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This page covers making the ‘molds’, which is the second process in the series.
From the previous picture we have finished final flatting of the primer and have a perfectly smooth surface to ‘copy’. In order to be able to remove the mold we are about to make, we must first wax the plug and apply release agent. Due to the shape of the front end we are molding, we must make a three piece mold in order to be able to remove it afterwards. To do this, we must add flanges to the plug as in the first picture. The flanges must be waxed as well.
We now apply gel coat and for molding we tend to use any dark colour to contrast with the light coloured surface we are molding, in this case dark blue. The gel coat is applied liberally with a brush to completely cover the surface to be moulded. Many people see this and question the roughness of the finish, but it is not this side of the gel that will be seen, it is the side in contact with the smooth bodywork that will be seen and which is important. Think about it!
After 24 hours we now apply the fibreglass matting and resin which will make the mold rigid. Again brushes are used to apply the resin soaked matt and a metal roller is used to expel excess air bubbles from the matt. We usually use 5 layers of 450 gsm matt for moulds.
When this first part of the mold has dried, usually after 24 hours, we will remove the aluminium flanges we made in the top picture and we will wax both sides of the front end (wheel arches) to make the other two pieces of the front end mold. Only after all three parts are finished will we remove the mold from the plug. At this point, it is the inside surface of the mold that is important, not the outside which is just matt.
