Mould with minimal damage to original part/plug

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Mould with minimal damage to original part/plug

Mould with minimal damage to original part/plug

Author	Message
cpalada	cpalada posted 10 Years Ago HOT Topic Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 7, Visits: 162	Hi all, I want to make a mould of an original car part that would be expensive to replace if I damaged it. Is there any way around this? I've tried using 3m 1080 vinyl wrap in the past on cheaper parts from the same car but that didn't protect the original part at all. What methods has everyone used to minimise damage to the original part they're making moulds of?
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Hanaldo	Hanaldo posted 10 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 2.5K, Visits: 28K	A well thought out mould design and proper release system. None of my plugs ever get damaged because I spend the time making sure the mould design will release and the release system is 110%.
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cpalada	cpalada posted 10 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 7, Visits: 162	Release isn't an issue though. It's more the tooling gelcoat ruining the clear coat/paint on the original part that i'm having issues with? I'm using a chemical release agent, would the old wax/PVA combo be more suitable?
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Hanaldo	Hanaldo posted 10 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 2.5K, Visits: 28K	Yeh, I would include that as a release issue. When using semi-perm release systems, you need to make sure that your paint is compatible with your gelcoat, which a lot aren't. For that reason, unless I have sprayed a plug with the surfacing system that I know is compatible with my gelcoat, I only use PVA on plugs. Forget the wax, just spray 4-5 coats of PVA onto the plug and you won't have compatability or release issues.
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cpalada	cpalada posted 10 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 7, Visits: 162	Cool i'll start going that route from now one. Thanks for your help Hanaldo
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Dravis	Dravis posted 10 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 592, Visits: 1.9K	I have never had any problems with the original paint on painted plastic bike parts or car parts, when using careful waxing and epoxy gelcoat.. maybe I will get problems showing up when I start using the Unimould system. Best try on an old part first .. "Sapere Aude"... Dare to KNOW! The written word is the only truly efficient vehicle for transmitting a complex concept from mind to mind... 103% of all people do not understand statistics... Do not adjust our mind, theres a fault in reality :-)
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cpalada	cpalada posted 10 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 7, Visits: 162	I haven't been using the unimould system - not available in Aus. But i have been using unwaxed vinylester tooling gelcoat - Do you think its worthy making the switch to an epoxy gelcoat?
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Hanaldo	Hanaldo posted 10 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 2.5K, Visits: 28K	Well there's no styrene in epoxy, so it doesn't attack the paint. Problem with epoxy tools is they aren't UV stable, and they don't polish to the same high level of gloss that the ester-based tooling systems can. They also are unlikely to take as much heat as a vinyl tool. Edited 10 Years Ago by Hanaldo
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*VVS*	*VVS* posted 10 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Moderators Posts: 226, Visits: 334	Dravis (08/04/2015) I have never had any problems with the original paint on painted plastic bike parts or car parts, when using careful waxing and epoxy gelcoat.. maybe I will get problems showing up when I start using the Unimould system. Best try on an old part first .. One things for sure the uni system hates rattle can paint, i know i spent 2 hours scraping the paint off the mould! D'oh!
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Hanaldo	Hanaldo posted 10 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 2.5K, Visits: 28K	Yeh that's a given! Single pack paints are a no no, I don't even risk 2k automotive paints any more. Duratec or PVA.
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