wileel Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 I've reciently started resin casting some lures with micro balloons and have a problem with a "texture" for lack of a better term in the bottoms. The small voids won't sand out without found WAY into the cast. Any inputs on the reason these exist or any good fillers to smooth them out is greatly appreciated. BTW these are still test ones to learn with... Please be gentle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gone2long Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 I would recommend looking at some of Larry Dahlberg's video's @makelure.com but I can tell you that they are glass sphere's and tend to pop or break so avoiding them is difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAswimmers Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 Hi wileel, When you say "small voids" how small are they? Are they visible air pockets or are they voids that show up when you paint and clear? Through trial and error I found that making resin baits isn't as easy as just pouring the resin into the mold. Can you post a picture of the air pockets and the master your using to make you molds? Thanks, Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wileel Posted February 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m113/wileel/778FB9DE-19EC-4D8D-AB8C-C3113624BAC5.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wileel Posted February 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 Sry about the pict link. Theses are the voids I was talking about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunnie3035 Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 Run some bondo over them and sand to a smooth finish. It works fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAswimmers Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 Hi Willel, Here's what I think you can do to smooth out your pours 1. If you're using a carved piece of wood as you master make sure is not to porous and that it gets a good smooth sanding. (I don't use wood so I can only speculate this might be a problem) 2. look at your mold, does it have these marking in it? If so try to eliminate anything on your master that might be causing this. 3. When you mix the resin and micro balloons mix one side of the resin with the balloons and let all air rise to the top before mixing it with the other side, this allows for a more even mixture. a. if the side that has all of the voids is the top of the mold or the side that you pour the resin I would think that you are mixing to vigorously causing air to get entrapped which rises as it cures. 4. try to get a pour that requires almost no sanding. Like gon2long explained micro balloons are tiny glass spheres, if you sand them they rupture and leave very small voids. They will show up after you paint and clear. 6. Make sure your resin is clean of any residual residues from the silicone or resin, this will cause fish eye problems when you paint and clear. 5. If all else fails pressure cast them. There are some steps that help you cover them up once they are present, use an acrylics base primer to help fill them, epoxy to self level them or auto fillers like bondo. (search the forum for how to's) If pouring lure is something you want to do on a regular basis I would avoid trying to use to much surface filler and just make sure your process is dialed in, when I first started pouring resin I had similar problems, I constantly searched for a magic solution but In reality you have to make sure every step in your process is done properly. Once you dial it in it's not too difficult. Good luck, Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wileel Posted February 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 Great advise. Kind of odd tho... I'm using silicone molds that are perfectly smooth and the voids are on the bottom, so maybe the balloons as settling. With the small size of the balloons it seems like you wouldn't even notice rupturing a few while sanding. Good to know I can use bondo but would rather get the casts smooth on their own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAswimmers Posted February 4, 2014 Report Share Posted February 4, 2014 Great advise. Kind of odd tho... I'm using silicone molds that are perfectly smooth and the voids are on the bottom, so maybe the balloons as settling. With the small size of the balloons it seems like you wouldn't even notice rupturing a few while sanding. Good to know I can use bondo but would rather get the casts smooth on their own Hi wileel, It's strange that the voids are on the bottom of your pour . Are they strictly located at the bottom of the pour? Sorry I didn't see an images of the opposite side. I've never had any problem with the bottom of a pour just the top. I could go on and on about water contaminants etc. but It would all be speculation. Maybe someone else on TU has had this problem befor? Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimP Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 Wilee: I have been there and had the same problem that you are having. It seemed that no matter how careful with the priming there was always flaws in the final product. Usually showed while finishing with the epoxy top coat. Another problem I had was density, even with the addition of the micro balloons I was not able to get a my weighting correct. You can get a lure to float but not with any amount of keel weight. Therefore you end up with an unstable lure that blows out with any speed. You said to "Please be gentle", and I do not mean to discourage you in any way. If you solve this problem please let me know. But my fix for the problem was to return to wood. I'm now looking at replacing wood with cast poly foam, its water proof and available in various densities. Good luck, and keep us posted, Jim P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wileel Posted February 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 Yeah they are bad on the bottom. After messing with some others that I made I'm realizing that it is mostly because of me sanding them...must be opening up voids in the microballoons like said earlier. I've resorted to VERY HEAVILY coating them in high solids filling primer with multiple coats, some times having to puddle the primer and rub it into the pin hole to release the air. It has been working but takes for ever and I cant seem to find any of this thin two part glazing putty Ive read about, I can only find the stuff in the tube that has not been recomended here...any advise where to get it or can some one attach a pict or link Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 Bondo will fill a lot faster than primer, applied with a nitril-gloved finger. Just use very fine wet and dry sandpaper, and wet sand it once it set. You can drill your resin to add ballast to the belly, and then bondo over that, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
