started pouring some rubber

[Diggin Jiggin]

So I finally got around to making some eel proto types. I made the masters out of white cedar as its soft and easy to sand and shape. I made the mold from silicone and I tried pouring some rubber for the first time this afternoon.

My first batch I think I heated too much, ended up with some little empty cavities. the second batch I heated less and poured slower and they came out much better. I need to clean them/trim the excess a little but weight wise and shape wise I think I have what I want.

These weigh right around 2.5 oz, the longer one is maybe an 1/8 oz heavier. I like to fish the big hogies a lot so I started with one that size then made another a little bigger.

In anyone else here trying this ? I have a bunch of questions..

[Nebe]

what are your questions?

I know a little about this

[adson]

I just started pouring a few weeks ago.

are you trying to get a new shape ?

I tried the silicone molds but didn't like the texture

plaster of paris molds work better for me as I like to change the shapes. POP can be sanded, etc.

I wanted to get a shape longer than a 9" sluggo and wanted to pour it with a double hook rig and wire to survive the blues.

[Diggin Jiggin]

I figured out one issue last night, The top where I poured it is nice & glossy but the sides are flat and I was wondering why. When I looked at the sides closely under a good light the silcone had picked up the wood grain even though I'd sanded it with 400 and you can't feel it. Looks like I need to paint or varnish my masters to fill the grain if I want to use the silicone again. Since these shapes really have no detail I may just try plaster or bondo for the next molds.

Eben, I want to embed the hooks and some lead in the bodies of these. Can I pour some rubber so the molds 1/2 full, and let it set up, then add the lead and hooks where I want them and then pour more hot rubber over that ?

I wasn't sure when I see multi colored rubber, do they wait for the first color to setup before pouring the second ?

[Nebe]

Yes and yes... But with the multi layered colors, if you let it cool too much the rubber could delaminate.
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[Diggin Jiggin]

Thanks Eben, I'll have to do some experimenting.

I was suprised how long it took for the rubber to cool down once I poured it, but that may have a lot to do with the silicone mold. I'm going to try some out of bondo & plaster too just to see what works best for me...

[Nebe]

your on the right track- if your heating up your plastic with a microwave, id suggest getting a 2nd one.
The way you made your model is exactly the way i made my first surfhog models and your right, you have to seal that wood nice and good- any texture will transfer into your mold.
Once you get a bait that you like, you can pour something that will harden up solid like liquid hard plastic and make as many models as you want to make a larger production mold. For my surfhogs, i made a mold with 20 cavities- (I measured the volume of each surfhog and divided it by the volume of a large pyrex measuring cup- so if i filled that cup to the top with plastic, i could just pour 20 baits..
to get the plastic to cool a bit faster, you can angle a fan blowing down on the mold- it helps a little.
good luck- I dont miss that molten napalm one bit.. dont burn yourself!!!!

[ThrowingTimber]

suggestions:
1. coat your masters with epoxy let cure sand smooth, re-coat sand. Then pour your silicone.
smooth master= smooth mold cavity
2. you mention going to plaster molds next. a. seal your masters as mentioned above. That will help with the smoothness of the finished baits. Once your plaster cures completely, seal the inside of the mold cavity with epoxy as the plaster is very pourous, the epoxy is going to wick right into the plaster so multiple coats may be necessary.
3. unless its essential that your baits be perfectly straight once cooled down, after you remove them from your mold (safe to touch but still warm) you can throw them in a bucket of water. The pours Ive done I try to lay them straight as possible and just let them cool that way.

[adson]

I have been suspending the hooks in the mold as I pour.
seems to work so far.

the first few I did with two colors ( pour one color, wait and then pour the other ) had a seam along the side between the colors. so I have been letting the first pour harden for 5 minutes, then heating the surface with a heat gun until the very top starts to liquify then pour the second layer. seems to solve the seam problem.

these steps won't work for a volume setup but I'm only pouring a few at a time.

if you work with plaster of paris to make a mold, consider wearing eye protection when you mix it up. I splashed some in my eye and it took a 4 days for my eye to get cleaned out.