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Rafael Piccoli
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Group: Forum Members
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Glad to be here!
I have started working with composites just recently and looking to add it to my Industrial Design Portfolio.
I have one question to start off with. What is the best material to use as a plug to laminate a simple carbon fibre plate through vacuum infusion? I have tried acrylic and aluminum. However, it never comes out with a clear and clean look.
I would appreciate any suggestions.
Thank you
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MarkMK
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Group: Forum Members
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Hi Raf
If it's a flat carbon sheet that you'd like to produce, then a glass sheet would likely offer the best solution to getting a glossy cosmetic finish. Depending upon the size required, a mirror might be the easiest short-term option
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Warren (Staff)
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Just be careful about your choice of release agent on Glass. We would recommend a good quality modern chemical release agent such as our EasyLease or similar.
Problem being, mould release wax is hard to build a layer up on glass, you tend to remove it as you buff off the wax thus meaning the epoxy will stick to the glass ruining your project. Modern chemical release agents are much better at building up a release coating layer.
Welcome to the forum!
Warren Penalver
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant
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Rafael Piccoli
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Group: Forum Members
Posts: 19,
Visits: 84
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Thank you for the help, I appreciate it! I have been using 'Partall' PVA, but I am afraid it will ruin the gloss look once applied and laminated. Do you suggest that would be the case? Thanks in advance!
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Hanaldo
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PVA will definitely ruin the glass finish. It creates its own surface, so you will get virtually the same finish off any flat surface whether it's aluminium or glass or plastic, etc. In fact it would probably be even worse on glass due to the slick nature of the surface, the PVA will tend to bead up and streak and not sit flat.
The key to a really exceptional finish without clear coating is a chemical release agent, as Warren mentioned.
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Rafael Piccoli
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Group: Forum Members
Posts: 19,
Visits: 84
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Great, thank you! What is the best use for the PVA that I have? I am also planning on making a mold out of a plug made up of Industrial Design clay. What is the best recommended finish for the clay? Would a Chemical Release Agent as you mentioned be enough, or would it be best to spray Duratec Primer on it, or perhaps a different approach? Thank you once again, it has been of fantastic help!
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Lester Populaire
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Group: Forum Members
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+xGreat, thank you! What is the best use for the PVA that I have? I am also planning on making a mold out of a plug made up of Industrial Design clay. What is the best recommended finish for the clay? Would a Chemical Release Agent as you mentioned be enough, or would it be best to spray Duratec Primer on it, or perhaps a different approach? Thank you once again, it has been of fantastic help! Only use PVA when you have a plug with a questionable surface, like a 1k paint or the like where you need to create a barrier.
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Rafael Piccoli
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Group: Forum Members
Posts: 19,
Visits: 84
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Thank you, I appreciate it! One more question in the time being. What is a breather cloth used for? Does it just replace the infusion mesh, or is it supposed to be placed on top of it? Also, if any suggestions are known, what is the best way to finish (or if there is any required) to a Clay Plug? So as a result I get a nice mold finish. Thank you.
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Lester Populaire
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Group: Forum Members
Posts: 311,
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+xThank you, I appreciate it! One more question in the time being. What is a breather cloth used for? Does it just replace the infusion mesh, or is it supposed to be placed on top of it? Also, if any suggestions are known, what is the best way to finish (or if there is any required) to a Clay Plug? So as a result I get a nice mold finish. Thank you. Breather is used on prepreg parts to get a good airflow in the vacuum bag and therefore even vacuum levels across the part. When used on a wet layup the same fleece is referred to as bleeder. There too it will provide good air flow and on top of that it will absorb excess resin from the laminate. Inbetween the breather/bleeder a perforated or unperforated release film is used so it can be removed after curing. You do not want to use breather in an infusion.
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MarkMK
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Group: Forum Members
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In terms of the clay, I'm not certain how tough or durable it is, but if it's anything like the consistency of most car body fillers/bondo, then it might be necessary to give it a fairly light covering of grp to provide some strength to resist the stresses of de-moulding, even if you did apply a good painted coating. Otherwise it might be prone to breaking up when you come to prise it from the mould, with sections sticking to the mould surface.
Sometimes cleaning such things up afterwards can work okay if the stuck sections will come away with careful use of razor blades and scrapers but depending upon your coating choice you could end up with bits that'll pull away bits of the mould coating as well
Of course, reinforcing your plug with GRP will alter the dimensions slightly and require a fair bit of finishing work, but the initial de-moulding process can sometimes be quite destructive on plugs that aren't strong and resistant to a bit of bending as you try to get underneath them. If it's a fairly simple shape, it might not pose too great a problem, but if you've got deep returns and angles to contend with, things might not pop-out so readily
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