First plug. 4th attempt. Need mold help please.
 

Here is the last plug.


http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g...Picture137.jpg


http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g...Picture138.jpg


http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g...Picture140.jpg


Went to pop the mold and disaster struck.
Anybody got a spare gator tag? I might have a state record here.


http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g...ure142-1-1.jpg


http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g...Picture143.jpg


Now, I must enter the confessional.

The first coat of gelcoat went on fine. I may not have let it cure enough before the second coat. A local boat builder recommended going with a hotter mix for the second coat. May have been a problem. Gatored pretty fast on the second coat.

Charlie, at glue products has been very helpful,
but he has some different ideas about products and procedures.

I used flexible "bumper" hi build primer and clear coat on the plug. I used silicone spray release per their manufacturers recommendations with one coat. Charlie thought that strange. One coat? yeah, only one.

So it`s all back down to plastic parts again. I`ll take nuts and bolts pics and post the beginning.

Cheers,
GFS

Re: First plug. 4th attempt. Need mold help please.
 

11 cc's of MEK per quart is the norm Sandy...
If you want to make it a little hotter
this time of year would not be outa' line.
Bump to about 13 cc's per quart.
Get your self a graduated beaker tube for exact
measurement in stead of counting drops....
I feel your pain... :D

See ya, bang bang, Ken ;)

Re: First plug. 4th attempt. Need mold help please.
 

Wow, Sandy. Is that silicone mold release specifically for use with polyester gelcoats? Seems like it might be reacting with the gelcoat. With a plastic plug that smooth, you should be able to use Partall paste wax without having to spray PVA over it. Two or three coats buffed out should do it. Another possibility is that the gelcoat may be too thick. With the orange tooling gelcoat, all you should have to do is put it on thick enough so you don't see any holidays where the plug shows through. Once it gels, lay up two or three layers of 1.5 oz. mat and you've got a mold.

Just some thoughts, I'm still a new at this.

Dave

Re: First plug. 4th attempt. Need mold help please.
 

Your going to get a zillion different answers. First coat of gel may have been too thin and/or not enough time to cure before the second coat. I like to apply one good coat of gel because I've had the same thing happen to me after applying the second coat. Then I wait 24-48 hours before applying the skin coat depending on the outside temperature. Look on the bright side at least it did not stick to the plug and totally ruin it. I agree with Dave that you should be able to just wax that thing and the part should pop right off. Nice looking plug....what is it?

strick

Re: First plug. 4th attempt. Need mold help please.
 

Strick, I,m going to go out on a limb and say it
is a Bidet seat for Janet... :eek: :D
Of course I could be wrong and Sandy will set
me straight (good luck)... [img]/forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

See ya, ken

Re: First plug. 4th attempt. Need mold help please.
 

I gonna guess it a groin saver for pulling da big groupa and jax off the bottom... :D

Re: First plug. 4th attempt. Need mold help please.
 

Only the man with muy grande cajones needs this, however... :D

Re: First plug. 4th attempt. Need mold help please.
 

Bones,
I`m not medically qualified to help your sickness.

Dave,
The spray is designed for use w/ poly. Fell off the granite , but stuck to the plug.

Doc,
The 1st coat was thick. Should I let it cure all the way b4 second? Charlie said not all the way, but it did stick like a bear. So much fairing to get it sweet. Heartbreaking.

Gillie,
It`s called the Awesome Equalizer.
"don`t get spooled again"

It will be mounted on the vertical panel on front of the console seat. Turns the seat into a fighting chair to chase fish down/ pump em up.

Father,
There is a BIG Goliath over by the old Lake Park pumps we have been trying to turn. Divers think 200# plus. I do love my bottom fishing.
Cheers,
GFS

Re: First plug. 4th attempt. Need mold help please.
 

mr go fast

u mak it to hard. git one of these. only $20 save all dat work :eek:

sam

fish-N-chum leg rod holder

Re: First plug. 4th attempt. Need mold help please.
 

