What is the best material to make mold out of?

[Jl12345]

So the Ukraine molds are good then ? I have seen them but was kind of leery of them.

 

[mark poulson]

2 hours ago, Jl12345 said:

So the Ukraine molds are good then ? I have seen them but was kind of leery of them.

 

I only have the stone molds, but they are good.  But there is a 4 week+ lead time, so be patient.  It will arrive, eventually.

[Anglinarcher]

8 hours ago, Baitjunkys said:

Just yanking your Chain Mark, the Ukraine is knocking off every Patent bait there is and even selling them using there names.  But people are still buying, 

So, Ukraine is the new China?  And to think, at one time the US, early in our history, we referred to as Yankee Traders (let the buyer beware).  LOL

[Landry]

I think silicon is the best Mold material other than aluminum. 

If your original master is shiny then plastisol will duplicate that very nicely. I use Mold Star 30 as iTunes a platinum cure that lasts long and has a 1:1 mix ratio by volume vs weighing. It also doesn't need to be degassed. 

[Anglinarcher]

Just be careful with what master you use with a platinum cure.  They will not cure when in contact with some chemicals/materials.  

None of the major Silicones by Alumilite or Smooth-On need degassing, but they all benefit.  And, as Landry indicated, the quality of the master/blank is transmitted to the mold; if it is shiny, your final product will be shiny, but if dull, or has a surface defect, so will the mold.

[Landry]

Yes^^^^

avoid epoxy when using platinum cures. 

I carve my musky baits from basswood, coat with crazy glue to lock down the fibers of the wood and spray with krylon crystal clear acrylic spray. 

I also  lay a real thin coat of silicon on my master, wait 5-10 minutes and then slowly pour the rest into the corner of the Mold from a high height which reduces bubbles in the Mold and on the surface of your bait.