danj31

My Feedback: (6)

I was looking for suggestions for molding an intake for my EDF jet powered by the MF480. The intake is split and about 14 in long. I need suggestions on how to make the mold so the inside is smooth and can easily seperate from the mold.

TGoodwin

If its a complex shape I usually make a plug and female mold as usual and then make a male mold inside of the female. Not sure how everyone else does it.

Ted

DanSavage

My Feedback: (5)

That's how I do it.

You should also treat the male mold as a mold and not a part. Which means a gel-coat layer using graphite powder or some other filler and at least 5-6 layers of cloth so the mold will be smooth and stiff.

Additionally, chances are small that you'll be able to get the molded inlet off the mold in one piece, so you'll need to make a longitudinal cut so that you can "peel" the part off the mold. Once off, you'll have to then seam the molded part.

If you don't want to have to do that with every part, then the only other way is to make a hinged mold that can be "broken" apart with the removal of a section so that the mold can be extracted from within the molded inlet.

The first method is suitable for small production runs and the second for larger runs.

Dan

buttuh

You can split it up to 2 female mold havles with end plates. Then use sheet wax or a finished part to account for the thickness of your laminate. Then make an inflatable mandrel using silicon with the air valve at the end. Drill a hole in one of the end plates so that the airvalve can stick through. Now do your layup separately and clamp/bolt the two mold havles together before it start to cure. Leave a little bit of excess on all edges so that the halves can bond to each other. Insert the mandrel and inflate it. This will press your laminate up against the mold surface. Close your mold up with the end plate and let cure. Once it's done, demold and deflate to remove the mandrel. The tooling process is not cheap but you'll end up with a really neat looking intake.

Evan