Joe_Knesek
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- Mar 10, 2003
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- 2,115
Joe what kind of money are we talking about to get set up?
Cowl mold build
- Thread starter joefroooo
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llema
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- Jan 30, 2007
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This is a VERY GOOD thread Joe! You do some quality work. I would be interested in making this into a short how-to article if you are willing to have it shown in MGB.com. If you are willing to write-up the step by step we could put it together with the pictures and have it permanently archived on MGB. If you don't know what MGB is, you can check it out here: www.modelgasboats.com We have been online since 2002 and mostly a gas mag, but will be branching out to both Nitro and FE also. This is some good information that could be beneficial to all boaters alike. Let me know.
BTW great paint job too...that is Dean Werges right?
BTW great paint job too...that is Dean Werges right?
There are many ways to make molds for duplicating parts. Using the Adtech Tooling Compound and Surface GelCoat I have found to be the most durable and fastest way. Other ways of making molds you must build up many layers of cloth to get to a thickness to withstand the pulling of many parts. This thickness of mold also makes it very warp resistant and durable. When laying up a mold with just cloths, you must wait between between the layering so will not warp when the plug is removed. Just for a example one layer of 6oz fiberglass cloth when wet out is about +/- .015 thick. It will take 60 + layers to build a a mold to proper thinkness of 1/4". You can use heaver weight cloths to build up thickness but these cloths soak up a lot of Epoxy resin and takes a lot of time to layer.
Joe Knesek, This mold cost me about 40.00 to make and only took 4 hours to lay up. This time did not include the hours of preperation of plug, ( waxing and release film application ). I buy my materials in bulk from Adtech Plastics. A Scale hydro for example , Hull, cowlings, and wing set will use about 250.00 in materials from Adtech and another 100.00 in Cloth, epoxy, fillers, wax etc. If you are a manufacture and will be selling your parts, You will get your return on investment in your 1st sold part out of mold, Depending on what your making. This does not include your many hours of labor.
llema, I would like to have a write up added to your site. I have seen and always look foward to the how to articles that are published. WE can use this Cowl Mold build or, in the near future I am making a mold for a complete hull using these materials. I will be able to show how to prepare parts, add a parting board and the molding process. I will need to ask my customer if it is alright.
I did not invent this process of mold building. There are a lot of different ways to do so and other other suppliers of materials. I am just happy with the results using them. Do a search on the NET using "fiberglass mold making" and do some reasearch to find out what is best to accomplish what you are wanting to do. Hope this helps.
Joe Moceri
Joe Knesek, This mold cost me about 40.00 to make and only took 4 hours to lay up. This time did not include the hours of preperation of plug, ( waxing and release film application ). I buy my materials in bulk from Adtech Plastics. A Scale hydro for example , Hull, cowlings, and wing set will use about 250.00 in materials from Adtech and another 100.00 in Cloth, epoxy, fillers, wax etc. If you are a manufacture and will be selling your parts, You will get your return on investment in your 1st sold part out of mold, Depending on what your making. This does not include your many hours of labor.
llema, I would like to have a write up added to your site. I have seen and always look foward to the how to articles that are published. WE can use this Cowl Mold build or, in the near future I am making a mold for a complete hull using these materials. I will be able to show how to prepare parts, add a parting board and the molding process. I will need to ask my customer if it is alright.
I did not invent this process of mold building. There are a lot of different ways to do so and other other suppliers of materials. I am just happy with the results using them. Do a search on the NET using "fiberglass mold making" and do some reasearch to find out what is best to accomplish what you are wanting to do. Hope this helps.
Joe Moceri
SayMikey
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- Feb 23, 2003
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- 12,583
Hey Joe any more mold pics? next you will have to show us how to get the resin all the way in the corners. Great stuff what a talented guy..............
Thanks Mike, I am doing a build of a 1/8 scale mold and will be adding pictures and the technique to make. As far as laying up a part out of a mold and getting the fiberglass into the corners has to do with the glass style and the way you cut out of the roll. My first layer is a 4OZ cloth Style 1522 weave pattern. In any areas that have a sharp corners, I mix up milled glass and cabosil with Epoxy Resin to a paste (similar to toothpaste in consistency ) and put a small fillet in the corners. Lay in 1 later of 4oz and follow up with layers of 6OZ cloth style 3733. The quanity of layers will be determined by what you are making and the structural strength you are wanting. Cloth conforms to compound radius better if cut diagonal to the weave.
Some manufactures of the fiberglass cloth put a binding on the cloth after weaving to keep the fibers orientated. This binding disolves when the cloth is wetted out with your laminating resin. I buy my cloth and epoxy from www.wicksaircraft.com. The cloth has no treatment applied and is very workable. They are a hour drive from me and by picking up I dont have to pay the Hazard Shipping charges. They carry all the supplys for composite parts.
When I lay up my next part I will take pictures and foward to anyone interested in this process. It takes time to learn and you will possibly have some voids on your first couple of pulls, make your adjustments and try again. We learn by failures and then overcome. That is why I am posting this information to others to help shorten the learning curve.
JOE
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