Fiberglass

[bigboybanshee]

I'm looking for suggestions and ideas to make a mold. I'm thinking of trying to make my own set of front fenders and am not sure what to put down first so I can easily remove the fiberglass "shell" after the resin has hardened. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

 

[dawarriorman]

Little bit of glass work Ive done we just used carpet (speaker box carpet). It had to be sanded smooth anyways, as your fenders would, so whatever pieces of carpet it picked got sanded away.

Edited February 8, 2007 by dawarriorman

[kaotik1]

Masking tape, and carnuba wax. You should be able to pull off the over lay from that pretty easy.

[FireHead]

I'm looking for suggestions and ideas to make a mold. I'm thinking of trying to make my own set of front fenders and am not sure what to put down first so I can easily remove the fiberglass "shell" after the resin has hardened. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

 

 

I think you are asking about what to use as a release agent on the mold.....................

 

First you need to wax the mold with a 100% Carnuba past wax. Composite supply companies sell this, but if you go to the auto parts stores and read the cans, you can find the same thing. You will then need to paint the mold with a release agent, PVA is what is commonly used. You should be able to get that from a composite supply company or possibly a boat shop. Fiberlay is my favorite online composites store. You can either brush or spray it on. Spraying it will leave you with a better finish. You probably need about 5 coats of that down if you are not using a seasoned mold.

 

If you are just trying to use a set of plastic fenders as the mold, yo are going to want try and reinforce the backside of the mold and stiffen it. Otherwise you will either never get the part off the mold, have to cut the part off, the mold, or get really pissed off because it took a long time to get the part off the mold.

 

I would also reccomend making a mold off of the fenders as opposed to using them for a mold. This is alot more work, but it will give you a better finished product. At the very least you ought to make a practice part that is maybe only 1 layer of veil thick (commonly know as a splash) so that you get an idea if your process is good and if everything is going to be kosher inorder to avoid wasting alot of time and material. :thumbsup:

[bigboybanshee]

I think you are asking about what to use as a release agent on the mold.....................

 

First you need to wax the mold with a 100% Carnuba past wax. Composite supply companies sell this, but if you go to the auto parts stores and read the cans, you can find the same thing. You will then need to paint the mold with a release agent, PVA is what is commonly used. You should be able to get that from a composite supply company or possibly a boat shop. Fiberlay is my favorite online composites store. You can either brush or spray it on. Spraying it will leave you with a better finish. You probably need about 5 coats of that down if you are not using a seasoned mold.

 

If you are just trying to use a set of plastic fenders as the mold, yo are going to want try and reinforce the backside of the mold and stiffen it. Otherwise you will either never get the part off the mold, have to cut the part off, the mold, or get really pissed off because it took a long time to get the part off the mold.

 

I would also reccomend making a mold off of the fenders as opposed to using them for a mold. This is alot more work, but it will give you a better finished product. At the very least you ought to make a practice part that is maybe only 1 layer of veil thick (commonly know as a splash) so that you get an idea if your process is good and if everything is going to be kosher inorder to avoid wasting alot of time and material. :thumbsup:

 

Thanks man, you nailed it, I worded it wrong on what I'm thinking of doing...I really appreciate everyone's input :beer:

 

I've been throwing this idea around for a while, I know I could just buy a set already done, but I wanted to do something a little different.

 

Thanks again

[fastrthnu]

Ive done alot of fender copies on cars and even a trunk floor and a hood using plaster lined with suran wrap on small parts, wax on larger parts. just drop it and the plaster breaks right off.

[FireHead]

Ive done alot of fender copies on cars and even a trunk floor and a hood using plaster lined with suran wrap on small parts, wax on larger parts. just drop it and the plaster breaks right off.

 

Depending on what's in the matrix he usses, be it Polyester, Vinylester, or epoxy, you can run into thinks the dissolve saran wrap. Besides that, saran wrap leaves a crappy finish and isn't a very professional way of doing things. The plaster is ok to make molds out of for a one time deal, but after all the finish work you have to do to the mold to make it it's always pretty hard to break it up. Besides that you still need to use a release agent in addition to wax inorder to assure you being able to get the part off. :thumbsup: