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Making molds?

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2GEffect6

10+ Year Contributor
180
0
Jul 21, 2011
Alliance, Ohio
I had an idea about making molds to use with fiberglass and or carbon fiber
But I wanted to see what you guys think to see if u think it would work. I was thinking about using wax to cover something woulbit work?
 
I had an idea about making molds to use with fiberglass and or carbon fiber
But I wanted to see what you guys think to see if u think it would work. I was thinking about using wax to cover something woulbit work?

In short, yes, it will work. You will have to reinforce it though. This is basically a sculpture technique in the "lost wax" form of bronze casting... you'll just be stopping at the wax negative. You'll need plaster to reinforce the wax and give it some rigidity. Also, don't expect to get more than a single use from it if you lay up on the wax itself. You can take it a couple steps further to make a more permanent mold by casting a positive plaster mold in the wax, coating it with a thin release agent, and then making another negative with urethane mold making resin. Or you can just use the plaster positive mold, depending on the shape of the intended final piece.

As a guideline though, exterior facing pieces need to be made in a negative mold in order to achieve symmetry to the original piece being replaced.
 
So it sounds like the wax would be hard to do soo what's the best method to make a mold then?
 
I had an idea about making molds to use with fiberglass and or carbon fiber
But I wanted to see what you guys think to see if u think it would work. I was thinking about using wax to cover something woulbit work?

You should have just watched the next video that was posted on your other thread

I'm thinking on this method and going for the kit. May seem quite expensive, but if you make just a couple of parts you should get your money back
How To Do Perfect Vacuum Resin Infusion of a Carbon Fibre (Fiber) Part - Basic Tutorial - YouTube


Making A Fibreglass Mould - YouTube
 
That is probly one of the most professional, and simple explanations in a video I've seen. That's excellent and shows the most professional way to do it. I have gotten away with much less professional molds though and had good results, it just took extra time sanding to get it looking right. That mold technique on the video shows how to make one that you won't have to do that additional finish work with. Very cool.
 
hadnt checked my other thread before this one LOL but thanks ill watch that video later but from the guy above me it sounds like its a pretty good video
 
Making a mold isn't difficult, and the Wax method works, just depends on what you want to mold.
I recently did a "one" off of the OEM 2gb bumper section between the headlights to fix a few flaws in a bodykit.

I waxed it with Meguiers "mold release" then coated it with resin, and cloth. let it cure for 48 hours,a nd popped it off.

Then I waxed the mold,and did a gelcoat, cloth, and resin part. easy peasy.
 
thank you agent orange for posting that video it is great. i thought of something though. I was going to make a mold of my side mirrors and then make carbon fiber ones, but the mirror has a the outside part like the shell and then on the inside where the actual mirror attaches to the adjustable part it has three parts that the adjustable assembly screws into and they would be very hard to make with the mold any ideas? if u guys dont know i mean ill post pics tomorrow.
 
If you have the money to buy it you can use modeling clay for your molds to but would also need some kind of release agent to keep it from sticking to your original part. On my first project I made "one off" roof scoops to go from the center of the roof around my sun roof and to the back.
 
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