I have been asked how I do molding .

LAST EDITED ON Nov-29-04 AT 05:03 PM (CST)
 
Here is a quick run down but I am sure Al Rabe or Bob Hunt could explain it better.
Lofting from a set of drawings is always my first choice but if not there are other ways.

First I build the fuse sides. So you have a out line of it. Next I cut a 1/4 X however wide X however long piece of Bass wood for mold bottom. Back that up with a spine. Transfer outline to bass wood. Cut to shape. Transfer bulkhead locations to mold bottom.

Now for the tricky part. Loft out bulkheads and make two of each. One to be glued to fuse bulkheads and the other to be treated with CA sanded to shape. Then glued to mold bottom.
I have been using Pink foam insulation. You must place the foam between bulkheads carve and sand to shape. After sanding coat with POLYCRILIC water based polyurethane.

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After completion of mold use a seamstress measuring tape to find how wide the wood has to be. Using straight edge true up wood and glue together. Make sure you don't put a glue joint in a tight bend. Soak the wood in the hottest water you can get. ( some people use ammonia in the water I don't)

Have a friend help you with the next part. Starting at one end lay the wood on the mold . Start wrapping with a ACE bandage. For extreme compound curves you will have to relief cut the wood. Do so in the shape of a triangle. Wrap tight as you can get it with in reason. (You can also use bed sheets torn in 1 inch strips for wrapping) Let dry for a few days. Now when you take it off the mold it will be cut open in the places you relived it. put wax paper on mold buck. .02 carbon fiber is used to tie the joint back together. Place wood back on the mold and use CA to glue back together.

This has been a quick run down on how to mold. It's a little more involved than I can write about. There are a few tapes out there on how to do it. Bob Hunt and Al Rabe have them. My advice is to buy someone's before attempting this undertaking. Good Luck All.

Below are shot of the bucks I made for T-Bolt 2 months ago.