Nice drink holder! :D Gel must be catalyzed at least 10cc per qt. and fully cured before you skin it or apply a second coat..

Re: First plug. 4th attempt. Need mold help please.
 

It`s a sushi delivery system for Buster.

Thanks Don! Have you used the spray silicone? I`m going to experiment on gel test spots with more coats now.

Cheers,
GFS

Re: First plug. 4th attempt. Need mold help please.
 

Never used spray silicone. Honey wax is good and I use a liquid semi permanent wax system on my molds. Doing tests is a good idea.

Re: First plug. 4th attempt. Need mold help please.
 

Hummm......that's a rather interesting concept GFS. :D

Re: First plug. 4th attempt. Need mold help please.
 

Friday morning quarterback.

Not knowing how to swim didn`t stop me from jumping in the deep end of the pool as a young child.

I got my advice from a greatly respected builder and Charlie, who is the man at Glue Products these many years.

Anybody know a good divorce atty. Shoulda` gotten married on SeaCraft Island......%#&*%$.

&%^$#,
GFS

Re: First plug. 4th attempt. Need mold help please.
 

Skip the silicone! Clean it all off and start over with a mold release wax or PVA, but not both. Why 2 coats of tooling gel? One should be enough, you should have 24 mils, cured - that's about the thickness of 2 business cards. But if you have to have 2 coats, wait 5 hours between coats. And be absolutely certain you're using unwaxed gel coat. You shouldn't be having so much trouble.

Re: First plug. 4th attempt. Need mold help please.
 

So true.
Thanks Dan. I had to break the mold all the way down.
I used unwaxed gel coat. Here`s where I am now...again.


http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/g...an/Picture.jpg


I put the pieces together with 2 part epoxy after scuffing w 60 grit and wiping w acetone. I then faired with patching plaster, not joint compound which has a lot of vinyl in it.

I then painted it with the primer and clear. Wet sanded and buffed w/ perfect it. Clean w/ alcohol, washed w/ soap, then the silicone, gel, and the dreaded second coat of gel. There were areas on the granite which had only one coat of gel and it fell right off. Not so much on the rest. I brushed the gel on and it`s a challenge to get even thickness with no low spots. The boat builder said go w/ 2 and make the second coat hot. I think it would have been fine, IF I had let it gas out properly on the first coat.

I want to get back after it ,but now it`s too cool.

Still %#$@&,
GFS


Sam,
Need more cheerful pics please.

I know the plaster and paint sounds weird, but it worked well.

Re: First plug. 4th attempt. Need mold help please.
 

With the depressions in your part and the high shrinkage of curing polyesters, I think the silicone is too slippery. Even if the first coat of gel is cured enough, the second coat may pull the first coat up when it shrinks (alligatorring). And your part will likely pre-release, leaving voids. Do yourself a big favor and use a normal mold release wax. Any possibility of spraying the gel coat? When you brush gel over some release agents, they can "drag" the release agent into the gel coat, causing trouble later.

Re: First plug. 4th attempt. Need mold help please.
 

I wondered about pulling with a brush. After your first post, I was going with wax, but I appreciate the extra push. My forehead is flat enough right now. Would you like to shoot it on a Friday so I can watch. Your work on the 21 was restaurant quality!

Thanks all!
GFS
655-5080

Re: First plug. 4th attempt. Need mold help please.
 

I recall freezing water at Ft. Desoto did not detour you..
:D :) ;)

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y27...4/100_2996.jpg

Lookin' good Sandy.

See ya, Ken

Re: First plug. 4th attempt. Need mold help please.
 

I recently got a floating prop wrench.

I may have to bring more termites up north to finish off the 27 for good.

On my first skiing trip , family friends loaned my a pair of the black Head standard skis because they " couldn`t be broken". Hmph, childs play I tell ya, childs play.

Proud member of the over 150 stitches club,
GFS