Info for Mold long term storage

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#1

Hi

I would like to know the proper way for longterm storage. The plug will be made as
expanding foam over alu extrusion and mdf frame and cover with an Epoxy tooling coat.

The mold itself will be made with epoxy with 4 ply of fabric and perhaps some mat
all around. Flange made of small mdf as well. And stiffner will be in wood and Alu extrusion for the frame.

So if i do 1 part using the mold and store it outside after :

-Does the best way is to put the plug back in ?

  • Is a simple covering canvas can be enought ?

We got snow and -25 to +25 outside over the year. Is 2 years later the mold will still
be ok … Or the alu extrusion will cause some compression due to thermal and resulting into a twisted mold ?

Many thanks

#2

Sounds like your tooling is too large to stay indoors?

#3

OUps, you’re right, I forgot. Indeed it’s quite too big for my space, so exterior is the only way really possible. Here the info I will got :

3 mold set of 20 feet long
1 mold set of 14 feet
1 mold set of 7 ft.

#4

I your climate, I would look for a way to possibly rig it up in the shop ceiling so as not to allow it bow. Keeping it in the outdoors is going to doom it as far as accuracy goes. Particularly with any wood products .

Its just asking too much of the materials to withstand. With molds and plugs taking so much time and material to build, I can’t justify the experiment.

#5

Storing inside is the way to go with expensive moulds. With a procuct in it is the easiest, can be just gelcoat and some light csm laminate, can be reusable. If storing outside, I wouldn’t release the (temporary) product., and cover it up as good as possible. Watch out for supporting wood or metal structures, they can rust, rot, and couse imprint, even with regular heat changes that most climates have.