Making Soft Plastic Molds With Dap.

[Downeaster2010]

Well, I bought a couple of Aluminum molds, and they work great, and I made 3 more with POP.    They work

okay, but I wanted to try to makes some silicone molds.  Earlier on here I read that Dap is Dap whether you buy

it in Lowe's or Walmart.  So today, I made a special trip to Lowes (45 miles from my home).  I went right to the

section that carried DAP products.  I looked at everything they had a left totally confused.  I was to understand

DAP silicone that could be used to make the molds.  Customer service was not very helpful.  What Dap

product do you use.

[Downeaster2010]

I am sorry to ask that question.  I did a lot of research on here to no avail.  I did go to tackle underground today and found out

that it is the common dap silicone in the tube for windows.   I understand I can get the dap from Walmart and know which kind

to get now.  Silicone molds seem to be good, but a lot of trouble for the benefit you get out of them.  None of the stores that

carry the dap are close by to where I live in the Western Mountains of Maine.  The Walmart is 20 miles, and HD, and Lowes

are over 40.  Sorry if I wasted someones time.

[wnybassman]

I have had great luck with the Smooth-On product called Oomoo 25.  It's a 2 part silicone that cures fully in about an hour and a half.   Slightly pricey, so you want to make sure you only mix up what you need.     Out of the "trial size" offer (about $25)  I can make four average size molds.  So the price per mold ain't bad.

 

http://www.smooth-on.com/Silicone-Rubber-an/c2_1113_1136/index.html?catdepth=1

[wnybassman]

Here is what I use for making molds.   I use Scotch double sided tape, an aluminum L channel that I cut and bend around, an old floor tile and duct tape.   I use the measurements of the mold and find a good volume calculator online to get how many fluid ounces of silicone I need to make the mold.    Secure the aluminum down with duct tape and secure the bait down with the double sided tape.  Slowly mix the two parts together as not to form any air bubbles, and SLOWLY pour the silicone into the mold so it fills every nook and cranny.

 

This is what it looks like after I pour it in.

 

 

 

 

Although I have heard you can make molds out of certain tube silicones, I feel you will have much better luck with a product designed to do what you're trying to do.

[Downeaster2010]

Good idea's.  I hadn't thought of double sided tape..  I like the looks of the Oomoo, but can see that if I were

to use it, I would have to order it online.  That is the problem living in the willy wags.  Plenty of ponds and lakes,

but no conveniences such as easy shopping. 

[topwaterrob]

I've made a bunch of molds over the years trying all kinds of silicones etc..  What I've come to like is the fiberglass resin.  It really picks up all of the bait features nicely and makes a pretty much indestructible mold.  I do it more or less like Wnybassman...  Just thought i'd throw it out there for you...  By the way the can of resin is about $14..

[Downeaster2010]

I had thought about a glass mold, and noticed the cost of resin in Lowe's the other day at $14. 

Do you make a resin mold like you would make a pop mold.  One of the best things I see about a resin mold is

that it can be sanded down some, getting rid of some of the crap on the top.  I know that Pop molds are very basic

molds, and a resin a step up.   I might just try a resin mold but I have absolutely no experience with resins. 

It would be a first for me.  Any tips I might use?

[Downeaster2010]

Well, I am going to jump and try making a mold with resin.  I will use the same procedure as with POP, and hope for

the best.

[topwaterrob]

Well, I am going to jump and try making a mold with resin.  I will use the same procedure as with POP, and hope for

the best.

Sorrry I was away, yea the resin molds can be sanded and they pick up the lure contour much better IMO...  I use cheap flashing from Home Depot and duct tape just like above and be careful, once you mix in the hardener it gets hot as crap so have it sitting on the floor (learned the hard way)...

[Downeaster2010]

Ooh,  just in time, I am going to be pouring the mold this morning.  I have the pan with worms ready to go.

4" Senko's.  I have a lure building center in my cellar.  Set up very nice if I must say.  I have never worked with

silicone or resin.  I am making a jump from POP to Resin bypassing the silicone.  To me it seems like a logical

step.  I picked up my resin from Walmart yesterday, and didn't even bother to check the price.  I got to the

counter, and they dinged me for about $17.  I thought it would be a little less as I had seen in the Lowes for

$14.  Next time I will pay a little more attention. 

 

Ok so the pour.  I am going to mix the resin in a Pyrex cup.  Hopefully it won't ruin the cup, as I use it for melting

my plastic as well.  If this works good, I will be making more molds right off, as I have some more baits I want

to duplicate.  This can become an addiction.

