Need Help Making Mold

[SamSam]

As far as the status of the plug,,,,it is sanded to 600 at this point.

First off you've got to finish the plug. However you want the finished product to look like is what you want the plug to look like. It's got to have an impervious surface and be buffed to a shine and ready to take wax before it can be molded.

Depending on it's shape, you usually have to have 2 to 10 degrees draft to it so the finished part can easily pull free of the mold and the mold can come off the plug. If you have to make a multiple piece mold, it becomes more expensive.

!,000 parts off a mold is wishful thinking. Keep your plug for awhile, you might ruin a mold and need another or you might want multiple molds for more production. You can always make a mold off a part, but it works best off a plug.

Once you've filed for a patent and have 'patent pending' status, you're good to go, it doesn't matter who sees anything. You also have to have around $300,000+ to defend it against any serious challenges. And just because the Patent Office grants you a patent does not in any way mean the patent is valid.

[Knut Sand]

Originally Posted by the1much

gel ( tooling gel) the part,,,then lay-up your glass on that,,

EHhhh...Jim.... Not me trying to tell an ol fox something here..... But I clearly recall prior to this.... Water grinding, smoother, and smoother paper, rubbing, til the shoulders are acin', then wax, wax, wax, then some other film stuff, which i do not recall the name of....

Ok, NOW i see/ saw that that was mentioned further down, zårryzårry.... But what about a flat flanged area for (gluing) vacuum bagging if needed later...? Too many molds are made with too small flanges....

[the1much]

ummmmm,,,,knutterz,,,,,he said the plug was done,,,,,,so why and how do you wet sand the mold before its there?,,,,,,,oh,,well,,,i see/saw, where you saw/see that
hehe

[overtimejunkie]

the difference for a mold you want to use 10 times compared to 1,000 times would be the difference between solid glass construction and a cored construction. example: a 1/2 inch solid would last say 10-20 parts and develop stress cracks in corners etc. from the hot-cold cycles. now a 1/2" glass plus 1/2" ply or other core plus another 1/2" glass you have a "rock" that will be 10 times stronger. The chopper gun could be used to alternate roving and save a buck or two. Thats just speaking from personal experience, having made some 12 or so molds in the last 6 years.

[AverageJoe]

I have done a little research on a paint for the mold,,,any thoughts. I know that it needs to be painted and wet sanded and painted and wet sanded and painted and wet sanded then waxed,,,,,,,,,,,is this right?

[the1much]

i was just asking because i guess ive never had the opportunity to make a mold that was only for a few uses,,,,,,all the ones ive made have always been solid core built to last for eons.,,, but then again most the molds i made were of boats not parts..
you shoot your gel coat on first joe,,,,,then lay-up your glass and everything,,,then pop it off the plug,,, then sand,, wet sand,,buff,,then your release agent ( i use to use the "frekote" system.) ,,,,thats the "quickie" of it. theres alot of little steps in between,,but them are the basics.

[the1much]

you like chop guns Over? ,,, we found them to be more messy,,more problems,,and in the end cost more to run,,,,,,,,man i wanted that venus to be my answer to hand-lay-up,,hehe

[overtimejunkie]

no i do not prefer chop. my experience mostly molds for boat hulls cabins etc. Currently in the shop were using the magnum venus internal mix gun, what a cake walk. most of the big parts, hulls and cabins we hand layup with 1 oz mat then 3610 or 2415 and some 1808 depending on application. on the molds we make the plug is made slicker than s**t and then waxed numerous times. then sprayed with tooling gel, usually I spray twice. say first black then green. the first color a different color than the gelcoat you will be applying to your parts, so you can tell of good coverage. cook composites and polymers supplys all the tooling in our factory.

[TeresaPay]

Call Scott Pay, he has 24 years experience, located in Ohio but may be able to work something out with shipping the part - 419-289-9739 or 419-651-3997. He owns a company - has a website www.kar-delplastics.com