Split mold for hull

RR,

No stringers at this time. We did put 'foam and supports' down the side so the forms will sit level on the shop floor.

I am concerned about the molds in the box, but need the floor space in the shop.

Sam

 

As ratrace says, a green mold in a hot container....

Let me see, a green mold in a container in Texas in the summer, not bolted together for strength or sitting on it's designed supports. At least you know how to make molds now. That might come in handy in the future.

It doesn't take long or even much to permanently distort fiberglass. A boat sitting wrong on a trailer is an example.

Space is always a major concern when it comes to building boats.

 

SamSam,

Thanks for stating the obvious. I will make sure it is sitting on it's designed supports. We used OptiMold from CCP and it required elevated temps to cure so I am hoping the box doesn't get above 150 degree cure temps..... I will keep the doors open to keep the temps below 115.... ;-)

Sam

 

I can't tell if you're telling me to shut up or what.

Being cured and being able to distort are not the same things. Distortion can happen at any temperature, although heat makes it easier. A high heat cure doesn't necessarily have anything to do with it. In your case the high heat cure may be needed for the no shrink resin, but the no shrink resin might still be easily distortable. I've seen huge molds stored outside with no cover other than a spray on peel able liner, and some without even that, but they have to be supported good. Being bolted together is part of it, as it makes the whole thing much stronger. And if any slight distortion does occur, the halves distort together and will still bolt together easily, whereas if a little distortion happens to each separately the whole thing can become a nuisance.

Anyway, you do good work. Any pictures/drawings of the finished product?

 

SamIII:
I would just bolt them back together and set them outside under a tree (in the shade). I bet you have some tooling gel coat left over. Spray the bottom of those wood supports and then all the bare wood.
Why, we don't want that wood absorbing humidity from that bare concrete floor, and we don't want that bare plywood absobing any of the that hot "humid" Texas moisture.

 

SamSam,

No I am not telling you to shut up. The obvious is to have the mold sitting level on it's feet made absolute sense to me. Last night we were hot and tired so we didn't move all the wheels out from under the mold supports. Thanks for the advise.

RR,

Don't have a tree to put it under. We will be starting the mold for the deck this week and and when finished with it we will paint all the supports and the backside of the molds to make the pretty on both sides. Then we will start the buffing process.

Once the deck mold is done, the plug will go into storage until the buyer comes up with more moola to go to the next step.

This is what we found in the mold. ;-)

Sam

 

what? "the plug". You funny guy. Well, great job; for me, I going to pop the cork on that bottle of Patron. The sun is over the Yard Arm and it's time to party.......EST don't forget.

 

Lookin' good SamIII, maybe you can set both halves to index against the container sides & floor & even tek screw the C/L flange to the side through blocks to account fo the indexing locators & shade the few feet that'll hang out, theres too much effort invested to take risk on a cool project like that, I reckon that deck return & flange will do a lot to stringer & support there But I'd still take some "check measures" & mark them with the numbers. All the best from Jeff.

 

On to the deck mold

Started on the deck mold.

Left shot is plug with Algrip 545 primer.

Center sanded and release agent applied.

Right photo is tooling gel coat down.

Sam

 

No flange for the split?

 

Herman,

No split on this one. Straight forward mold. Will pull part from bow and work back to transom.

Sam

 

Primer: auto body

samIII,
just curious but why did you use Awlgrip primer when any of the auto body primers would have worked just as well for half the money?

 

The Awlgrip will be a base coat for further finishing. The Plug is a Carbon Fiber Mini Transat Boat for a local customer. It is our first boat built and doubling as a plug for our fiberglass production boat.

Headed out to infusion school later today.

Sam

 

Infusion School

SamIII,
you are going to love that. There is no better way to get a great Hull than VARTM. It is easy, clean, sometimes economical, and fast. Keep us posted on your infusion strategy

 

Problems in River City....

OK we finished the deck mold, pictures to come.

Problem is that when we demolded the deck mold, major patches of 545 and fairing compound demolded with it. It some cases the mold bonded all the way to the carbon uni and broke it on demolding.....

Any sage advice on getting it up without damaging the mold? We know how to fix the boat, but don't want to over work the mold......

Thanks in advance.

Sam