Constructing your own fibreglass mold   Page 3

By Tony Rogers

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I prefer to use “Polyester” resin system for all my aircraft. It is much easier to use for the amateur, the mixing does not have to be so accurate and it is much quicker to mix and set off and is kinder on your health. If you prefer “Epoxy” that is your choice most commercial kits are made with epoxy.
 Once again wax the mold thoroughly before you start. I use gel coat first and then 2-3 layers of 6oz cloth to lay up the fuselage depending on the size of the aircraft. Carbon fibre strips in the stress areas make for a stronger airframe. Remember to trim the excess cloth around the edges of each mold piece before it goes totally hard, only experience will tell you the best time to do this get it right and it cuts cleanly with a knife. Bolt the mold pieces back together with the newly laid up fuselage parts still inside and working through the holes at each end lay 2 strips 3” wide over the joins. This is the most difficult part of the whole exercise. If it is more than 24 hours since you laid up the fuselage parts thoroughly sand with 80 grit sandpaper the areas where these strips are to go before bolting it all together so you get a good joint. After it has all set remove the bolts and if you waxed properly some small wedges at the joints should pop the mold from the fuselage as in Photo # 9

 

Photo 9            Photo 10

Now you can finish as a normal kitset. You will obviously have a hole at the front where the steel tube ran through the middle just a shaped balsa block glassed over fills this hole after you have finished the joining of all the parts.

 Because the Vixen has quite a few compound curves it was necessary to make a mold with this many pieces. If it was just a basic sports model you can get away with just a 2-piece mold split down the middle. One advantage of a mold like the Vixen is that I joined the 2 tops together and the 2 bottoms and was able to make and fit all the internal undercarriage supports, engine mounts, wing retaining tubes etc before I joined the top to the bottom.