How to Clean and Restore Christmas Blow Molds
- 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. ...
- Repair cracks with clear epoxy adhesive. ...
- Replace missing pieces of plastic with a fabricated patch. ...
- Freshen up faded colors with spray paint. ...
How do you make a blow mold?
- Add least 1 inch (2.54 cm) to each of your object's measurements before marking cut lines on your box. ...
- Out of foam core board, cut 2 walls for the width and 2 walls for the length, keeping in mind the object's height. ...
- Make a box by gluing the 4 walls together and then to the floor section with super glue. ...
What is a holiday blow mold?
Blow molds are known as traditional Christmas decorations because they started becoming popular in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Blow molds are started by a company casting a mold with a cavity in it. From there, the hard plastic liquid is poured into the cavity, and concentrated air pressure blows the hard plastic into all of the crevices of the ...
How to paint blow mold?
Things You'll Need
- Drop cloth or old newspapers
- Rags
- Gentle detergent
- Spray paint created for plastic
- Latex gloves (optional)
- Painter's tape (optional)
How does plastic blow molding work?
How Does Plastic Blow Molding Work? Blow molding, also called blow forming, is a manufacturing process that is conducted by using thermoplastics by which hollow plastic profiles are formed. Blow molding process at BEPL begins with applying heat energy to the thermoplastic resins thus which converts them into a molten state and forming them into ...
What is a blow mold?
How to clean mold off of paint?
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How do you restore 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 still being made?
We've got good news and bad news. The bad news is they can be hard to find these days since there aren't a lot of manufacturers anymore. But the good news is that blow mold manufacturers still exist, and there are quite a few easily accessible retailers who sell them online.
How do I identify a vintage blow mold?
Do Look For A Barcode. If you ever see a barcode sticker on your blow mold then you know it can not be as old as others. Companies began using UPC barcodes in 1974, so if you see one then you know it can not be any older that that!
How do you keep plastic blow molds from falling over?
0:102:04How to keep blowmolds from blowing over - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd just can't seem to get him to stay up and a win I'm gonna show you a trick that I found prettyMoreAnd just can't seem to get him to stay up and a win I'm gonna show you a trick that I found pretty useful now if these were the vintage blow molds I probably would not be doing this. But since these
Why do blow molds cost so much?
The seasonal outdoor decor, known as blow molds, have become increasingly valuable as the companies that made them went out of business and as collectors remember them from their childhood. The price, Barrows said, often depends on the decoration's size, condition and age.
Why are blow mold Christmas decorations so expensive?
When something is rare and there is a demand for it, it's hard to come by and often very expensive. With the rarity of well-maintained blow molds also comes the fact that some of the original companies that made these products are out of business. This makes them even more collectible.
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.
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.
How do you keep outdoor Christmas decorations from blowing over?
An effective way to keep those inflatable decorations secured in the ground is by using stakes. The majority of inflatable decorations have a wide base that includes holes for stakes. Take a few small lawn stakes and pound them into the ground as far as possible.
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.
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.
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.
Who is making blow molds?
Big-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.
Blowmold repair ideas needed - Do It Yourself Christmas
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). The cool thing is they still work.
repainting blowmolds - DoItYourself.com Community Forums
I have a very small, rather dark bathroom (4x5) and a high (8ft.) ceiling. A (shaded) window is the main feature of one of the 4' walls, and the door is on the opposite wall.
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.
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."
