Dissolvable Molds

Sacrificial water-soluble molds for building, repairing and modifying composite structures.

Parametric, open-source, designed using ShapeScript.

Dissolvable Surface Mold

Used for making repaired surfaces completely flat and level.  Can serve as a replacement for scotch tape, peel ply, flat pieces of glass, etc.

Printing

Meant to be printed out of PVA.  Thick layers and 100% infill, especially when dealing with epoxy (due to high curing temperature).  You can go down to as low as 10% if you're targeting a flat surface.  Should be scaled in the slicer to perfectly match the size of the damaged area.  For use on curved surfaces, the mold can be bent against neighboring (intact) area and shaped using heat gun.

Usage

1. Apply filler material to the target area;

2. Position the mold on top of the area;

3. Wipe any excess resin that may come out around the edges;

4. Cover with a heating pad to heat-cure the epoxy (optional);

5. Let it cure;

6. Dissolve using water;

Dissolvable Thread Mold

Used for forming threads inside of walls (foam core, honeycomb, wood, thick FRP, etc).

Printing

PVA, 100% infill (or at least 3+ wall loops).  Minimal layer height is crucial for maximum quality, which will directly impact the quality of the resulting female thread.  Random seam position.  You may want to scale it width-wise by 1–2% (not length-wise!) to add extra gap for the male thread.

Usage

1. Inject resin into the pre-drilled tunnel/socket (ideally slightly thickened, mixed in with fibers);

2. Put the thread mold into the tunnel/socket;

3. Align it as close to 90º relative to the surface as possible;

4. Let it cure;

5. Dissolve using water;

Dissolvable Tunnel Mold

Mold for laminating through-holes from the inside, completely waterproofing the core.  Comes in handy for installation of thru-hull fittings, drains, laminating holes for screws, etc.  Eliminates the need for shoulder washers.

Printing

• PVA

• minimal infill %

• thick layers

• random seam position

Usage

1. Cut a hole slightly larger than the desired tunnel diameter;

2. Prepare the surface, let it absorb some resin;

3. Put a couple of tight wraps of resin-soaked fabric around the mold's shaft;

4. Secure the fabric at the tip of the mold using a zip tie, metal wire, or a strong thread;

5. Secure the fabric at the base of the mold the same way (optional);

6. Push the mold wrapped in fabric into the hole;

7. Wait for everything to cure;

8. Cut off the tips with an oscillating multi-tool;

9. Dissolve the mold's core inside the tunnel with water;