[wnybassman]

Ooh,  just in time, I am going to be pouring the mold this morning.  I have the pan with worms ready to go.

4" Senko's.  I have a lure building center in my cellar.  Set up very nice if I must say.  I have never worked with

silicone or resin.  I am making a jump from POP to Resin bypassing the silicone.  To me it seems like a logical

step.  I picked up my resin from Walmart yesterday, and didn't even bother to check the price.  I got to the

counter, and they dinged me for about $17.  I thought it would be a little less as I had seen in the Lowes for

$14.  Next time I will pay a little more attention. 

That's funny, I made the jump from POP to silicone, bypassing the resin.    lol      I thought about resin molds for 2 piece molds though, but just never did it.   What's nice about the silicone is the flexibility of the product.  You can take a bait, like a Senko, and get a nearly full round bait out of an open side pour mold because the mold flexes good to get the bait out.    Once I started buying aluminum molds, I got spoiled very quickly though.  I just had some custom molds CNC machined for me for a bait I designed a few years ago.

[Downeaster2010]

I bought a couple of aluminum molds for bassresource.com website a month ago.  Open pour.  I haven't jumped to the

injection molding but can see that is the way to go.  The worms come out great, just like you buy in the store.  Unfortunately

mine only make 4 baits at a time. 

With a glass mold I can make 7 or 8 at a time. I don't really care if the worms are perfect, but I would like to have them be

very good.  Bass fishing is just starting here in Maine.  We have been having a slow warmup this spring.  Water temps are

still holding in the high 50's approaching 60.  A few warm days will change all this. 

I got slammed all the way around on the resin from Walmart.  Not only did I pay too much for the can, when I opened it up

there was only 3/4 of a can of resin.

  When I get stung, I pay close attention the next time. Next time I want resin I will get it from somewhere else.

The mold is poured, and looks good so far.  I will be pulling the mold out of the pan around 10am.

[Downeaster2010]

I pulled the resin mold out of the pan at 10am this morning, and immediately it was a far easier job

than using pop.  The detail is far better, and almost perfect.  I think I will sand it down maybe 1/8

of an inch to clear the top slag off.  I was thinking I would continue on making this a two part

mold.  I will pour a couple of worms and see how I like them.  I can always make it atwo part mold

later.  I am pretty happy and the next time I buy resin it will be by the gallon.

[Downeaster2010]

I thought everything was going good, when I poured in the second batch of resin. 

 

The first part of my mold looked great after sanding, and coating with veg oil, and

replacing the worms back in their slots.

 

So now I am ready to pour.  I measured out the drops carefully, stirred the resin

for 2 mins, the slowly poured the new resin over the first.

 

After 1 hour I decided the mold looked cured, so removed it from its container,

and attempted to  seperate the two mold parts.  Nope they would not

seperate, and with a little more force, I did get them apart, only to break the top

portion.  I wound up saving the bottom, but had to take a chisel and remove some

of the top that adheared to the bottom.  Bottom part saved.  I am sitting back no

taking a deep breath before I make any more moves.  I think may I should have

coated the bottom with vaseline, instead of veg oil.  What do you think.

[Qnormous]

That's funny, I made the jump from POP to silicone, bypassing the resin.    lol      I thought about resin molds for 2 piece molds though, but just never did it.   What's nice about the silicone is the flexibility of the product.  You can take a bait, like a Senko, and get a nearly full round bait out of an open side pour mold because the mold flexes good to get the bait out.    Once I started buying aluminum molds, I got spoiled very quickly though.  I just had some custom molds CNC machined for me for a bait I designed a few years ago.

Dose any one know were you can have a CNC machined  mold made?

[wnybassman]

Dose any one know were you can have a CNC machined  mold made?

 

I kinda got lucky with mine.   My sons cub scout den leader happens to own a small model/mold making shop in my town, and has three in house CNC machines.  I asked if he could make a mold for me.  He said sure, but he has never done anything like quite that before.   I let him use a couple other molds I had bought so he could see the basic general idea of the molds.  His designer went to work and created a beautiful replication of what I wanted.  He cut the first one and we had some venting issues to work out, but once that was done they pour pretty good.  He only charged me $175 per two piece four cavity mold (I have bought two so far and will likely get another), which included all design work and programming.   A huge bargain from what I have researched.

[iabass8]

I don't make a lot of soft plastics but I used fiberglass resin and it created every single detail perfectly and is ridiculously easy to do. There's a few good videos on youtube that give a good step by step. The resin itself is I think 10$ per can and I was able to get 7 baits in a a small (i think)9x9 baking pan. I think in total I spent around 15$ for the resin/bolts/pan.