Hi Av8tor,

I'm somewhat an amateur at molding. Started making parts a few years ago and progressed over time to what you see here.

I like to use a "gel coat", primer, or something to reduce pinholes when molding. I find that I get better results and it's just been a habit. A lot of places paint or put a gel coat of some sort on in the mold. I've just followed suit.

I have been using PVA as my main mold release and are trying some other waxes now as PVA tends to give a lot of imperfections. After I apply the mold release (whatever it is), I spray on the primer, let it dry, and then do my layup.

Man, I'd love to CNC all my molds! Mine are all hand-made.

For a splitter plate, it tends to be what I have around the garage. I have generally used wood shelving with a smooth surface on it, or it can be plastic, or metal. It is hard to make sure that they are perfectly flat and I do get some good parting lines, but not perfect. Works for my type of usage I guess. Basically, I make a cutout of the profile of the wing or fuselage, drop it into the splitter plate, center it where I want the parting line, and then use clay to fill in the voids.

On the composite stab, I put a main spar (just endgrain balsa) and then maybe a 1/8" balsa center rib and some stringers or wood near the hinge line. What I put near the hingeline depends on whether or not it is skin-hinged or going to be conventionally hinged. Other than that, it's hollow.

I'm going to finish the stab shown in the pictures tomorrow and possibly lay up another wing or fuse this weekend. More photos to come...

Michael