I have been reading all these threads about the importance of removing the wax before starting bodywork. Every fiberglass product I have seen gelcoat is the first thing applied to the mold but I saw the FFR special the other night (Megakits) and they showed them applying the gelcoat to finished pieces so is there actually mold release on the gelcoat???
I haven't seen the FFR special you're talking about. But I've been around fiberglass molding processes for years. Normally, the first thing into the mold is the mold release (used to be PVA, don't know if that's what they still use), then the gel coat, and then the cloth/resin layup. Haven't seen gel coat applied to an already completed molded part.
exactly....I used to work in the Marine industry and saw the same but was a little confused after seeing the special. I will have to see if I can find a clip to post
I have been reading all these threads about the importance of removing the wax before starting bodywork. Every fiberglass product I have seen gelcoat is the first thing applied to the mold but I saw the FFR special the other night (Megakits) and they showed them applying the gelcoat to finished pieces so is there actually mold release on the gelcoat???
mn:
All fiberglass molds need a mold release so that the shell will come out cleanly. FFR definitely uses it. The gelcoat is basically just colored resin and would stick otherwise. Mold release can be PVA or different types of wax and it usually ends up on the finished body shell and needs to be removed before you start sanding and grinding on the body. Otherwise it may get pushed into the surface and paint will not adhere to it. It is only on the outside of the body. I was told by two noted FFR painters that specialize in FFR's that the best way to clean the mold release off was to use BonAmi and soap and water and scrub with a sponge several times until the water won't bead up anywhere. Make sure you get under all the lips around the fenders, under the doors, the hood and doors, and the cowl area.
Ron
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Thanks Ron. I definitely wasn't planning to skip that step was just curious after watching the special. It's possible it isn't represented properly. and what they are spraying is multiple molds rather than finished parts
I went back and looked at that vid and sure enough FFR does spray gel coat on the shell after it comes out of the mold. That is not the usual way to do that but it may make for a smoother finish. Since they are spraying the gel coat on there may not be mold release on the red gel coat. They must clean the mold release off after the panel comes out of the mold or maybe they use some kind of mold release that the spray on gel coat can adhere to. On the earlier bodies the mold release and gel coat were sprayed into the mold before the fiberglass and resin were laid in. I'd call FFR and see if there any thing to do to the MKIV body before you sand and grind on it.
Ron
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Racing: "The world's most efficient way to turn money into noise and smoke"
"Think with your dipstick, Jimmy"
"Anybody can BUY a car, only a chosen few build their own"
FFR Challenge car #4182SP Carbed 302, Holley 600CFM, E303 cam, T5, 3 link rear-3:55, Levy wheels, Kumho tires, Fire Safe fuel cell, Griffin race radiator, ISIS wiring system, MSD 6ALN NASCAR ignition, 85 Mustang distributor,
Guys, the show is not in sequence, and remember everything is like a negative when you are working with the molds. At the 29:00 mark where they are working on a 33 Hot Rod hood with rollers the black gelcoat is already in the mold before they start with the glass and resin. At 29:50 they are spraying red gelcoat onto the molds, not resin and cloth, for the underside of roadster trunklids. Look closely and you'll see that the shape is a negative of the actual part; resin and cloth will be applied afterwards. I've done the body on a Mk4---believe me they're waxed.
On my first car, I had the Gel-Coat "No Paint Option" and really liked that all I had to do was remove the mold release seam joints, sand and and buff for a very durable finish.
There was a time I had to have some repairs (warrenty work) done on my trunk. They sanded down through the Gel-Coat and into base material to get rid of the flaw. They applied some filler, and sanded that back to the desired surface then sprayed the entire trunk lid with another coat of Gel-Coat for a smooth finish for the whole panel.
When that was done they sprayed something like a wax over the Gel-Coat. They said that the Gel-Coat needed to be protected from air to properly cure. Thirty minutes later they had a guy with a wool buff go over the trunk to remove that "cure coat" and buff the Gel-Coat into a smooth finish.
That is the only time I saw anyone spray anything on the finsih side of Gel-Coat.
Regards, Rick.
Note: "cure coat" is my term to describe what they did, I can't remember what, if anything, they called it.
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