There are many methods and materials that can be used for making a fiberglass composite mold.
I found a video from Eastbay Composites that demonstrates a method for making small molds in a very quick an inexpensive fashion.
As you see from watching this, the basic construction materials are tooling gelcoat and inexpensive bondo for the support structure.
This mold construction technique certainly has drawbacks, but also has several advantages. None of the materials required spray equipment, which is messy. Brushes are inexpensive and easily disposed. A disadvantage of this method is that surface finish might suffer from a lack of consistency on the coating thicknesses for the gelcoat and the release agents.
Using bondo as the support structure is quick and easy compared to glass and resin, but can cause problems as well. It is more likely to crack, and can warpage issues as it cures and may be hotter in some areas than others. Bondo may have some difficulty maintaining dimensional tolerance as it shrinks during cure. Industrial resins used to create molds have minimal shrinkage in their chemistry and are placed on slower to minimize heat from the chemical reaction.
For quick, inexpensive and easy parts, this method from Eastbay Composites may work well for you. What has not been discussed yet is that the mold model can be the most difficult part. Off the shelf items are easy, but custom ones may be difficult. Creating a shape or surface is time consuming and tenuous. After that is complete, you can make your mold and final production parts!
Cutting and machining of cured composites parts can be challenging. Cured composites can wear cutting blades out very quickly. They are also very dusty when cut without using some sort of cutting fluid.
Many of these problems can be eliminated with the proper equipment. I found a very interesting video of a fiberglass-reinforced epoxy resin block being cut using a water-cooled ring saw. This saw is called the Revolution XT and it uses some neat technology to get a relatively quick and clean cut without making dust. It looks like it would also allow some good freehand movement to cut curves and angles in composites parts.
Fiberglass swimming pools have several advantages as compared to other types, such as concrete in-ground pools, vinyl-lined pools, and above-ground pools.
-They can be built off-site in a controlled environment.
-They are lightweight for transport and lifting into place.
-They have a durable and usually have a one-piece design.
-The material allows for design freedoms that are more difficult with other materials.
The many advantages of fiberglass swimming pools in residential use are numerous. They do have disadvantages as well, just like other materials. The outdoor environment can be very tough on any fiberglass structure. Proper cleaning and maintenance is very important to keep an appropriate appearance together.
Fiberglass pools can be easily delivered on-site with medium-duty shipping equipment and lifted in place with a crane. I found a great Youtube video demonstrating a lift over a large two-story house. The pool easily goes into place, ready for surrounding landscaping.
Many people have fiberglass items that require cleaning as part of regular appearance maintenance. Figuring out what materials and cleaning agents to use can be difficult.
When people inquire with me, I point them in two different directions.
One direction is to consider household cleaners, especially those for bathrooms. Fiberglass bathtubs are exposed to many chemicals and dirty water, etc. They are prone to staining due to the nature of their application and exposures. Many fine products have been developed to enable homeowners to clean and maintain their bathtubs in a reliable fashion. These products are easily found in grocery stores.
Another direction that can identify good methods to improve the finish of fiberglass gelcoated structures is the materials and methods of the Autobody industry. Automotive paint shares many properties similar to gelcoat. Dirt, grime, and scratches can be removed from gelcoat in many of the same ways as painted surfaces. The same sandpapers, sanding tools, buffing compounds, and buffers can be used to improve gelcoated surfaces.
Working with surface coatings such as paint and gelcoat can produce rewarding results. One caution when sanding, polishing, and buffing these surfaces is to maintain caution regarding excessive removal of these coatings. Sanding and buffing removes microscopic layers of material.
Exposing layers below the outermost ones can produce disastrous results which may require major expense in repair. New layers of paint or gelcoat will need to be applied to restore the integrity and appearance of the original coating.
Expensive specialty cleaners for boats and RVs might seem necessary, but I am betting that less expensive alternatives from the bathroom and body shop will do just as good of a job.
Roush Racing takes us viewers on a tour through their composites shop in a short clip from Roush TV.
Using mostly carbon fiber and kevlar reinforcements, Roush Racing fabricates many different components for the racing industry using epoxy resin systems. Ranging from the front noses for the NASCAR Car of Tomorrow car to drag racecar bodies and small ductwork, Roush Racing’s composites shop does all sorts of fabrication.
The race shop includes two different fabrication processes. Wet layup vacuum bagging is used for some parts, while others are made using prepreg material that goes into an autoclave.
The video tour is well done, and includes everything from the Eastman material cutter to the fabrication process, bagging process, and trim. We also get to see some of the finished parts after they are demolded and trimmed.
These parts are very expensive to manufacture, due to the high cost of materials and labor. Tooling and equipment costs for this type of process are somewhat reasonable, with the exception of the autoclave and the automated cutting table. Composites fabrication of this caliber is labor intensive, but can produce very unique parts that are lightweight and strong.
People are coming up with a lot of great products made of carbon fiber composites. The nature of these products makes the use of composites a requirement.
I found an interesting video of a very specialized carbon fiber bike. Called the Yike Bike, it is basically an electric scooter that allows for urban transportation. The bike folds into a small and portable unit that can be easily carried and stored.
The use of carbon fiber is necessary due to the requirements of light weight and high strength. It is necessary for this scooter to support and transport people of various size and weight. The bike also must be lightweight so that it can be easily carried aboard trains and into office and apartment buildings.
This unit is definitely a feat of engineering, and is available to the public in the Summer of 2010. It is pricey, but fills a unique role for those that require urban transportation.
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