Casting a studio scale K'tinga in epoxy fiberglass

[Dana Long]

Hi everyone! This is going to be a multi part video showing the complete casting of a fiberglass model in a silicone mold, then I'm going to show how I cast the resin parts so when I'm done there will be a complete kit ready to build.

Thank you for watching and please comment!!

[HWR MKII]

Great stuff. I just wish i could afford this beast of a kit. I have loved this design since i saw TMP as a kid...

[U-boater]

When's the next video going to be posted?

This is interesting.

[Dana Long]

I should have a new one up every day, the next step is to lay the fabric in the mold.

[Neb]

Looking forward to this.

[modelnutz]

Nice work.

Say, a few questions for ya'....

Why Silicone instead of the much less expensive low durometer urethanes ?
Do you ever have issues with micro bubbles in your skin coat ?

What brand/type/speed of epoxy are you using ?

Thanks for posting the video for the community....it's folks like you ( who don't mind sharing info ) that make this hobby so bloody interesting !
Always something new to learn and try.

[Dana Long]

Hi modelnuts,

I don't know anything about the other stuff you mentioned, I've just always used silicone. I used to have problems with tiny bubbles in the skin coat until I started using cabosil, that makes it stick to the mold better.

I'm using the epoxy from US Composites, it's the same as the West Systems stuff but less expensive.

[Hackcore]

Looking forward to see more. I´ve never tried to work with epoxy and fiberglass but it looks like a fun to work with it and to save a lot of weight. Thanks for showing Dana.

[modelnutz]

Ahh...thanks for the answers !

If you don't mind, I'd like to meet up at Jerseyfest and talk some shop...I have some nifty tricks that you might like to try.

ie..Lower cost mold materials...how to get rid of micro bubbles quick and easy..using a safer/faster alternative to epoxy...stuff like that.

[Dana Long]

That would be great. Of course it will be hard to talk me away from epoxy, the other types of fiberglass I've tried have too much shrinkage where the epoxy doesn't, but I'm open to any new ideas. Anyways, a new video coming up tonight.

[Dana Long]

Here's part 2!

[Mr. Wabac]

Great instructional video - thanks for posting !

Looks like you have used a hard shell backing for your silicone mold - that might be another good one to cover - my guess is that the technique would be quite similar (and not as fussy for the finish).

I haven't tried making fibreglass or composite parts before. but did pickup a good resource book a while back. The book is:

Composite Materials - Fabrication Handbook #1
by John Wanberg - Wolfgang Publications
ISBN 1-929133-76-6

Reading about the subject is one thing, having access to a video of someone actually doing this work is another. As Yogi Bera once said "You can Observe a lot by Watching"

[Dana Long]

Mr. Wabac

That's a mother mold, it's made from the polyester resin that you can buy just about anywhere, and instead of fabric I used fiberglass matting. It's way stinky stuff, I hate the fumes.

[Dana Long]

By the way I didn't do any work on this today, I'll do more tomorrow.