Zbass Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 I make my own molds out of fiberglass resin. Once in a while I find the need to modify the mold for one reason or another. What would I use in a Dremel tool to remove some of the mold material but not have a cloudy piece it the lure? Zbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redg8r Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 I'd recommend the highest grit on the smallest drum bit, or even a grinding stone bit. Some of the diamond dust bits would do light removal. Stick with lower RPMs to prevent melting. Obviously follow up with the buffing wheel on a mandrel bit with various degrees of polishing compound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HJS Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 I've never done fiberglass resin... heck, I've never even seen it done although I'm familiar with the basic principle. Just wonder exactly how runny is the resin after it is mixed with hardener??? Can the consistency be adjusted like PoP? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 (edited) I've never done fiberglass resin... heck, I've never even seen it done although I'm familiar with the basic principle. Just wonder exactly how runny is the resin after it is mixed with hardener??? Can the consistency be adjusted like PoP? No it can't. You get one shot at it and what you get is what you get. The downside with resin for me is that after you pour several hundred baits at a time the resin gets hot and somewhat soft. This can cause warping. Also, as the heat increases in the mold the smell of resin starts to be noticed. On the upside, the detail you get with resin is a little better than POP. www.novalures.com Edited June 21, 2008 by nova Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 I think fibreglass resin is the same as polyester resin. It is the consistency of warm syrup, very runny. I have been using it to make prototype bodies. Not recommended for this use, as it is very brittle. I use silicon micro balloons to reduce the density. This gives a much stiffer mixture. I think it would be OK for casting. But why would you want to thicken it up? All you are doing is introducing air bubble problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HJS Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 Sorry, I didn't make my question clear. I WANT runny as oppossed to too thick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallie Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 I don't make resin molds but I have done fiberglass work a number of times and the hardener doesn't make the resin get thicker when you add it. It is not like adding water to POP. What the hardener does is cause a chemical reaction that causes it to change phase. During the phase change, it goes from the initial runny, to a slowling thickening consistency and then on to hard. You will feel heat from the chemical reaction. If you put too much hardener in the mix, it goes from runny to stiff more quickly. I imagine if you put enough hardener in, it could get hard while you are stirring it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 Also, too much hardner will cause too much heat and the mold can crack as it sets; or at the very least, warp. www.novalures.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zbass Posted June 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Thanks for the replies. I did not think to try polishing compound:whistle:. As far as the thickness of the resin, vodkaman is correct on the consistency. It is very simlar to syrup. You do have to experiment with the hardener. Nova is dead on about the mold cracking and then you are back to square one. I use about half of the recommended amounts on the package. I also ONLY use Bondo brand. Have tried others and had the smell problem that Nova spoke of. You also have to be patient when pouring into the form. You want to let the resin flow to the master. This will allow it to get in all the creases and details. The detail you get can be tremendous. It will pick up a fingerprint. At this time, I only pour for myself and very few people so the large production is not an issue for me. Thanks again! Zbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
