need a rigid spout on your silicone cup, then you can try with the Dexas ones. It is easy to clean it also between several castings.

Bye.

 

Cami

 

[mark poulson]

If you need a rigid spout on your silicone cup, then you can try with the Dexas ones. It is easy to clean it also between several castings.

Bye.

 

Cami

 

 

Cami,

That looks interesting.

Do you have a web link for that cup and lid?  I googled Dexas, and they didn't show it on their website.

[toadfrog]

Got my attention now .

[mark poulson]

I followed everyone's advice, and raised the area I was pouring up so it was comfortable, and I was able to pour four more 8 worm batches today.  I quit when the plastic got too low to reheat.

And you were right Travis.  The more I poured the easier they were to pour, and the better they came out.

Thanks a million!

[Painter1]

Do you pour a small dab of plastic to use to use as a blotter when pouring.  I pour about a 50 cent piece and will use it to catch or dip onto any potential drips, and clean the tip of the cup at times to keep a clean pour spout.

 

This is a good tip and it works well.  I keep a rag handy and wipe the partially cooled plastic away from the our spout after each mold.  

[mark poulson]

Since I use a flexible silicone cup, and form the spout by pinching the mouth down with a big black paper clip, I can't easily do that, but I can switch sides mid pour, and use the other side of the cup for a clean spout opening.

Thanks for the idea.

I am going to wear stronger glasses when I pour, too.  It's hard to see down into a straight tail worm mold and be able to tell if I've got enough plastic down in the bottom for the first part.

Grrr!!!!

[Cami]

For instance you can try here:

http://www.amazon.com/Dexas-2-Cup-Collapsible-Measuring-Cup/dp/B001QGGN26

I bought two of them in a kitchenware shop here in Italy, but I think that you can find it in similar shop also in USA. The plastic spout and handle are very useful: you can use it as a pyrex cup, obtaining the same thin flow of hot plastic.

Bye

Cami

[mark poulson]

Thanks Cami.

It says it's heat resistant....do you put yours in a microwave to heat your plastic, or do you put the already heated plastic into it to pour your molds?

[basskat]

Guess I'm old school but I still use the old pans for small hand pours. Heat my plastic in the microwave then transfer to pans and keep them hot on a hot plate. You only want to keep the pan about half full and you can pour a very small stream.

 

On large baits the purex cup is hard to beat. Silicone cups get HOT and will slide out of your hand if not carefull.

Edited October 24, 2013 by basskat

[Cami]

I use these silicone cups directly inside the microwave: this kind of plastic is microwavable. At the beginning it looses a litle bit of red colour from plastic spout with 1st flow of hot plastisol, but after that they work great. One of this silicone cup costs around 10,00 € here in Italy.

Bye

Cami

[mark poulson]

Thanks Cami.  I just ordered two from your site.

[mark poulson]

Well, I've relearned that there is no substitute for a good work area, good glasses, a good mold, and patience!  Hahaha

I actually found that I could pour the first half of my worms, a clear/flake combination, and then heat the second color to 340 and pour it.  The second color bonded to the first just fine.  I had, in the past, tried to pour the second color really quickly after the first, to insure a good bond, but the hot plastic of the second color seems to have bonded completely.  Maybe using a POP mold helped the first color to stay warmer longer, too.

Edited October 27, 2013 by mark poulson

[Jonah]

Well, I've relearned that there is no substitute for a good work area, good glasses, a good mold, and patience!  Hahaha

I actually found that I could pour the first half of my worms, a clear/flake combination, and then heat the second color to 340 and pour it.  The second color bonded to the first just fine.  I had, in the past, tried to pour the second color really quickly after the first, to insure a good bond, but the hot plastic of the second color seems to have bonded completely.  Maybe using a POP mold helped the first color to stay warmer longer, too.

 

Mark, you might want to check the worms. If you're waiting that long to pour the second color, they may SEEM to be ok, but they will come apart when you use them. Try to peel the layers apart at the head where the colors join. If poured correctly, you won't be able to separate them

[mark poulson]

Jonah,

They do stay together.  I have had delaminations on some of the larger swimbaits I pour.  There's a fine line between cool enough to pour the second color without blending and too cool to bond, I know.

But I haven't had that problem with my worms.  So far!  hahaha