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jennm
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hi guys, Im trying to make a mold of a metal watch case and bezel. What would be the best method to use for this? Im going to be using the mold to cast a carbon fiber case. Will the gel coat and molding putty work or is the watch case too small for this material. Any guidance is highly appreciated. I ve checked through the forum and cant really find anything on this particular question thanks!
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Matthieu Libeert
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I know they use the technique of "forged carbon" for that look for it in google... Its a prepreg unidirectional that you will need for that look you are looking for... Its not an easy way of producing parts that small... Mostly they use an aluminium mould and clamp it to get some pressure and then put it into an oven to cure. An other way is making a CF block and CNC-mill the shape...
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jennm
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Group: Forum Members
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matthieutje65 (08/01/2014)
I know they use the technique of "forged carbon" for that look for it in google... Its a prepreg unidirectional that you will need for that look you are looking for... Its not an easy way of producing parts that small... Mostly they use an aluminium mould and clamp it to get some pressure and then put it into an oven to cure. An other way is making a CF block and CNC-mill the shape... You are talking about making those in a home environment...sounds a bit unpossible to me if you dont have some equipement thanks for the response pal. I know this can be done at home, i ve seen it done on a forum where the guy didnt have much equipment just made molds and used material to give that cosmic look. matthieutje65 do you think if i took the prepreg unidirectional fiber mixed it with resin and made a workable paste from it and then used it to cast the case this would work?
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Matthieu Libeert
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I think it would be all about trial and error to get it right, but because it is a small object you are working on it can be done without losing a lot of material when something goes wrong  This is how I would do it: Take a normal unidirectional (thats the look you are looking for) chop it in some verry small pieces and add some epoxy resin to make a "bondo" from epoxyresin and CF but make it very thick. Press it into alle the edges of the mould, add some pressure (possitive mould pressing into the negative mould for example) let it cure and demould... You might have some airbubbles and so on in your first test, but you will have to do some trial and error like I said.
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jennm
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Group: Forum Members
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matthieutje65 (09/01/2014)
I think it would be all about trial and error to get it right, but because it is a small object you are working on it can be done without losing a lot of material when something goes wrong This is how I would do it: Take a normal unidirectional (thats the look you are looking for) chop it in some verry small pieces and add some epoxy resin to make a "bondo" from epoxyresin and CF but make it very thick. Press it into alle the edges of the mould, add some pressure (possitive mould pressing into the negative mould for example) let it cure and demould... You might have some airbubbles and so on in your first test, but you will have to do some trial and error like I said. Hope I made myself a bit understandable?  thats great man, thanks for the direction. my only concern is that my mold is a silicone, 2 part, with parting line. should i fill each mold separately and stick them together or should i make a mold using epoxy putty instead?
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Matthieu Libeert
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jennm
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matthieutje65 (10/01/2014)
Do you have any pictures of your mould?hey bud i dont have the pics of the mold as they are in a studio, but the video below is the exact way i made the mold |
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Matthieu Libeert
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I would rather go for that second option... You need a hard moulding surface so you can build up some presure on the CF...
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jennm
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Group: Forum Members
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matthieutje65 (11/01/2014)
I would rather go for that second option... You need a hard moulding surface so you can build up some presure on the CF... With a silicone mould it would just be "pushed into the silicone, probably causing some deformation on your CF part and maybe dont have enough pressure causing some pinholes and so on thanks again brother the only problem with the second method is that i have no idea how to make a 2 sided mold using that technique. in that video the guy only takes a mold of one side
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Matthieu Libeert
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Group: Forum Members
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jennm
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matthieutje65 (12/01/2014)
you just repeat the same step on the other side  just add some releaseagent on part and mould that will be covered again... but keep in mind you have to watch out for undercuts... if you have some undercut with silicone you can just bend it... when you work with gelcoat and so on it can be much harder thanks again man, i will give it a go
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