A question we are regularly asked at FibreGlassDirect is how to make a mould. There are 2 options when it comes to making a mould. The easy way and the long way! Your budget, time and number of products you require, will influence your decision on this.

Before starting, please ensure that your working area has good ventilation and that the appropriate PPE (personal protective equipment) is worn. For more information, please refer to the manufacturer’s MSDS and TDS for each product. If unsure about which products are most suitable, don’t hesitate to contact the FibreGlassDirect team who would be more than willing to help with any mould making queries.

Creating a mould from a product

When making a mould from fibreglass, a plug is used to help create the shape. The plug is the shape of the product you want your mould to create.

The first step in creating a mould from a plug is it to prep the plug! There a number of steps to this as fibreglass cannot

Gelcoat repair is inevitable for the vast majority of boats after a sustained period of time on the sea. Common gelcoat repairs are often applied for spider web cracks or eroded gelcoat to the point where the base laminate is starting to show.

The good news is, the vast majority of gelcoat repairs are easy to undertake and will save you lots of money by repairing them yourself.

Prepping the damaged area for repair

To ensure a successful repair the area must be prepped accordingly.

The first step is to chip or grind down any damaged material and finish feathering the edges with a course sandpaper such as 240-grit. This will give the new layer of gelcoat a suitable are to bond with. Care should be taken to not sand down too far and reach the glass.

Once the area has been sanded down, it should be wiped with 

You can Order Fibreglass Boat Supplies Online Today!

Fibreglass has been used in the Boat Repair industry for many years thanks to its durable and versatile properties. It is used primarily as it is so light weight and strong. During the course of its lifetime, all fibreglass boats will undergo maintenance to keep the boat looking its best and to ensure maximum protection. Common boat repairs undertaken by the customers of FibreGlassDirect are in relation to small cracks, gelcoat discolouration and patching small holes.

For the purposes of this boat repair article we will focus on patching a small hole in a fibreglass boat.

What materials do you need?

• Resin (

Conventional Gelcoat application for open moulding

Source: CCP Cook Composites and Polymers Co, 2009 Composites Applications Guide, Eleventh Edition.

INTRODUCTION

Proper application of gelcoat is critical to producing cosmetically appealing and durable parts. Improperly applied gelcoat increases the cost of the part. The amount of additional cost incurred depends on the number of rejected parts as well as the effort required to rework the parts. Making the investment of properly applying the gelcoat can pay big dividends by reducing rework and scrap. Proper gelcoat application includes material preparation, equipment calibration, use of trained spray operators and appropriate spray methods.

OVERVIEW

A conventional gelcoat is applied with spray equipment. Brushing of gelcoats is not recommended. The following information assumes that the proper gelcoat spray equipment has been