Just remember to prep the entire tool effectively with a PVA mold release before layup as some solvents may remove any applied mold release from the tool surface. For this, using a small amount of light solvent on top of the clay will help smooth the clay out to achieve a desired smooth tooling surface. Once worked into the tooling gap, the clay may not seem like it is smooth enough for achieving a high surface finish for the mold. These clays feature high flexibility for conforming to complex shapes and gaps. It is specifically designed for use in composites with resins and gelcoats.
Selection and application of the gap filler makes all the difference in how much work will have to be done for achieving the desired surface finish in the final part.Ĭhavant Le Beau Touché Plasteline Non-Hardening Clay 2-lb Block has proven to be effective in filling most tooling gaps as it is reformable and easily removable after a part has been cured. This goes the same way for the parting lines in a split mold that the part will see. It is important to know that smoother finished molds create smoother final parts. One of their top uses is gap filling for providing smooth transition surfaces in split mold applications. Modeling clays and filleting waxes have a broad range in applicable uses in composites and mold making. Most fillers are used by pressing a modeling clay, filleting wax, or other material onto the gap area to provide a seamless transition between the split mold surfaces for the part layup. The fillers used can vary depending on desired surface finish needs. Often a “filler” can be placed into these gaps and smoothed accordingly to provide a high-quality surface finish. This is not necessarily a reason to scrap the mold out. This may cause a mold to change dimensionally and increase sizing of a gap. While some molds have gaps upon initial fabrication, some molds inherit gaps through wear, repeated use, and even thermal cycling. Repairs on some of these parts could take hours or days to achieve the desired surface finish on the part. However, a big enough gap could lead to distorting a weave pattern or having a faulty surface finish. Small gaps may simply be in the form of a thin resin wall up that can easily be chipped and lightly sanded away. Dependent on the size of the gap, the surface finish of the part may be altered. However, gaps are part of the split mold process. Minimizing the gap between the flanges of the split mold surfaces is the best way to achieve the best finish on parts that will ultimately require less work for finishing. The time spent effectively preparing a plug or tooling surface will result in creating parts that will require little to no finish work on the part itself.
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