Preparing the plug is the next stage of this build. I begin by mounting the two halves of the plug to a piece of inch thick MDF board. I attach the plugs by using screws from the back side of the MDF. Some people glue or epoxy their plugs to the parting plane. I prefer to use screws because I can remove the plug from the MDF after the mold is finished with out destroying it.
Once I have the plugs securely attached to the parting plane, I need to go around the base of the plugs looking for gaps between the board and the plugs. Any gaps are filled with clay. This is just a matter of forcing the clay into the gaps in order to prevent resin from getting under the plug. When the gaps are filled and all excess clay is removed, I can apply mold release wax to the plugs and the MDF parting plane. I like both McGuire’s and Part-All mold release waxes. It is important to apply at least five coats to the plugs in order to ensure adequate coverage. The plugs should be polished to a shiny smooth finish.
PVA is now sprayed onto the plugs and the parting board. The PVA is an excellent barrier between the mold and the plug. I like to spray a coat, let it dry and then re-apply. Applying two coats of PVA can result in lost detail but that is not a concern for me with this project. An additional coat of PVA will ensure an easy release when I de-mold the plugs.
I apply the PVA with my spray gun at about 60 psi and a distance of 8 to 12 inches. PVA is cheap and valuable at the same time. This set of mirror image plugs is now ready for molding.
For the molding process I need my air compressor and dump gun along with: tooling gelcoat, fiberglass resin and chopped mat, MEKP, rubber gloves, disposable brushes and a respirator or fume mask.
Happy Glassing
Steve
