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one-off baits

Help: Heating silicone molds for large laminates

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I'e been pouring for years now and I have some new large swimbaits(8"+) that I'm having difficulty with nice laminates. The 2 colors are  mixing together in the middle and also having creases around the sides of the mold where it' already cooled and not fusing together.

 

 

Im' considering pouring the belly color and letting it cool completely and then pouring the back color and then throwing the entire mold in the oven for a few minutes to let the two colors fuse together. Has anyone done this or see any issue with doing this?

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Never tried it, might work, but,

2 hours ago, one-off baits said:

see any issue with doing this?

maybe.  The subject line says Silicone molds.  Most silicone molds have a temperature limit about 395 deg. F +/-.  Plastic converts at 350 degrees F.  It can be injected down to around 300 degrees F, so......

If you are heating the mold post pour/injection, keep the temperature below 350 and use a good thermometer to verify the oven is not getting hotter.

Also, silicone is not a good heat conductor so it might take some time to get it to the right temperature.

Lots and lots of mights, coulds, and maybes in my response.  I hope someone else can chime in on this one.

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My only concern would be that it is a silicone mold.  In the past, I have used a propane torch to heat my belly color after it has cooled and then poured my line or back color on top of it to get good seams.  You could try this with either a torch, lighter or heat gun and I would try the heat gun first as it is less likely to mess up your mold than the high heat from the torch or lighter.

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I make very large musky baits in silicon molds. Here are my thoughts. 

- I would not torch it as u will likely harm the Mold but I do use a torch open pour baits quickly to get rid of bubbles. 

- I do not pour laminates until after I have done a bunch of baits and this helps greatly with this problem. 

- I am going to experiment with heating my molds up at 300 degrees in oven for an hour beforehand to see if I get cleaner pours and laminates right away. This should not be an issue as mentioned by another poster and 300* gives me a large temp safety margin   

 

I often pour a laminated tail in a bright color but I don't have problems with lines in  that area ever - only in the area of the body with the greatest mass  

 

I typically paint my baits with lureworks SB Coat but I always do a few laminates near the end of a pouring run. The painted baits look amazing. 

 

Landry

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Thank you for all of the input guys. These big molds are kicking my butt. Until I get the heat gun I'm going to try preheating my molds at 300 degrees and see if this helps. These big swimbaits have been kicking my butt. I normally pour the most beautiful lamis but this has been a chore this past week. I never liked straight lines on baits and normally let it mix a little but this is way too much mixing in the middle even when just drizzling and still getting bad creases. Hopefully preheating the mold works 

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7 hours ago, one-off baits said:

Hopefully preheating the mold works 

You know, heating Silicone molds occasionally is one way of making them last longer.  It removes hardeners and other things that permeate into the silicone.  BUT, I would suggest painting the mold with Silicone oil after your are done for the day, just to keep them "healthy",

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15 hours ago, one-off baits said:

 I never liked straight lines on baits and normally let it mix a little but this is way too much mixing in the middle even when just drizzling and still getting bad creases. Hopefully preheating the mold works 

 

Hey just wondering - how do you get around the straight lines on open pour baits? I was thinking of adding an insert with the desired curve to the mold to set the bottom...

 

Thanks and good luck!

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24 minutes ago, one-off baits said:

He definitly knows how to hand pour some awesome stuff. I' gonna get back at it this weekend to figure out how he does it. I'm thinking he may be tilting the mold over a little each way when pouring 2nd color to get it to flow down the walls of the cavity?

What is really interesting is on the gizzard shad the whole thing is covered in clear. Like a core shot or somthing. Definitally very cool.

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1 hour ago, Anglinarcher said:

Probably dipped in clear plastisol.

 

Recently saw a video where they did that to set the eyes in place. Will have to give it a try. I think I am going to ask my machinist if he can make me a smaller "detailed" injector for doing perch stripes and the like. Been thinking about how great those look all day.

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17 hours ago, one-off baits said:

All of those swimbaits he makes are open  hand pour. Bts molds makes the mold. 

 

I see what you are saying, I am thinking I will order one of these metal syringes:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/BDEALS-Wax-Removal-Ear-Syringe2oz-Stainless-Steel-Surgical-Veterinary-Instrument/193787472?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=3135&adid=22222222227054040257&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=154934396101&wl4=pla-267205369388&wl5=9029747&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=113500222&wl11=online&wl12=193787472&wl13=&veh=sem

 

That way I can add a little at a time, and roll the open pour mold back and fourth to create those types of stripes. Great target to aim for!

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