- 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).
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 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.
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 do you stabilize blow molds?
If your blow mold is propped up against a mailbox, fence, or light post, you can use twine to secure the blow mold to the fixture. Just make sure the twine is approximately a quarter inch in thickness. Tie the twine around the blow mold and then secure it to the fixture with a tight knot.
How do I keep my blow mold from falling?
1:152:04How to keep blowmolds from blowing over - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThis girl one school in there. And hold that didn't go get a room. Now I'm not sure what this greatMoreThis girl one school in there. And hold that didn't go get a room. Now I'm not sure what this great states cost I got them at work. But. I think probably get them you know just a few cents for those.
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.
What happened to 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.
Why are blow molds made of aluminum?
Aluminum molds can be created 10 times faster than steel, so mold delivery is faster and less expensive. What's more, high-grade aluminum has 50-70% faster cycle times than P-20 steel.
What type of plastic is used in blow molding?
The materials used for blow moulding include Polyethylene (High Density, Low Density and Linear Low Density), Polypropylene, Polyethylene-Terephthalate (PET), and PVC.
What is parison in blow molding?
The parison is a tube-like piece of plastic with a hole in one end through which compressed air can pass. The parison is then clamped into a mold and air is blown into it. The air pressure then pushes the plastic out to match the mold. Once the plastic has cooled and hardened the mold opens and the part is ejected.
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.
Did General Foam Plastics go out of business?
In January 2018, GFP sold all of its remaining merchandise, and in March, the company officially went defunct and all of its employees were laid off.
Can blow molds be repainted?
If the paint on your blow mold appears faded or scratched, Sansing says you can freshen it up with plastic-friendly spray paint, such as Fusion All-in-One by Krylon ($5, amazon.com). "First, use masking tape and a precision knife to cover the sections of the mold you don't want to paint," she advises.
Who is making blow molds?
Gemmy IndustriesBig-box retailers, such as The Home Depot and Walmart, have begun to sell their own blow molds. At Lowe's, a 2-foot-tall snowman with a "nostalgic look" costs less than $40. It is produced by Gemmy Industries, of Texas, better known for inflatable decorations.
What is a blow mold?
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. "Blow molds are works of art and collectible, and the plastic construction make them long lasting," says Fred Vannucci, ...
How to clean mold off of paint?
Vannucci says you can easily clean a dirty blow mold by using baby wipes, paper towels, or a soft cloth. "You want to be gentle when you're cleaning the painted areas because the paint is water based, so rubbing too hard might remove it," he explains. "Never use chemical-based cleaners because that will damage the paint. For tougher stains on the unpainted parts of a blow mold you can use dish soap and a brush, but remember to stay away from the paint or the brush will scratch it."
Digger61
I found a pair of 40" Union products candy canes at the flea market this weekend. One of them has a dent near the tip of the candy cane, with a small crack in it there as well. This will be my first time trying to repair a blow mold.
shane page
Get it hot, I use a halogen work light the heat gun or even a hair dryer will work to. You can gently push on the sides and it might pop out but you have a hole there so you could stick something small in there and push it out, once the dent is out the crack may close up and I wouldnt worry about it.
Digger61
thanks Shane. I'll give it a try and let you know how it turns out. Other than the one dent, just some paint scuffs I can live with for now. I'm not ready to try repainting just yet.
shane page
Let us know how it goes, if it seems stiff or hard to push get it hotter. Repainting is very time consuming and a pain in the rear.
Digger61
halogen lamp worked like a charm. Let it sit in front for about 10 minutes, used a curved piece of wood and popped it out. I'm left with this crack. Thanks again Shane for the help.
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.
