- Only use gentle cleaners. Vannucci says you can easily clean a dirty blow mold by using baby wipes, paper towels, or a soft cloth.
- Consider LEDs when replacing light bulbs. According to Sansing, replacing the light bulb in a blow mold is easy. ...
- Repair cracks with clear epoxy adhesive. Depending on the size of the crack or split (and assuming that no part of the plastic is missing), Sansing says you can fix ...
- Replace missing pieces of plastic with a fabricated patch. Sansing says that larger holes or missing pieces of plastic on your blow mold can also be repaired, but it will ...
- Freshen up faded colors with spray paint. If the paint on your blow mold appears faded or scratched, Sansing says you can freshen it up with plastic-friendly spray paint, such ...
How do you fix a crack in a blow mold?
Repair cracks with clear epoxy adhesive. Depending on the size of the crack or split (and assuming that no part of the plastic is missing), Sansing says you can fix a crack or split in a blow mold with the help of an adhesive, like J-B Weld Clearweld Clear Epoxy Adhesive ($4.84, amazon.com).
How do you clean blow mold on a glass top stove?
1 Only use gentle cleaners. Vannucci says you can easily clean a dirty blow mold by using baby wipes, paper towels, or a soft cloth. 2 Consider LEDs when replacing light bulbs. ... 3 Repair cracks with clear epoxy adhesive. ... 4 Replace missing pieces of plastic with a fabricated patch. ... 5 Freshen up faded colors with spray paint. ...
How to remove blow mold from paint?
If your painting the hole blow mold start with the lightest colors first and the darkest last. Make sure you wash off the blow mold with soap and water. Yes it's very tedious but a painted blow mold with dirt and dust underneath looks even worse than the faded paint. I can send you photos of how I repaired my soldiers if you'd like.
What are blow molds?
Equal parts festive and nostalgic, blow molds are the plastic, light-up figures and ornaments—think Santa Claus, reindeer, and candy canes —commonly used to brighten up lawns, porches, and sometimes roofs during the holidays.
How do you restore a blow mold?
Replace missing pieces of plastic with a fabricated patch. "Small missing sections of plastic can be fabricated from sacrificial broken blow molds, milk jugs, and other plastic containers as a patch," she says. "Using a clear-drying adhesive (on the underside of the patch), apply the patch, and tape it down.
Are blow molds worth money?
Smaller blow molds, the kind you can hold in the palm of your hand, might go for $30. Larger ones, nearly life sized, sell for almost $500.
Are blow molds coming back?
Believe it or not, blow mold decorations are making a comeback. If you reflect on your childhood, chances are you might remember seeing homes in your neighborhood illuminated with these plastic figures.
How can you tell how old a blow mold is?
Be sure to turn your blow mold over and see if you can spot any markings. These markings will many times be embossed and if they are there, they can be seen easily. In addition, sometimes there will be a date listed there as well and that is an instant way to determine if your blow mold os old.
Does anyone still make blow molds?
But the good news is that blow mold manufacturers still exist, and there are quite a few easily accessible retailers who sell them online.
Is Empire blow molds still in business?
Due to dramatically decreasing sales in the 90s, Empire downsized in 2001 and no longer began producing blow molds. Its molds and machinery were sold in an auction and another company called General Foam Plastics purchased many of them.
Does General Foam still make blow molds?
Sadly, after 60 years of plastics production in the USA, the most recognized and largest U.S. maker of blow molds closed its doors in 2017. General Foam Plastics, headquartered in Virginia Beach, shut down its production facilities in Norfolk, Virginia and Tarboro, North Carolina.
What company makes blow molds?
Founded in 1984, Hi-Rel Plastics & Molding, Inc. is a turn-key manufacturer who offers custom blow molding and custom plastic injection molding for a variety of industries. With more than 35 years of experience, our quality products are unparalleled.
Why are they called blow molds?
The figures were called blow molds because they were made of hollow hard plastic that was formed in a mold. They contained colored plastic in certain areas or were painted after hardening.
What are blow molds made of?
Both blow molding and injection molding involve the use of liquid material — typically plastic — that's forced into a mold cavity.
What is the difference between injection molding and blow molding?
In general, blow molding is used to make singular, hollow products like bottles and beakers. Injection molding makes solid parts, like plates and discs, or is used to produce solid parts or pieces for plastic products.
Blowmold repair ideas needed
I had a lucky find. I was driving thru town here and i noticed a yard sale at a local establishment and right on the street were four Christmas blowmolds so after doing a "U" turn I made my way back to that location and saw that they were selling them for $5 a piece. (I'll post pictures later).
Re: Blowmold repair ideas needed
sorry jsut reread post and realized there were two questions. For the cracks a 2-part expoy for plastic. I would try it on an small section first to make sure it bonds the parts.
Re: Blowmold repair ideas needed
yeah I also learned on there to use another piece of plastic and a heat gun or propane torch to melt and fuse the plastic together with another piece of plastic. I did that with my dad on a huge hole on my mrs clause that fell over during testing lights. It worked great, you are going to need 4 hands though.
Re: Blowmold repair ideas needed
I too bought several broken toy soldier blow molds from a guy off craigslist. He didn't take care of them and sold them too cheap to pass up. Anyway, I repaired them with an epoxy from Home Depot. Make sure you get the one that has "Plastic" on the bottom of the package. I think it's 3M brand or Elmers, can't remember right now.
Re: Blowmold repair ideas needed
OUCH that's way too much. I usually pay about $5 to $10 for a blow mold, depending on the size.
ttcd
Hi, I am wondering how you repair a hole or crack in a blow mold. My son wants to try to repair a big hole in the forhead of one of our santa's....If anyone can tell me how to do it that would be great.
bigballo
Hi, I am wondering how you repair a hole or crack in a blow mold. My son wants to try to repair a big hole in the forhead of one of our santa's....If anyone can tell me how to do it that would be great.
ttcd
Try the search at the top left,set the search for forums and in the search box type blow mold repair.You should find several blogs on repair,stripping and repainting.Carrie posted several also Ted and others have shared the talents
ahoytoys
I've been looking at pops-a-dents at local auto stores, but am confused as to which one to buy.
