Has anyone try to press the part instead of infusion? I want to try this but don’t know where to start. The reason why I want to do press instead of infusion was because my part has many concave spots that bag cannot reach.
Produced quite a few motorcycle exhaust guards in carbon using 2 part mould. Seems to work pretty well and after initial extra expense of making 2 part mould, isnt that costly.
Pressing two molds together isnt far off from RTM.
Just learn how to use sheet wax and your all set. Use the thinest you can find to eliminate raised seams.
People here in the UK have been making carbon motorcycle engine side casings using male and female moulds, bolted together after carbon laid in, then injecting resin under pressure.
what is the sheet wax? how do you use it and where can you get it from?
That would be RTM. The moulds are held together with 12.5" of vacuum, and the resin is injected at 26lbs if I recall correctly.
The molds are pretty cool. Large flanges with resin chanels and seals built in to them. Several resin inlets which are just holes drilled through the chanel. And plumbing for hot water to run through the molds for quick part turn over.
There are also formulas to determine the exact amount of resin to use.
Its really a high volume production method. Not really cost effective for hobbiests.
Sheet wax is a flat sheet of wax in pre cut sizes and thickness’. Has the same texture as a candle.
You will want to buy the type that has one side tackey and the other side un-tackey. It will help you avoid bridging.
What you will need to do is determine the thickness of your cured part. So lets say its 1/8". You would want to order sheet wax thats 1/8" thick and lay it up inside your mold the same manner as you would cloth.
It will involve a lot of cutting and shaping. Dry heat helps, but, the best method for sealing seams/splices is putty. The heat will help for shaping, but, dont use it for welding the wax together.
After you have your sheet wax layed up and are satisfied. Then you lay up your mold the same as any other layup.
heres one source for it: http://www.freemansupply.com/PS266ThermoStableS1.htm but a lot of others carry it.
Corvette bodies are done that way too.
You might be able to have a top and bottom molds, lay in the reinforcements and then pour in the resin. Then clamp and leave it under pressure but…test and practice…