Hand layup mold

[JPMach]

I have a customer that wants me to make him a mold for carbon fiber hand layup. I have a few questions as I have only done open top molds before.

It is a simple part just airfoil shaped and about two feet long.
1. What kind of steel would you recomend (1018,1045,P-20?)
2. What needs to be put in the mold as far as runners or overflow areas
3. Do I need to put something in to help seperate the mold? (screwdriver slots or bolts to push the two halves apart)
4. What else need to be taken into consideration?

Any help would be much appreciated

JP

[lakeside]

as with any mold pry point are needed over flow will occur and no matter what you do fine tuning will be needed after first run I've yet to see a mold that works fine on the first shoot as for steels 1018 the cheapest

[turmite]

JP unless your customer is going to be using high pressure or extremely high vacuum he won't need steel. As far as that goes if he is using room temp curing resins a fiberglass mold will work.
Mike

[lakeside]

turmite is correct if your not going to do high vac even if you were a fiberglass mold would be less for your customer to prove his form first

[SeaSchell]

Built many clam shell type molds from alum for the industry here in So Cal.
Rackets, composite ducts etc.

[keebler303]

at work we have an aluminum mold for a carbon strut. It is airfoil shaped and about 12-14 inches long. It has end caps and flanges on it so the mold is actually 8 pieces. It has screwdriver slots for prying apart and also has an O ring groove for cord stock so that all the parts seal tight for the vacuum infusion. It has worked pretty well for us.

Matt