How to build an instrument panel mold???

[High Country 69]

so after taking the last several months off from working on the avid I'm finally back to it again, scheduled to be in paint the first of the month I'm ready to make my instrument panel and am wanting to use carbon fiber but have no experience with anything like it. from what I've read and the videos it looks to be pretty easy but the part i'm still not sure of is the mold. I was hoping to just cut out the shape I want into a piece of wood attach it to another piece of uncut wood for a backing and use it as a mold, will this work or am I looking at problems. do I paint the wood before applying the wax or just put wax the raw wood?

 

what I'm thinking so far is wood mold- couple coats of wax mold release- PVA - resin - carbon fiber - resin - carbon fiber etc - 4 to 5  coats worth.... does this sound correct? 

 

hope to be flying by May

 

-Robert-

[dholly 718]

Or...

Cut new backing out of .063 aluminum, then cover the panel with 3M’s carbon fiber DI-NOC vinyl from Carbon Fiber Film for a modern/carbon fiber look on the cheap. Carbon fiber DI-NOC™ is not just a printed carbon fiber pattern, but in fact has a three-dimensional texture to it. This allows it to reflect light the same way that real carbon fiber would, making it the best real-world alternative to carbon fiber when you just want the look without paying a ton of money.

Here’s the outcome: http://www.carbonfiberfilm.com/blog/airplane-dash-re-finished-using-3m-di-noc-carbon-fiber-vinyl/

[akflyer 1427]

Do you have a fiberglass dash now?  if so, you have the perfect mold.  Making the mold right is the only way you will have a nice smooth dash.  You can make it out of wood, but you need to fill every nook and cranny and make it as smooth as possible.  Every blemish in the mold will show as a blemish in the dash.  I can't help you on the CF, I have only worked with fiberglass, but I am sure the mold requirements are about the same.

 

[lostman 198]

I just painted my fiberglass panel to make it look like carbon fiber. It actually came out really clean and looks good. If you are starting from scratch I wouldn't hesitate to do what Dholly showed in his post above. I've seen the vinyl carbon fiber look and it comes out very nice and clean. In a lot of ways it's much easier, for sure cheaper and requires much less time to complete. Not to mention that when you work with real carbon fiber it's tough to get it smooth, the lines straight, and everything nearly as clean as the sticker.

 

I build a complete mold and carbon fiber cowling for a BD4. I was into it over 250 hours by the time I had it pulled off the mold, and that didn't count time to fit it to the airframe, do fasteners and the like. Not too many of the lines were straight (due to the way the fabric moves when laying it down), and I was still going to just paint it. The only reason I did it from carbon fiber is that I wanted it strong and very light weight without having to do so many layers.

 

If you really want to go the carbon fiber route you will have to have an extremely perfect mold, whether it be out of wood or your choice of material doesn't really matter. The other option is to go ahead with an aluminum panel and overlay it with carbon fiber. This also works well and you only have to have the one layer to deal with, the backer is already smooth and there is much less hassle to it.

 

I still have one small piece of the carbon fiber I have left from doing that cowl a few years ago and when I rebuild Pursang I plan to use the current panel as a mold and lay it up over the top. It needs to be updated and I'm also installing a transponder and a newer radio so I'll have to fill in a couple places first. At least I already have a good mold for mine, that's the bigger majority of time for creating good pieces. I've worked a lot of fiberglass and it's very similar but you sure don't have to have as many layers to make something rigid and strong with carbon fiber.

 

Keep us updated, I'd love to see what you come up with.

[High Country 69]

My kit came with the nose fuel tank and tiny panel that accompanied it so no i don't currently have a panel to use for a mold. I'm mostly wanting to use CF to keep it light not so much for the look although I do like it. I also already have all of the carbon fiber and resins to go with it so cost at this point is marginal probably even cheaper than buying a piece of aluminum. I remember someone on here a couple years ago did this only using fiber glass but the mold was the same concept I have already cut a mold out of 1" particle board and sanded it so it is already real smooth and will give me a nice 1" deep parameter around the panel. from what little i have found so far it seems that 4 coats of mold release wax and a layer of PVA before doing the layup should? give me a nice smooth finish as the wax should fill in any minor blemishes. does this sound correct to any fiber glass guys... Ed I know you always have some good wisdom to share. thanks for the input

 

-Robert-

[lostman 198]

I guess if you're that far along already then go for it! What weight of carbon fiber cloth do you have? I sure wouldn't think you need more than 3-4 layers if they are laid up with the weave correctly. This stuff gets solid and stiff if you are using the correct resins and cloth.

 

I would personally think that it would be beneficial to paint the mold before laying down the PVA and wax. That way you could have just a little more to help you smooth it out. Paint and then sand some more. Trust me, if you can see something in the mold it will transfer to the final product.

[High Country 69]

so should I paint the mold or just put primer on it and sand the primer. what paint/ primer should I use for the best smoothest results

[Luked 71]

so should I paint the mold or just put primer on it and sand the primer. what paint/ primer should I use for the best smoothest results

 

Hi Robert. I've made quite a few fiberglass parts using gelcoat female molds. The best success I had was when I used this stuff for the plug:

 

http://www.fibreglast.com/product/duratec-gray-surfacing-primer

 

You need a gun to spray it though. It sands to a mirror finish, and works great with a little wax and PVA. If you use regular paint, be sure to put lots of wax on before the PVA.

 

Another option for an easy mold is to use a piece of glass.

[High Country 69]

Luke, thanks for the info I never though about using glass to lay up against this sounds like it may be a good route I will have to look around and see what I can come up with. I could take my mold apart and put the glass between the two pieces. see thats why I love this place so much never fails that someone will have an idea that I never thought of.

 

EDIT: a scrap piece of Lexan should work just as well right? it would be less likely to brake when the mold is in storage in case someone else wants to use it later on.

Edited 14 Mar 2014 by High Country

[Luked 71]

I think Lexan could work. I'd try a small sample to see if the PVA causes any problem with it. I think the reason people like glass (usually fairly thick) is because it is manufactured pretty precisely to be flat (they want it to not be wavy when you look through it). 

 

Edit: another thing you might want to try is a sandwich construction with a layer of CF then some core material, and another layer of CF. For an instrument panel, I would think some aircraft plywood would make a good core because it would be hard enough to put screws through. You could paint the edges of the instrument holes black. This should make a pretty light weight and strong panel.

Edited 14 Mar 2014 by Luked

[EDMO 1078]

I may have more later - right now I aM  exhausted and brain is dead -

DONT USE LEXAN - THE HEAT of the curing resin may warp it - I have warped steel before on auto panels -

If you are just making one instrument panel, then you will be molding the backside onto the support - you don't care what the back looks like.

LaTER - edMO

[EDMO 1078]

I was shoveling the last of about 3000 lbs of extra rock off of my driveway today - now rested, and trying to think more clearly.

Now I get it - this is a FEMALE mold - about 98% of my work was male molds.

You can make a radius in the mold with plaster of paris or something similar like light Bondo, and sand it VERY smooth before painting, waxing, etc. - this will put a nice curve instead of a corner on your I.P.

Here is one option:

First, before you screw your pattern permanently to the backer board, make jigsaw cuts to cut it into 4 pieces - use a filler or plaster of paris to fill the cuts - this is just an easier way to remove the mold, and maybe save your new IP from damage during removal.

paint a layer of resin onto the mold before starting to lay cloth.  Make sure you don't have any bubbles under the layer.

Hope this helps a little.

EDMO