Trying to mold my doors...:((((

Talk Composites - The Forum for Advanced Composites

Back

Trying to mold my doors...:((((

Author	Message
BlackNDecker	BlackNDecker posted 11 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 92, Visits: 251	I was using acetone initially but it seemed to take the surface off the gel coat...so I used a rag and soap.
	Reply Like 2
Hanaldo	Hanaldo posted 11 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 2.5K, Visits: 28K	Scrape most of it off with a popstick or similar, then give it a quick wipe with MEK (NOT MEKP) or acetone.
	Reply Like 3
BlackNDecker	BlackNDecker posted 11 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 92, Visits: 251	Great news!!!!! Now does anybody have any pointers for getting the wax out?
	Reply Like 3
Alibro	Alibro posted 11 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 44, Visits: 384	BlackNDecker (02/05/2014) ajb100 (02/05/2014) What % MEKP did you use? I used 1.5% MEKP in 1 gallon of gel coat...so going by the spec sheet (1% = 1 oz MEKP per 1 gallon gel coat), I used 1.5 oz of MEKP since it was a pretty chilly day. The spec sheet says you can add up to 2.0% or more depending on the temp. Hi B&D I am a complete amateur like yourself but I'm not sure about your maths here. I just checked and there are 160oz in an imperial gallon and 133oz in a US gallon. Which was it you were working with US or Imperial gallons? Either way you were not as catalysed as you thought. If I were you I would stick with grams and kg as the maths is much easier.
	Reply Like 3
ajb100	ajb100 posted 11 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 346, Visits: 4.4K	Due to the shape and size of the door, it might be worth adding two wide bits of wood into the laminate so that when you come to make it, you can rest it down and stop it from rocking. It will also make them much more rigid. Just for future reference, unless you're making it a van, you don't need to mould the window opening, you can leave it open to save quite a bit of time and money/materials when you add up all 4 doors Are you going to add any anti intrusion to the doors?
	Reply Like 2
BlackNDecker	BlackNDecker posted 11 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 92, Visits: 251	Laid down the woven roving...got it as thick as 3 layers around the door sills. I am now out of supplies and out of energy. Hopefully everything turns out well.
	Reply Like 3
Hanaldo	Hanaldo posted 11 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 2.5K, Visits: 28K	Looking good mate. I use woven rovings on my moulds too. Very solid stuff. Bit hard to work with on small moulds, but you'll be right on a mould that size. Fingers crossed you don't get release issues now! Haha.
	Reply Like 2
BlackNDecker	BlackNDecker posted 11 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 92, Visits: 251	Thanks fellas! Your input is GREATLY appreciated. So I'm progressing right along...coupling coat and 3/4 oz mat: And used a roller to press it in the corners. Next up is a couple layers of 1.5 oz mat and polyester resin. For the final layer of laminate I'm planning to use this: http://www.fibreglast.com/product/Woven_Roving_223/Fiberglass_Mat
	Reply Like 3
Hanaldo	Hanaldo posted 11 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 2.5K, Visits: 28K	I wouldn't worry about orange peel anyway, you can flat that out with 1200 after.
	Reply Like 3
The Fibreglass King	The Fibreglass King posted 11 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 69, Visits: 652	Hi blackNdecker, It does make quite a bit of difference to the gel coat if it's not applied at the optimum temperature. It will most definitely need more gel to cover an area thus be harder to even out because it's thick and you have to much gel on the surface. Your gel was probably be colder than the ambient temperature aswell! As for seeing Orange peel under a second coat it would almost impossible to tell if you have a really thick layer of gel! But saying all of that your gel coat looks a lot tidier 😁 Kind Regards The Fibreglass King
	Reply Like 2