NJFishRGuy Posted February 6, 2005 Report Share Posted February 6, 2005 I really appreciate everyone's hints and tips on making plaster molds. I summarized the information for my own use and then thought I'd post the summary here to make it easy for others to find. (BTW, I have time to do this because I am one of only seven male Americans who don't have any interest in professional sports and don't watch the SuperBowl.) Tips and Hints When Making Plaster Molds Sealing ? Seal the finished mold by coating with Devcon 2-ton epoxy. Thin with alcohol if needed and keep brushing it as it dries to prevent pooling of epoxy that will ruin details in mold. ? Seal the mold with Decorative Effects by Valspar, Gloss Clear Protector Gloss, P/N 93789, 100% Acrylic Latex. It's available in Lowes, and is designed to provide "a durable seal finish on walls". Price about $5.50 for a quart. You can pour about one hour after coating. It goes on thin, dries fast, and cleans up with water. ? Don?t seal the non-cavity portions of two-part molds because it prevents proper sealing of the two halves when assembled and can increase flash. ? Bake molds 4 hours at 250 degrees to remove moisture before sealing. Mixing/Pouring Plaster ? Add plaster to the water when mixing, using the ?island method?. Fill mixing container with water up to approx. 2/3 the amount of finished plaster you need. Use room temperature water. Gently start sifting plaster into the center of the bucket using a small container. Let the plaster settle on its own. Keep sifting until the plaster forms an ?island? about the size of a quarter above the water surface. As you add plaster, the edges of the island will slowly disperse into the water. Once the island stays above the surface, this is the right amount of plaster. Give the bucket a good bang on the table to release trapped air bubbles, then let it sit for two to five minutes. After this time, bang again to release more air bubbles. Begin mixing, breaking up any lumps in the plaster and using a figure-eight motion. Don?t mix too vigorously or this will create air bubbles. Mix until the consistency of thick cream and you're ready to pour. Avoiding Bubbles ? Make plaster a little thinner to facilitate air bubble removal by tapping/banging. ? Use a product called Airid, from Deep Flex molds to avoid bubbles. You spray it into the mold just before you pour the plaster. Really keeps the air bubbles out. If you can't wait for your Airid to arrive try spraying the mold with a fine mist of water before you pour. It breaks the surface tension to allow the bubbles to release. ? Coat worm with worm oil to prevent it from releasing air bubbles into the second plaster pour. Could also use PAM Cooking Spray. ? Create makeshift vacuum chamber to suck out air bubble by using shop vacuum. ? Tap mold repeatedly during curing to help air bubbles rise. ? ?Paint? plaster onto the lure master using a small brush before pouring the mold, especially if the master has a lot of detail. ? On two part molds, remove the masters from the bottom half of the mold and put a good coat of Vaseline in the cavities as a filler. Then press the worm back in and clean up any Vaseline that squirts out. This makes sure no air is trapped to escape into your upper mold portion when you pour it. ? Let the plaster sit for a minute or two before pouring, tapping it to release air bubbles while you wait. Repairing Mold Defects ? You can fill larger defects with epoxy/plaster dust mix, or use a thick epoxy. ? Use dough-type epoxy to fill in holes. ? Use spackle to fill in holes, but then must be sure to coat to help keep spackle in place. ? Use dental tools to fill in holes using Durhams or plaster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senkosam Posted February 6, 2005 Report Share Posted February 6, 2005 Well done! You've covered a lot of areas and provided tips some of us haven't considered. A big Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJFishRGuy Posted February 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2005 Just so there's no confusion, because I really hate it when people take credit for someone else's ideas... NONE of these are my ideas. These are all suggestions that were made to me here (most of them) or some ideas that I found through other searches of the internet. I was having trouble making sure I considered everything when preparing to pour a new mold, and I thought it would be better to get it all into one place. Special thanks to you for all your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish_N_Fool Posted February 7, 2005 Report Share Posted February 7, 2005 Hey NJguy, I didn't watch the super bowl either. Most sports bore me. The only things I like to watch on TV sports wise is Nascar racing and fishing shows. The rest of it is a waste of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJFishRGuy Posted February 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2005 Fish_N_Fool, Right you are! I tape ESPN Outdoors on Saturday AM from 7-11 and that's all the sports I watch, except for other bass fishing shows on OLN, etc. Glad to know I'm not the only one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagicBob Posted February 7, 2005 Report Share Posted February 7, 2005 I have a tip on making the mold forms. I cut them from a sheet of flat cardboard, notching out for the corners and then fold up and tape. then I line the resulting box with a sheet of plastic wrap to make it water tight. Very flexible system so you can make any size or shape you want. BTW - I don't watch football either, but I had friends over who wanted to watch. You didn't miss much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJFishRGuy Posted February 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2005 Wow, that is an outstanding idea! I've been running around for weeks trying to find the right size pan when I should have just made it. Plus then the sides will be vertical so the finished mold (if a 2-piece) can stand upright on its own. Thanks for the idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badfish03 Posted February 9, 2005 Report Share Posted February 9, 2005 I have my own system for mold forms. I have several sections of hardwood moulding cut to varying lengths and widths that I use to build my forms. The sides are 16 inches long by 2 inches tall, one inch from either end I drilled a hole through the boards, an allthread bolt 12 inches long threads through the two sides. I have several additional pieces of the moulding in lengths from 2 to 12 inches in 2 inch increments that are dropped inside the sides. Then all you have to do is tighten up the allthread to hold the short pieces in, drop a piece of foil inside and pour your mold. Nice thing about this rig is that you can expand it to fit your situation. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted February 9, 2005 Report Share Posted February 9, 2005 I usually pour my molds in the same bread pan for uniformity and they end up stacking and storing nice. I just use foil and some masking tape to create dam to alter the length of the mold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
