I need to make subwoofer dust caps with a 6" diameter.
I am looking for an inexpensive way to form/mold the carbon fiber and cure them quickly without worrying about ramp times. I’d like to be able to produce qty of 50 a day. They don’t have to look 100% perfect. I would be happy with 85%.
Any good ideas?
what in the world is a subwoofer dust cap??? The normally dome section in the middle of the speaker cone?
if so, what do you mean ramp time? You can CNC a tooling board/metal, with a bunch of cone shapes, then you can make a bunch at once?
Or somehow “punch/stamp” a thick Al sheet with the cone shapes?
yep, a dust cap is the dome in the center of the woofer.
I think I am going to make an frp mold that has 28 cavities… ( more cavities than i have!
)… thank God!
I just need to build a plug. The customer is going to send me only one dust cap as a reference sample.
yep, a dust cap is the dome in the center of the woofer.
I think I am going to make an frp mold that has 28 cavities.
I just need to build a plug. The customer is going to send me only one dust cap as a reference sample.
I wonder if i can wax the inside of this sample and pva it, then pour casting resin into it… 28 times over… for the plug parts.
Just say no to PVA!
aw come on tet… not everybody’s building aircrafts
Oh, is it Groundhog day again?
Now all we need is someone to chip in about not spraying Epoxy…:rolleyes:
What? That has nothing to do with staying away from PVA, please stay on topic. There’s just not any real good reason to use the crap. It’s usually just making up for flaws elsewhere in the process.
Why would he PVA anything after waxing it properly?
I have 2 jars of “powder” PVA…went to make it into a solution, but took FOREVER!!! I want to try to make some film and make water soluble bags out of it. Stuff is a pain.
aga, I don’t and i never use it. Frekot and hightemp wax (and the wax I never use unless the surface is rough) is my release of choice!
C’mon guys, the PVA thing has been done to death regularly, we all have differing opinions on it and some of us use it for certain jobs, can’t you just accept that?
This thread isn’t the place.
I understand people use it, but why? This site is about helping people in the field of composites, and people with plenty of experience are helping others get away from PVA.
As for making 50 parts a day (which I don’t believe would be necessary anyways) look into multiple molds and fast curing resins. With special resins, not PE VE or Epoxy, we are able to infuse 5 parts per shift from one tool using infusion.
ok i’ll just ask this: i had a front spoiler which was painted and clearcoated just like a normal car part. i waxed it and waxed it, and then made a mold out of polyester materials. the polyester ate into the plug’s coatings, even down to the primer, and pulled them out. i ended up with a destroyed plug and a useless mold.
2nd try, i tried frekote, on a same part as above. the polyester ate through that too.good thing i did a test first. pva may not be perfect, but it offers perfect protection. i don’t always use it, but i always use it when i wanna play it safe.
If the plugs coating (the primer you used) was porous, then no matter how much you waxed it or released it you would have sticking problems. Even a good sealer cannot always seal up a very porous surface. I suggest always using Duratec products for your plug surface and prep the surface with a good semi sealer and release and you will never have that problem again. And always do a tape test before making a part to ensure proper release.
My two cents on PVA: Only should be used on a very old molds that wax/releases would not work on or pulling a quick splash mold. It has its uses but very seldom IMO.
The choice of paint you use for your parts has a massive bearing on this.I have taken lots of molds from parts painted with good quality 2k coatings.I find you only run into trouble if you apply gelcoat over cheap cellulose or rattle can paints.Frys them every time.
Well the reason I would need pva is i’m laying up on a paper part.
I don’t see any other options… this is speaker paper or whatever the heck they use it is like paper. PVA will make a leak resistant barrier temporarily.
Think of it as a pva condom LOL
If you need to paint your plug for some reason with paint… try plain old spray laquer paint. laquer cures/dries the quickest. You probably would still need to wait several days before applying mold release wax. i guess in the end what we are doing, budget, time, materials, all are taken into account to find whatever works the best for us.
guys, the part was properly painted in a paint booth by a pro, and stayed for days…anyway.
paper? hm. do a test first, in case pva soaks into the paper…
what king of paint did you use? only asking because I have used good primers in the past that stuck just the way you said. Thats why I always use duratec primers and topcoats. I know its going to work everytime and the price is reasonable.
And just a tip- Use the hi-gloss black for the final surface. Black is good to show of highs and lows that you may not normally see.
Aga…i’m sending you a dvd copy of “Karate Kid” so you can learn proper waxing technique LMAO:D
I will try PVA on the customers part to see how it works out. I already mentioned to him more than likely i am going to destroy his sample part during prototyping.
Thank you Aga… and you do know i’m just pulling your leg right?
you know, i watched that part of the film over and over…wax on , wax off. wax on, wax off. he was using the high temp wax , #88, while im using #8. maybe my foot technique needs working. i ll go down to the garage and practice the crane.