Model Boat Mayhem
Mess Deck: General Section => Beginners start here...! => Topic started by: slug on May 31, 2011, 07:40:29 pm
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the other week i went to a place that made plaster and fiberglass fireplaces it made me wonder if a shape of the was made out of foam could this be put in a box and filled with moulding plaster when the plaster is dry remove hull and you end up with a mould fo making a fiberglass hull just a thought if it worked it could be a quikish way of making a hull etc slug
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Sounds like a pretty expensive way of doing it. Not that making a GRP hull is ever going to be "cheap". How were you thinking of getting the foam "plug" smooth enough to get a decent finish on the mould? Could "plate" it I suppose. Seen the price of a small bag of Plaster of Paris recently? How much do you anticipate the weight of the mould to be? many questions here.
I experimented with P of P moulds for the lifeboats on my model of "Gold Ranger". Never again! BY.
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by they were using commercial plaster like a thin custard from british gypsum powder went off in 10-15mins just an idea thanks for your thoughts tony
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hello, The plaster in question is called "herculite" super fine & white, setting time I know not. The setting time for fresh surgical plaster is about 15 mins, it gets quicker as it gets older. Dental plaster is about the same but with a more coarse texture. The times given assume the correct plaster/water ratio. If you go down this route you have to seal the plaster with a few coats of shellac & even with your separator you may still bind on in places. Nemesis
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I gather from this forum that the "norm" is to make a positive hull blank from foam or balsa or some such and then make a GRP mould from that. You then cast the real hulls inside the GRP mould. I've no idea if this would be cheaper than plaster though.
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Hello, It would be cheaper in the long run, the results would be better too. Been there & got the proverbial, Stick with Glassfibre.
Nemesis