Hey peeps,
I have a mold that is getting much needed cleaning. There is a stubborn layer of Partall #2 that is peeling in some places and is not coming off easy with cleaners. Any suggestions? Just trying to clean it for a rewax.
Thanks!
Use mineral spirits to remove the wax. Don’t use partall again. Use TR wax or try a chemical release.
Thanks JJ! I have been trying GruberCare (nasty). It works a little. I’ll try Mineral Spirits. So, Partall? Not recommended?
I’ll look into the TR. Thanks again!
white scotchbrite, MEK . Use Freekote 700 and never look back , use pva strictly for making molds.
Composite envisions sells pretty good mold cleaning products.
PVA should come off with just hot water. It desolves. Mold release wax is what usually needs a specific cleaning product. I find that gently heating it with a hair dryer first (before using the right mold release product) makes it easier to remove.
If there is a translucent crust stuck to parts of the mold cavity, that is usually excess resin where the mold release failed. Is that the issue here?
I usually don’t have this issue unless I don’t apply the mold release products properly. E.g. If I don’t let the wax dry for long enough before applying the pva, or if I don’t use enough layers of each (or use too much).
If the mold release has failed and epoxy resin has bonded to the mold surface, I haven’t yet found a product that will break that bond without damaging the mold surface. If it’s just in one area I scrapes it off and repair or sand it down and re-polish.
You can also try gently applying heat to stubborn resin deposits on a mold cavity if the tool can take higher temps. It might loosen it enough to buff it off.
Thank you all for your responses! Cheers!
Do you think Frekote 700 could be applied without problems on my 3D printed mould? Does it leave the surface smooth? The mould has been made for a bicycle bottle cage, and its surface is a bit rough. As release agent I usually use PVA, but sometimes there’s a small excess of it into the sharpest angles of the mould
Freekote evaporates , leaves nothing behind.
Nice bottle cage. Last time I made a mold from a 3D printer I sanded it smooth (it was abs plastic) and painted it with 2K primer, sanded and buffed and released with Frekote 700.
Is your part smooth or does it have ‘steps’ from the 3D printing process?
When I posted the picture yesterday I forgot to write just a bit more about it. The material used to build the mould is PLA, and it has the typical “steps” given by the layers. Just to give you an idea, I post now two carbon bottle cages I made using this mould, in the rear sides they have very little imperceptible steps.
I usually apply PVA as release agent.