DIY Mast Construction

[downunder]

Hey Bille,

looks like you've got experience with molding, what are you using as a release? Not happy with vax and PVA.

[kostantin]

Hey Bille,

looks like you've got experience with molding, what are you using as a release? Not happy with vax and PVA.

Mirror Glaze #8 M8 Maximum Mold Release Wax. It should be easier for you to get it then it was for me.

You should have no fish eyes. Read the man docs carefully.

tks

Kosta

[Bille]

Hey Bille,

looks like you've got experience with molding, what are you using as a release? Not happy with vax and PVA.

Mirror Glaze #8 M8 Maximum Mold Release Wax. It should be easier for you to get it then it was for me.

You should have no fish eyes. Read the man docs carefully.

tks

Kosta

YES ; that is a Good one !!
BUT
And there is usually a, "however" involved :

When i make a mold ; i Always use an Epoxy surface-coat , (Never polyester).
The reason why is because , epoxy has a molecular weight chain, that is denser
than polyester. In other words , the molecules are closer together in the epoxy.

If you place epoxy , into a polyester mold ; you Must use wax , and a barrier like PVA.
If you place epoxy, into an Epoxy mold that has similar or higher Shore Hardness
then Ya only need wax to ensure separation of your part , from the mold.
That is , ((IF)) your mold is Completely cured !!!!! Don't forget that part .

Generally speaking ; i always post cure my mold at t temperature of 50 deg-F Higher
than the curing temp of the epoxy used in the part.


E-mail these guys below , to talk to an expert , for your application ; but before
you do that :
go to
http://www.ptm-w.com/

ck on Epoxy tooling materials , (in yellow box)
Then ck on , (Technical Library) on the Top Right.
Then ck on, (surface Coats)
And Read the entire page, before you talk to an expert.

On another note; if your looking for a really shinny part , you can
wax your epoxy mold, then spray a polyester clear-coat in the
mold, (but tape-off) all the secondary bonding spots in the
mold first, to ensure a good glue joint on the two epoxy 1/2's. The polyester
clear-coat will not stick for squat to your waxed epoxy surface coat of the
mold; but your epoxy lay-up of the part your making, will stick quite nicely to your
polyester clear-coat that's in the mold. Ya can NOT spray polyester , to a cured epoxy
part ; it will separate in a year or less , in the sun.


Bille

[downunder]

Thanks Bille!

Very valued reply.

D.

[downunder]

Heh,

Just arrived. Manta. New production but slightly dented hence US$55. Can't be better than that.

I can use it as a mold or ride it. Hm, decisions, decisions..

What do you think guys? Oh, btw, it is heavy, way heavier than I would hope for alu.

[tkettlepoint]

DU I use Safelease 30 it is a water base mould release product... I have had great luck with it.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Safelease-30-Mo ... sRvpe6PCZQ

goes on easy and not hard to clean up.. The first time I used it I release the press and the mould "POPed" and I was what was that? looked and the mould poped and the piece was sitting in it loose.

Terrie
www.jellyfishboards.com

[Bille]

DU I use Safelease 30 it is a water base mould release product... I have had great luck with it.

...

Terrie
www.jellyfishboards.com

With the bit of research i found ; i think i wanna try this one !!

I found this post by a guy who uses Terrie's find , and also uses PVA ; he
makes a Great comparison between the two :

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost ... ostcount=7

the Thread in it's entirety :

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2216453

Bille

[revhed]

I can use it as a mold or ride it. Hm, decisions, decisions..

What do you think guys? Oh, btw, it is heavy, way heavier than I would hope for alu.

It weighs 1.8 k
Mold it, lay up a carbon, and ride it in the mean time using an alu fuse and board plate mechanically attached with as long as possible M8s.
Then you can compare your carbon to alu struts.
R H

[cleepa]

This is my attempt using fibreglass to test the process .
George

GBH Riv, I'd like to hear a bit about how you laid that up.

GBH Riv, I would also love to hear some details of how you achieved that layup, please!

[GBH Riv]

Sorry all for the slow response , After showing my boss at work what I have been able to do he is going to back me with not terminating my employment due to lack of work and allowing me to try and put a foil into production. The thing is I have to pay for my own materials and he will continue to pay my wages and I can use the equipment and scrap materials we have in the workshop. I am a toolmaker with next to no experience in composites other than repairing dings on surf boards , I have never been a big fan of working with composts because I am hopeless at it but with the small success I have had this is changing and I am finding it an amazing material to work with . If it dose not come together I will fill you all in how I was able to do it . I have been thinking on how to archive ribs in the strut for about 3 years and trying to put in practice for 6 weeks now, there is a long way to go.