joining halves
 

Up to this point, I have only built molds to where I have to pull the parts, tape the two halves together, then apply the seam tape on the inside once everything is taped up.

I just saw this picture (below) and I was wondering how the parts get the seam tape inside with no access hole. Does excess epoxy just get put on the edges of the part, then the mold gets bolted together?

RE: joining halves
 

You could used a boinding ledge for joining this part with a lip joint. The attached photos should help. I am making some molds with the lip joint and could be able to help you with more pictures.

RE: joining halves
 

photos got left out in the previous post...

RE: joining halves
 

You don't always need tape at the seam. What you do need is a way to precisely align the two halves when joining them. Your existing molds can probably handle that task.

There are glider builders, for example, building tremendously strong wings in two halves, using only epoxy/Cabosil or epoxy/microballoons to join the two parts. Some people have also suggested epoxy/milled glass, or epoxy/chopped cotton fibers. Until recently, I've always assumed that the fibers (or tape) were required, but now we know they are not. There's apparently not enough stress concentrated on these seams to warrant the overkill in materials we've been using.

RE: joining halves
 

Removing the parts from the mold for the seaming operation is a no-no. The layup will wander & you wil very likely build in warps. Use the mold itself for alignment, you spent all that time to make a straight plug right? The pics of the jog seam sub-plate shows the proper way to do it, especially if you can't get tape in there. You can even vac bag the layup with this setup.

Another trick if you want to use tape or similar
- use 3M spray & dust a coat on the seaming tape
- apply the tape so that half of it is stuck to the trimmed layup, the other half is sticking up
- (ideally but not required) do the top on one mold half & the bottom on the other mold half
- now wet out the tape with epoxy, a bit on the mating surface & lay the molds together sp that one tape flaps inside the fuse, then the other
- usually you still have to give it a wipe with a brush on a stick, but at least this keeps the joint very straight & positioned.