Talk Composites - The Forum for Advanced Composites

Split mould with hand layup, is it possible?

http://www.talkcomposites.com/Topic25136.aspx

By atlantis - 2/5/2018 11:15:12 PM

Good evening

I was wondering if it is possible to make a part that needs a split mould without the use of a curing oven. The latter is pretty much keeping me from trying prepregs as I can't use my domestic oven because I can't get a vacuum line in there and buying one isn't in the budget. Getting an old domestic oven just for this purpose where I can make a hole would be possible but I also don't really have the space for setting up a second oven...

My idea was to use a very slow curing hardener, i.e 210 or 300 minutes, and then hand lay up the carbon and epoxy inside the two parts before closing them and then add the vacuum bag and just wait until it's cured. I think the curing time would be plenty long enough but the big question is will the hand layup stick well enough to the mould so that it doesn't come loose in the process or how can it be made to stick well enough? Has anyone done this and can share some experiences?

Kind regards
Martin
By oekmont - 2/9/2018 5:39:15 PM

even easier would be to make a mold of the body without the top, and then make a matched mold of the top section, only 1cm around the edge. in this easy accessible 2 piece mold you can lay produce a half guitar body with a little 1cm inward flange. the top piece, wich is the critical surface for the look, can be a easy flat sheet from a glass plate. first bond it to the lower body, then carefully trim/sand it flush to the body. if you can do a hand laminate in a 1 piece mold, this method will be certainly within your abilities.