Gastronom

I am attempting to build a cowl for a GP f-15 out of fiberglass. I have been able to get a couple of blocks of balsa to shape down to the right sized plug. My problem is that I don't kow what kind of release agent that I can use. A friend told me to use Crisco grease and it would work to release. Anyone have any better ideas about which or what to use as a releasing agent???

blvdbuzzard

Yes look in the phone book for a place that sells fiber glass, carbon fiber and epoxy in bulk form. They will also have a good release agent. I treid several home brew release agents and they did not work that well. I spent $8.00 on a can of release wax. It looks like a can of car wax but it is heavyer and has more slip in it. I also spent $9.00 on a spray can of release agent. You put 3 coats of wax and then spray the release agent on and there is no way anyting will stick to your mold. Both product contian no silicon so painting won't be a problem.

Dru.

Gastronom

I found a couple cans of wax, um Sig Fiberglass release wax. I tried it out last night on a foam mold that I made and found out rather quickly that the wax will attack the foam. I'm guessing that it must have a petroleum product in it.
I have a friend that has been working on the wooden mold that I started and messed up very badly, lack of experience with a belt sander, Anyway, we covered the wooden mold with a type of bondo body filler. After that cures I can sand it down and then wax it in preparation of the fiberglass.

Now, my finish cure epoxy says that it should be used in at least 65 degree temp and that it will work better if heated to at least 75 degrees, my question is that since it has been so cold here in KY and other places, how do people use the epoxy lets say ina non heated garage? How does the temp affect the cure time?

FHHuber

Some epoxies will essentially never cure at low temperatures. Most, the low temp will just increase cure time appx 10% for every 5 deg below the recommended temperature. If you are working at below 40 deg F ... don't try it, I knowof no epoxy that turns out rignt when its that cold.

The epoxy will also be stiff and gummy when you mix it if the temperature is too low. Its very hard to work with most 5 min epoxies below 60 deg.

Most epoxies will cure faster and flow to a smoother finish when at higher temperature. You can heat a lot of them to as high as 180 deg, to speed curing and to get a smoother finish.

blvdbuzzard

If you need to heat up epxoy to help it cure, you can make a cheap oven. Get a card board box that is 4 times the sixe of the part that is to be molded. Put a 100 watt light bulb in there with the mold. The ligh t bulb(plugged in and on) will heat teh box to 100 degrees in no time. Keep an eye on it and open the flaps or pull the towl back to regulate the temps. If you put the epoxy in there for a while before you mix it it will be at the right temp to make the mixing easer.


Dru.

Gastronom

Dru, Now that is a killer idea. !!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img] If I heat the glue, should the mold be heated also before application?>?

blvdbuzzard

In winter time I put all of the stuff in my"oven" and let it come up to temp. While it is in there I start to cut the glass, get teh mixing cups ready, make sure I have the thinner ready for clean up, plenty of rags, stir stick. I just get all of the junk I need together while the stuff warms up. I have put spray cans in there to heat up so I could spray when the snow is falling.

Some times the cheap ideas are the best.

Dru.