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| The plug is made from high density Particleboard there are two pieces screwed together |
| I then coated it with epoxy with black powder paint in it to see impefections before casting the final mold |
| The two halves shown here |
| The following pictures are a mountain bike mold, I never made up pictures for the tandem. They are to give an idea on making a mold not a detailed plan. |
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| One half mold plug screwed down to plywood from underneath wax the plug with butchers wax to prevent plaster sticking |
| Plaster is cast around the plug. Plywood strips were around the edges so the plaster did not run |
| After the plaster sets unscrew and flip over |
| Screw other half of plug on with a sheet of plastic wrap seperating the two with enough overhang so the second half does not stick to the first |
| After the second half is cured drill locator holes I use 3/8 brass rod wood dowels would work also |
| Take it apart and you are ready to mold |
| How I have Made some of my molds |
| The bikes that I have built I have vacuumed and bladder molded. First I layered 4 layers of 5.7 oz
Carbon in each half of mold vacuum bagging them separately. After they cured more carbon was laid in the molds with inner tubes and inflated, bonding them together. With simpler shapes like seatstays , chainstays and my recumbent frame I bladder molded the frame in one shot. Having more carbon folded over the bladder on one half to seal the seam. I did the main frame and stays separately and bonded them later using the carbon fiber wraped with eletric tape tecnique My head tube I make out of carbon. I wrap it around 1-1/4 aluminum tubing with a fine layer of grease on it. After it cures I put it in the freezer and the aluminum tube slips right out. Then the outer diameter I turn on my metal lathe To around 1-7/8" then cut the inside to fit the headset cups. The dropouts cable stops and all other parts I also machine. Bonding the dropouts I cut grooves in my aluminum where it bonds. Also it needs to be wrapped in Fiberglass to prevent galvanic corrosion. |
| This is a very basic description of the process I use if you would like to know more you can e mail me |
| The frame to the right is the main beam on my recumbent, this mold is made out of particleboard routed out with the CNC router I bought for my Furniture and sign business |
| Click pictures for larger image, there are more pictures at the bottom of the page |