"Cooking" Fish in Bondo/Resin Molds

[DSalters]

I have looked at both tutorials (plaster and bondo/resin) on fish casting.  I have never molded and/or cast fish before but am ready to try.  I have many specimens in the freezer to use.  However, a few are customer fish that are to be skin mounted.

I've read that as soon as the bondo/resin combo starts to kick, that I can place it in cold water to avoid cooking the fish (especially fins).  Is this a fairly fail-proof way to ensure that the fish will turn out OK for skin mounting later?

(Depending on the answer above) IF I am going to skin mount a fish later, should I always go with a plaster mold?  Are there any plasters that are to be avoided for the same reason (extreme heat)?

Thanks!
Daniel

[newbirdman]

 If you plan on using any fish for a skin mount , then i wouldnt try making a fiberglass mold out of it.  You cant do both .  The part you really have to worry about is the scales and jaw bones sticking to the inside of the mold and pulling off the fish .  It sometimes happens depending upon what kind of fish it is.  You might be able to do it with a large scaled saltwater fish , but small scales like a trout , no way .  If your worried about heat , use ice in a bag , not water . Rick

[stuffenstuff]

I use plaster However I ad a SMALL amount of ammonium  sulfate to the water I mix with to make it "kick" faster and harder It will get pretty hot you just have to keep an eye on it,some times the fins will get a little dry but come right back when submerged in cold water.

[JE]

i asked the same question, not sure how to post link but here goes.
www.taxidermy.net/forum/index.php/topic,125355.0.html

[DSalters]

The link worked fine, thanks, JE!

I am going to go with plaster molds after reading these responses and other info on making them.  They seem to be just as good as bondo/resin and would be good for me to learn with considering I've never done this before AND want to reuse the fish for skin-mounts.

Thanks for the input everyone!

[newbirdman]

I used to make all my fish mold with plaster back int e 70's but not any more.  Plaster doesnt take the detail as good as fiberglass and builds up even more heat than resin.  Also , a plaster mold is only good for one blank .  I suggest you try it out on a fish you dont need first , you'll see that you cant mold a fish and use it for a skin mount.   Rick

[DSalters]

I will give it a try on a few fish I don't need and see what happens.  However, I have read quite a few posts that state that it can be done fairly often without cooking the fish beyond usability.  Granted, this isn't the case every time, but they are odds I like.

With a well-sealed plaster mold and thorough waxing, I can't imagine why it wouldn't last longer than one pull.  Experimentation is what it's going to take, I'm thinking.

[NOAH@aarrkk]

Depending on the size of the fish, you may want to use alginate or jeltrate(same stuff) with a bondo/resin mother mold, then you can cast using the bondo/resin.  The alginate mold should prevent the cooking of the fish.  Maybe add that to your list of experiments.

[Fishman]

If you had a perfect fish, and wanted to invest some extra time and money you could mold with a layer of dragonskin Q and a bondo mother mold. The heat from the bondo can cure the dragonskin faster and you can still save the fish for skin mounting. Fins and body are protected by the dagonskin. You could even change positions and mold again, of course with a two sided mold with separator of petroleum jelly over both dragonskin and bondo halves.

[Dan Gill]

as soon as the bondo kicks, but before it gets hot, I pulll the fish, and throw it in cold water. after the mold cools, I do the second side. same thing, carefully separate the mold, throw the fish in cold water, then clamp the mold back together, let it get hot, and the clamping will keep it from warping. then you could skin the fish, and mount it on the repo. the form should fit.
    Dan Gill