keithis Posted February 4, 2014 Report Share Posted February 4, 2014 Has anybody ever made a swimbait or frog mold that has the split belly in the bottom? A prime example would be zooms swimming flukes. Or mabey design my own mold . Is it possible to get the bait to come out the mold with the split aready in place? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted February 4, 2014 Report Share Posted February 4, 2014 I made some using Super Sculpey clay. I shaped the lure, laid a plano divider into it where I wanted the slot, and put another layer of clay over the divider to form the other side. When I baked the clay to harden it, the plano divider seemed to melt on the outside, but, once the clay was cool, the divider came right out, and I had a perfect hook slot in my master. I use silicone to make a mold, and it pours great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowFISH Posted February 4, 2014 Report Share Posted February 4, 2014 I've made a 5" swim bait with a very deep split in the belly to let a weighted EWG hook sit inside the bait. The bait has a similar look/feel to a Keitech Impact Swimbait and I made the bottom/hook slit VERY deep into the bait as it goes a good 3/4 of the way up from the bottom of the belly towards the shoulder/top of the bait. I used an .0625" thick piece of aluminum for the slot. The piece of aluminum is held between the mold halves on the belly side and I have two dowels in the mold to align it precisely each time. I inject then split the mold. The aluminum plate stays in one half of the mold still in the bait - I then pull the bait and plate out of the mold at the same time then slide the bait off. Reinsert the plate in position, close the mold and make another. If you are doing a bait with the slot perpendicular to the mold split - I'd don't think you'd have any issues as long as it's smooth with out too much of an undercut.... as the plastisol is really flexible.... even with undercuts you can pull most baits out if your careful. Hope this makes sense... it's tough to describe without pics. Also... I was worried 1/16" aluminum would warp due to the heat - no issue at all I'm actually gonna go half that thickness next time and see the results. The slot isn't obnoxious their as when the baits come out you can barely tell the slot is there. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Linnell Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 are you making plaster molds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowFISH Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 No... My molds are made from a urethane resin.... but no reason the process wouldn't be the same. For a mold with the belly split on the parting line - you can either place the aluminum part into position when you make/pour the POP molds or if it's in the "center" of the mold cavity - pour it in place, or grind a small slot with a dremel and glue it in place. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
