April 22nd, 2023 - Composite Meeting Notes

Prepping Seat Mold for Wet Layup

Summary:

Process for Prepping the Released Seat Mold:

Materials Used:

• High and low-grit sandpaper

• Plastic Scrapers

• Honey Wax - Mold Release Agent

• Towelette Sponges

• 95% Isopropyl Alcohol

Steps Underwent:

1. A clean napkin was used to quickly wipe off excess dust from the mold.

2. First using our hands, we identified imperfections in the seat mold. In particular, we looked for obvious bumps in the resin, wavy parts in the resin, and any concavities in the mold.

3. To remove obvious bumps in our case some was a piece of the gel coat that was stuck to the mold, we used plastic scrapers to chip off the bumps.

4. Then with high grit sandpaper we continuously sanded down waves and concavities. This was a tedious process but will eventually be essential for a smooth finish on the final carbon fiber part.

Tip: To help with identifying the imperfections, sand down a certain area and the spots that turn white first are the high points in that area. Using your hands to sand, target those areas first to even out the surface.

Sanding the seat using sandpaper

5. After we were happy with the sanding, which took us about an hour and a half to finish, we brought the seat outside to rinse with water.

6. We then left the seat outside to dry in the sun before bringing it back in to wipe down with 95% isopropyl alcohol

7. We then began to apply our mold release agent, Honey Wax, to the seat mold. Using a sponge apply the wax in a circular motion. Be especially generous when applying the wax in crevices and folds on the mold. After applying a layer, we used plastic box lids to fan the wax until dry. The drying process usually took about 5 minutes.

8. After it is dry, repeat the wax and dry process until there are 10 layers of wax. The mold should have a white sheen to it because of the layers of wax applied.

9. Then leave the seat mold to dry for a wet layup later! This entire process took about 4 hours to complete.