Pouring Plastic- Hundreds Of Bubbles

[Pencils-n-flies]

Need some help. I just started hand pouring soft plastic baits.. All my molds are POP..... Some have been sealed with Elmer's Wood Glue/Water mix and some with D2T epoxy. The epoxy sealed molds still seem to have some holes in them that aren't sealed.

Here are my questions:

1) Can you apply a 2nd coat of epoxy to a POP mold?

2) I have put my molds in the oven at low temps- 200-250 degress. I've placed my molds in the oven after they were sealed. Is this correct or do I place the mold in the oven to dry and then seal the molds?

3) I'm getting hundreds of little air bubbles when I pour my baits into the molds... Mostly on the translucent colors like amber, melon, etc.. On the all white and all black colors I'm not seeing any of these buddles. Is this normal on the translucent colors? I'm comparing my colors to store bought baits and the store bought baits do not have any bubbles in them. What am I doing wrong? NOTE- the bubbles are throughout the entire baits- not bubbling on top- all within the baits.

Thanks

PnF

[mark poulson]

Need some help. I just started hand pouring soft plastic baits.. All my molds are POP..... Some have been sealed with Elmer's Wood Glue/Water mix and some with D2T epoxy. The epoxy sealed molds still seem to have some holes in them that aren't sealed.

Here are my questions:

1) Can you apply a 2nd coat of epoxy to a POP mold?

2) I have put my molds in the oven at low temps- 200-250 degress. I've placed my molds in the oven after they were sealed. Is this correct or do I place the mold in the oven to dry and then seal the molds?

3) I'm getting hundreds of little air bubbles when I pour my baits into the molds... Mostly on the translucent colors like amber, melon, etc.. On the all white and all black colors I'm not seeing any of these buddles. Is this normal on the translucent colors? I'm comparing my colors to store bought baits and the store bought baits do not have any bubbles in them. What am I doing wrong? NOTE- the bubbles are throughout the entire baits- not bubbling on top- all within the baits.

Thanks

PnF

I'm no expert, but here's what I've found.

1) I always put at least coats of two thinned 1/1 D2T and denatured alcohol, and then a third thinned 2/1, epoxy to alcohol, to get a shinnier surface.

2) I dry my POP in the oven for an hour at 170+- before I seal it.

3) I get tiny bubbles in my small open pour molds if I stir my plastic too vigorously before I pour. I think the POP cools it fast and traps the bubbles, instead of letting them migrate up to the top. With my Ika molds, or other top pour two piece molds, if the bait is thick enough to keep the plastic melted, the bubbles rise up to the sprue.

With thinner plastics, even if I inject them, I still get tiny bubbles if I am not carefull to stir slowly to avoid bubbles before I inject.

Edited January 11, 2011 by mark poulson

[FuzzyGrub]

PnF,

I am too new at POP and pouring to offer much help. Do you have any overspill from your translucent pours that did not sit on the POP? or some pours from the same batch that went into rtv or aluminum molds? ie try to determine if the bubbles are coming from the mold or your plastic heating/pouring process. It could be either or both (from reading info here), but if you can isolate it, the quicker the solution can be found. Offhand, if I had to guess, it would seem like it is comng from your plastic pouring. If you could post a pic, that might give the experts here more info to go on, as well.

[longhorn]

doesn't sound like a mold problem but bubbles in the plastic...a common problem we all deal with...especially if you've shaken the plastic right before cooking. Just part of pouring. I cook my plastic until most of the bubbles are on top and remove them with spoons. The longer you cook the more the bubbles will come to the top and pop.

[Pencils-n-flies]

here is an image of my very first baits... The silver/black alwife on the top is a manufacturered bait. The 3 solid black and 1 amber are hand poured... Hard to see but the amber bait has hundreds of small bubbles inside the bait.... I'm sure they will catch fish....

Open to comments and suggestions please.

Thanks

PnF

[Richard Prager]

In your first sentence, you say that your epoxy molds aren't sealed.

I would re-seal them.

When you are pouring the plastic.............do you see any bubbles? If not, I would.........re-seal your molds.

I've always used a 50/50 wash of Elmer's Glue All. I've never used the wood glue, although it might work fine. After the POP mold is BONE dry, I would flood the cavities and let it soak in for a minute or 2. Pour the excess out and then repeat the same thing 2 more times.

I think your molds are not properly sealed. The POP has to be totally dry BEFORE you seal.

I could be wrong but i think this should be the first thing you eliminante especially since you say they are not properly sealed in the first place.

[gone2long]

All I would add is stated above make sure its not from shaking the plastic before hand and do not use wood such as a popsicle stick to stir they will impart bubbles in your plastic. Now I have heard of drastic measures such as flaming you plastic with a torch to eliminate the bubbles but I would not recomend it.

[HJS]

Yeah, what others have ask. Are there LOTS of bubbles in the melted plastic just before pouring OR do the bubbles form as the poured lure (still in the mold) is cooling. Two different problems with two different solutions.

Edited January 17, 2011 by HJS