+x

 

andrewt1971 - 3/5/2020 9:00:02 AM

+x

 

mporta71 - 3/4/2020 4:58:33 PM

Hi, I would like to make angles similar to the pre-preg ones on sale on the EC website, but in epoxy + fiberglass.
Thickness has to  be 5mm.
What is the best way to build the mould?

I would just buy a piece of aluminium angle that was large and rigid enough, polish it up and use that as the mould.

+x

 

Chris Rogers - 3/5/2020 9:48:19 PM

Best to do it all at once.  You might have better luck infusing across the angle instead of along the length.  You'll have to make sure the back is raw aluminum maybe covered with packing tape so its smooth and resin doesn't just end-around the laminate.  Putting your vacuum line in a piece of peel ply flopping 100mm or so off the edge of one angle will give you a good resin break and make sure it all fills.  

If you go the long way you may end up with filling issues and voids in the corner.  It also might totally work! fine!

With epoxy and a thick glass 400g+ biaxial you could do it wet and bag it.  Or make up a fancy top and bottom mold (two aluminum angles with a correct radius routed on the outside corner of one piece) and squish mold it in a vacuum bag.  Two nice sides that way.  

+x

 

MarkMK - 3/6/2020 8:12:09 AM

Just to add...you'll probably get a better 'ready-made' mould tool using polished stainless steel angle. Most aluminium doesn't have that polished finish and can often have small scratches that will transfer to your part

+x

 

Warren (Staff) - 3/9/2020 4:20:01 PM

You could do it with an inner mould as well as a compression mould.  Clamp the moulds together with some wood as a load spreader and wind up the load.  That way when it's cured you will get a gloss finish on both sides of the angle.