Molding Question (bondo Pull Away)

Either clamp it or let it pour over the sides then trim the edges so you can pop it

 

Then it’s either to hot of a mold and your not cooling it off properly or the fish moved as you flipped it or your waiting to long to mold the other half to where fluids and shifting occurs

 

I've always used a slurry coat of plaster of Paris to coat the fish and then poured subsequent layers to get the thickness I want. I've never heard of using Bondo. Doesn't that cook the fish? I realize the plaster gets a little warm too but not as hot as Bondo. I'm interested in seeing how this post goes. Maybe I'm behind the times.

 

this might help..maybe not.

https://www.taxidermy.net/forum/index.php/topic,109152.0.html

 

Putting a bag of ice water on the first side of the mold will keep it from cooking

 

Everything Frank said. Good advice. Probably too hot. Only thing I will add. Let your detail coat go off and cool slightly before adding your reinforcement. The detail coat is should be thin and it will cool quickly. You can then add another thin coat after it cools if you want and then add the mat after those two cool first. Should stay against the fish by doing this.

 

That's what I did for SOOO many years!

You only get one good pull, but you can make a silicone or resin re-useable mold of it.

Plaster can get hot as well, depending on the thickness of the mold. It 'sets' through a chemical reaction, generating heat. The Bondo-Resin mold may be a little quicker and tougher initially. The plaster needs to dry out thoroughly for at least a week.

Plaster can be a little tempermental until you get used to its 'quirks'.

 

Yes I was just interested in getting one and then tossed it. However I do have 2 sockeye salmon that I made from one sockeye and then I skin mounted it so I had 3 for a diorama of a small school of swimming sockeye. I would like to catch 3 or 4 kokanee and then 1/2 cast them in a few different poses, making 3 each or so and then mount them swimming together over a 5 or 6 foot length for a wall I have in my dining area. I got the idea from a similar mount that Don Frank did. I think he has a few in Cabelas/Bass Pro Shops. Lot's of neat things you can do.

 

Right! there are a few times with fish that have a tougher skin that you can pull it and either make another mold, or skin it and mount. Funny story, when I was a kid and teaching myself how to mold fish, a cop gave me a very nice Brookie to do. I put it in the freezer until I was ready. I took it out and thawed it in very warm water (yes I did). I deslimed it and poured the plaster without sealing (cuz I didn't know about it) When I took it from the mold, it were well cooked!!! Skin stuck to the mold and everything! To my horror, the surface of the mold was chalky, no detail. Needless to say, I didn't volunteer to do anybody elses fish until I had my method down!