FrogAddict Posted January 23, 2017 Report Share Posted January 23, 2017 I have been sealing my PoP molds with Loctite 5 min epoxy cut with denatured alcohol. All seemed to be going well until the last couple of times I've used these molds. The epoxy is turning blue and is flaking off in places. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm guessing it's the type of epoxy and it's inability to handle high heat. It seems to happen when I shoot several times in a row. I am ready to use Devcon 2ton to re-seal but wanted to check here first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockslide Posted January 23, 2017 Report Share Posted January 23, 2017 i use elmers glue has worked well for years with no problems you might want to give that a try Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ipt Posted January 23, 2017 Report Share Posted January 23, 2017 few different options but D2T is really the best i've come across if you're willing to spend the time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 When I'm making a pop two piece mold, I cook my mold halves for an hour at 170, and then let them sit inside overnight before I seal them. Pop loves to grow moldy if it still has water in it when you seal it. I use D2T, thinned after I mix the crap out of it with denatured alcohol, up to 50% for the first coat so it will really soak in. Then another coat thinned 25%, and I brush the excess out of the cavities so it doesn't pool and lose the details. I think the 5 minute epoxy may not be soaking into the pop, and that's why it's flaking off. There might also be some moisture left in the pop that gets trapped under the epoxy, and that might rise up and break the bond of the epoxy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrogAddict Posted January 24, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 Thank you for the feedback. I'm afraid I may have ruined the molds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 Before you give up on the mold, try putting them in the oven at 170 for an hour, and see what happens. If you're lucky, any trapped water will come out, and loosen the epoxy that's left so you can pry it off. What do you have to lose? Just go slow. Remember, the only part you really need to be sharp is the cavities themselves. The rest can look like crap, just as long as the two faces marry nicely and don't stick together. When I first started making pop molds, I used yellow carpenter's glue to seal them, and some of my old molds have black mold that grew under the seal coat when they were in the storage cabinet. If the seal coat fails in places now, I just remove whatever's loose, reseal with some super glue and keep on pouring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrogAddict Posted January 24, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 I will attempt to salvage them. The one I'm most concerned about is a rather large mold I used to make some Bulldog style Muskie lures for a friend. It's an open pour mold and I used a soft clay master that no longer exists. It's been with me for several weeks so I'm not sure if cooking it will help. I may have to try and pry away the epoxy (carefully) and reseal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 You might also try using acetone or some other solvent to remove the epoxy. I've never tried to do that, so I don't know what will work. Is the epoxy loose in the cavity? Maybe pouring it a few times with scrap plastic will pull the loose stuff out with it, and save you some work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ipt Posted January 25, 2017 Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 if you have any of the baits from the mold, just make a new mold! problem solved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrogAddict Posted February 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2017 ipt, That's the plan if I can't fix the mold for sure. Mark, Good point. If heat makes it flake off, I'll give er more heat! I don't know when I'll get to it but I'll try to update here when I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRammit Posted February 3, 2017 Report Share Posted February 3, 2017 5 minute epoxy is a different animal than 30 minute... I'm no chemist, so I can't explain the details.... But I think it's something to do with the different catalysts As for saving the old mold, I'd probably try covering the old sealer with a few coats of 30 minute.... Worth a shot before you scrap it Also, since Mark mentioned the moldy problem.. Make sure and store any 2 piece mold open.. If you store it with the 2 halves closed, you could end up with a biology project 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 Devcon 5 minute epoxy is water resistant. D2T 30 minute epoxy is water proof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
