plug/mold fabrication

Looking for some information on a company that can produce a foam plug with a five-axis router via cad drawings, and someone who can produce a steel mold from the plug.
Thanks

 

CFOX,

If in fact you want a steel, mold there is no reason to machine a foam plug first. A 5-axis router won't do it, but depending on the complexity of of your model, a 3, 4, or 5-axis milling machine of appropriate size can machine the steel from the model. If you want the foam for some other reason, that can be produced by a router as you indicate.

Doug Carlson

 

Doug
I was looking for a steel mold to layup fiberglass molds, would like a steel mold to keep the Molds from distoring, as you saying you can go to having a steel mold created with no plug. Seems a lot of boat companies seem to have a router create a foam plug, and then have a steel mold made. thanks for any info...

 

CFOX,

If I understand correctly, what you're looking for is someone who can fabricate a steel support framework for a female glass mold that would be layed up on a foam plug. My experience is in metal molds, dies, and fixturing. I have no knowledge of how the fiberglass to steel interface for this type of application is designed and accomplished. Others in this group do, so perhaps one of them can help you or give you a good reference.

Doug Carlson

 

I am not sure where you are located.

But if you create a fiberglass mold from a foam plug and want a steel frame fabricated, check with Hudson's Welding in Sarasota (941) 355-4858.

They also manufacure a mold positioning system which rotates the mold 360 degrees on its fore and aft axis as well as raises and lowers the mold.

 

Intermarine and Avondale made a stainless steel mold for the Osprey class minehunter, but I really don't think that is what you are shooting for. If you are talking about building your mold from FRP skins, then supporting it with a steel pipe structure, that makes a lot more sense.

Janicki in Washington and Marine Concepts in Florida do really precise work. I've found DLBA Robotics to be far less precise. There is at least one other major vendor in Florida. Definitely get several bids on this. Prices can vary wildly depending on how full their production line is and how intrested they are in your project.

Good luck with it.

 

Yor refering to a master blug

usualy one makes the blug then a mold and after that a master blug, with the new aluminium bowder resins you dont have to wory about disortion so much to warant the hilarious cost of making the actual blug out of steel, just make the plug, use aloy powder resing for your master mold make a plug from aloy power and yoy there, the magik is sill there why does my deck mold haveto be so and so meny inches longer than the hull, but you would have the same question to ask if you miled your mold from steel. In zhekoslovakia they use aluminium molds for 30' to 40's

 

Why have a steel mould? all the G R P boats i have ever made have come out of G R P moulds i dont believe you could ever warrent the cost of building a steel mould to take grp mouldings from. The grp mould can be stopped from distorting by using a steel frame work as already mentioned and stringers placed on it etc, the key is in getting the plug to take your mould from perfect in the first place.It is interesting to have a look at www.janicki.com .

 

Speaking of 5-axis routers

Let's not forget our friend Kurtis at Vectorworks in Titusville, FL 407-269-8444

Or

Jeremy at Mollicam in Merritt Island FL 407-453-9599

Or

Doug at Design Automation in Melbourne, FL 321-757-0922

These area codes are probably wrong but you can figure it out for yourself.

What the big production builders do is mill a plug, pop a mold, then build a "glass master" which is a part that is heavily reinforced, very sturdy and perfectly finished. The glass master is stored indoors and handled carefully. It is used to build new molds when the old ones are cycled out of production. Be careful about generational shrinkage.
I've never seen a steel mold in all my years of boatbuilding.
Good luck.