Good afternoon

I've read all the topics in this forum but I'm still confused so I kindly ask an help.

I’m experimenting the production of a compression mould by using my 3D printer.
The part I want to manufacture is made by Carbon fiber and has 1.2mm thickness. I want to cure it at room temperature at the beginning and if everything is OK I will cure in a oven at 60°C in the future.

Here a picture of my 3D printed mould (made by ABS but I can choose different material  such as PLA, Polycarbonate, ASA and so on).
I have removed all the 3D printing layers and defects by using sand paper; here is how it looks like at the end of the sanding process:


I have applied 7 layers of releasant wax and polysh the mouls after the last one by using a clean cloth.
I have prepared a sandwich of carbon fiber and resin and put inside the compression mold and squeeze it by using 300Kg of weight; I cure it at room temperature.

Here the picture if my first carbon fiber trial part.
Please note that the right side has been painted because the CF part just out of the mould has a matte finish which I don't like at all (I want a gloss finish without any additional painting or polish treatment). I can see major defects which I think are due to a lack of material (my sandwich was too thin) and I'm not worry about it.



How can I get a gloss finish on my carbon fiber part just out of the mould ?
Is it true that the only way to get a gloss carbon fiber part is to have a gloss mould surface? If the answer is yes, can you explain me the reason ?

If I need to treat my 3D mould (ABS material) so it became gloss, which process and materials do I have to purchase?
I’ve read about filler and other stuff but I’m a little bit lost because normally a 3D printed mould is not commonly used.

Can I use S120 directly on the ABS (or PLA, Polycaronate, ect) mould or do I have to apply a primer first?
Or do I have to apply to the mould an epoxy resin first?
I'm a little bit lost and confused because all the info I found are not referred to compression mold and do not require a gloss finish carbon fiber part as I would like.

Thanks in advance for your help.

The glossy image of primer is just after it has been sprayed while the primer is still wet. This gloss backs off and it dries to a satin finish, not unlike what you already have. You can get good pattern coatings where you can prime it and then apply a gloss coating, or mix the two together to get an in between result. This is an option for you, but wont work with ABS - ABS is quite a vulnerable plastic, and also difficult to bond to. It's also this reason that makes me doubt S120 would work.

Yes, you would need to polish the fibreglass mould, but fiberglass moulds generally take polishing very well if you use the right materials.

Dont get me wrong, I have great respect for additive manufacturing. But for me it is still more of a prototyping solution, I'm yet to be convinced that it is great for direct printing of tooling, at least not in the traditional sense anyway. 3D printing mandrels and dissolvable cores, fine; there isnt currently a much better solution for that. But for the part you are making, in the way that you are making it - 3D printing the mould isnt the way to go about it for me.