I tried making a fiberglass mold for concrete baluster, but the fiberglass keeps seperating from the baluster at the contour edges. Can someone please help me on making one or can I buy the fiberglass mold already made. I bought a plastic mold but after making about 5 balusters, the mold already has a lot of abrasion. I brushed a good amount of diesel oil onto the mold but abrasion anyway. I think it would be best if I can purchase the fiberglass mold.
Sorry for the long details. Thank you in advance. Jim
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Jim , it is very difficult to get fiberglass to bend at a 45 degree corner .The glass will always pop away and leave an air space which ruins your mold . What you have to do is some how fill in the space with putty / bondo etc before adding the fiberglass . It has to have a more rounded edge to it so the glass can grab without separating . When we have this problem at work , we mix some resin with putty and brush it over the area and then fiberglass it before it hardens so the glass imbeds itself into the putty.
I think cement would tear up a regular plastic mold before long . Good luck . Rick
It is hard to lay fiberglass in a 45 or for that matter any angle. The easy way that I have found is just to do the coners fist, we lay the coners 2 layers at a time, yes it takes a while, but the more glass you lay the harder it is to work. Once your fist layers are on, and start to ger hot the rest will go a lot faster. Filler is another option, but it will not be as strong as fiberglass. The coners is were you will need the strangth
Thank you for your responses. I like to cast the mold with fiberglass only for toughness. Would it be OK if I use this method? I brush one layer of resin only without fiberglass and let it dry. I apply subsequent layer of resin only until the edges are almost gone. From there I will use fiberglass. Would this work? Can I apply the next layer on top of the dried one? Would it bond well? Sorry, I'm a novice. Again, much obliged
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http://www.balaustresdelvalles.com is a company specialized in the manufacture of balustrades ( balustrade ) of concrete and molds ( moulds ) for balusters ( baluster ). Baluster balustrades banisters balustrade balustres balustre balustern Balustradengeländer bauelemente baluster balustraden balaustrate balaustre balaustra balaustrata concrete ciment Beton cemento calcestruzzo molds mold moulds mould moules moule Form Formen stampi stampo
I willl like to now how to create a fiberglass mould. I paid a guy 100 bucks to make a simple mould for me recently and I will to learn it myself.