Hello all,
Busy setting up the molding boards, making sure that they were square and true. I drilled and screwed in numerous self tappers all over the boards to reinforce and hold them in place. Then once this was done I stated looking at the positioning of the Registration points. The small domed dowels that will register the mold halves correctly to each other. The next major task to do was to seal around the mold gap. I used the jigsaw to cut out both the hull and then vertical longitudinal hull separation using this tool. It ain't perfect and as a result I have to plug the gaps so to speak. The best way to do this is with Play-Doh. Push in, press down with a smooth tool and then screed along to create a flat smooth seal between the master and then splitter board. The smooth tool hopefully means that you don't get a ripple effects caused by the dough pulling up slightly. Don't do this in direct sunlight as the moisture in the clay or Play-Doh can evaporate and then you get cracks in the seal and that ain't good.
This here shows the forward part of the main hull and the Play-Doh substitute. Seal all the way around. One side only at the moment. As you can see one register point down on the front flange. The stern section has one register point, that will register the one piece rear silicon glove hard shell tool for the very stern . I also placed a tiny bit of Play-Doh inside the shaft hole. This should mold nicely.
Four register points along the length of the hull and one point at either end. After all the dough has sealed the gaps then I apply several layers of PVA release agent.
Release agent gives a nice shine.
Once the PVA release agent is down, I ended up putting three coats down , I could then think about the initial layer of the mold. I mixed up some Gel coat. I usually do a bright orange Gelcoat for the molds however this time I didnt have any so I found some red Maroon red ochre coloured pigment to throw in that gives it some colour. After this initial gelcoat layer I started laying down weave. About a year ago a friend of mine who is a shipwright gave me a massive roll of a light chopped strand matt called "225". This stuff is light enough that it will bend around and generally conform to the shape you want (with enough resin) yet thick enough that 203 layers would be sufficient.
I brush out the Gel coat quite wide to make the mold flanges quiet large.
I ended up laying down about 3-4 layers of the 225 weave. This gives a good thickness to the mold and combined with the curve of the hull, the end flanges and longitudinal flanges should make for a very rigid mold.It will still get and egg crate arrangement. The biggest challenge is getting the weave to wrap around the registration points and not stick up or out. If you work with enough resin and dab, dab, dab you will eventually beat the fibers into submission. I also have to press the 225 into the corners. I also used long strand that I have to reinforce the cornered areas.
Ready to pull the front flange boards off and do the bow next week.
David H
Busy setting up the molding boards, making sure that they were square and true. I drilled and screwed in numerous self tappers all over the boards to reinforce and hold them in place. Then once this was done I stated looking at the positioning of the Registration points. The small domed dowels that will register the mold halves correctly to each other. The next major task to do was to seal around the mold gap. I used the jigsaw to cut out both the hull and then vertical longitudinal hull separation using this tool. It ain't perfect and as a result I have to plug the gaps so to speak. The best way to do this is with Play-Doh. Push in, press down with a smooth tool and then screed along to create a flat smooth seal between the master and then splitter board. The smooth tool hopefully means that you don't get a ripple effects caused by the dough pulling up slightly. Don't do this in direct sunlight as the moisture in the clay or Play-Doh can evaporate and then you get cracks in the seal and that ain't good.
This here shows the forward part of the main hull and the Play-Doh substitute. Seal all the way around. One side only at the moment. As you can see one register point down on the front flange. The stern section has one register point, that will register the one piece rear silicon glove hard shell tool for the very stern . I also placed a tiny bit of Play-Doh inside the shaft hole. This should mold nicely.
Four register points along the length of the hull and one point at either end. After all the dough has sealed the gaps then I apply several layers of PVA release agent.
Release agent gives a nice shine.
Once the PVA release agent is down, I ended up putting three coats down , I could then think about the initial layer of the mold. I mixed up some Gel coat. I usually do a bright orange Gelcoat for the molds however this time I didnt have any so I found some red Maroon red ochre coloured pigment to throw in that gives it some colour. After this initial gelcoat layer I started laying down weave. About a year ago a friend of mine who is a shipwright gave me a massive roll of a light chopped strand matt called "225". This stuff is light enough that it will bend around and generally conform to the shape you want (with enough resin) yet thick enough that 203 layers would be sufficient.
I brush out the Gel coat quite wide to make the mold flanges quiet large.
I ended up laying down about 3-4 layers of the 225 weave. This gives a good thickness to the mold and combined with the curve of the hull, the end flanges and longitudinal flanges should make for a very rigid mold.It will still get and egg crate arrangement. The biggest challenge is getting the weave to wrap around the registration points and not stick up or out. If you work with enough resin and dab, dab, dab you will eventually beat the fibers into submission. I also have to press the 225 into the corners. I also used long strand that I have to reinforce the cornered areas.
Ready to pull the front flange boards off and do the bow next week.
David H
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