Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...pswkatjnqz.jpg

Got one side of the mold poured.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Amazing how the home protectors will eat the leg off the ups guy but a little RC and they are tucking their tails!! Lol!!!

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

where's the tire??? you should see half a tire in there

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Have been thinking about your mold making and tire making project. If memory serves me correctly- don't bet on it!!- you can put your mold in the vacuum chamber as it cures so that it won't distort if you put the completed mold in the vacuum chamber with resin in it to mold the tire. This way all of the trapped air is removed from both the mold and the resin for the tire. I am sure this is what Alumalite recommends. Never purchased a vacuum chamber as I tried to stick to open or 1 sided molds. I do remember them saying that you need to use the vacuum chamber for all phases of the process. Just using the vacumm on the mold silicon and the resin before molding is not enough to get ALL of the air out. The vacuum must be used during the curing time to remove any trapped air accumulated during the pouring process. Modelman's pouring vents also help a lot.

Hope that this might help.

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I don't know why I don't visit this thread more often, so much new additions since the last time I checked in!:eek:

The dozer, excavator.....everything, just awesome! Especially the scratch-built scissorneck I'm digging that short wheel base Aeromax daycab.....looks perfect!:)

Keep up the awesome work!

-Alex

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Thanks, it's a hobby that is constantly changing from making brass cylinders to programming radios, to now trying to make tires!!! It's a fun ride :)

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Getting ready to check on last nights pour of my first mold. Have to wait till Monday to pour second half, didn't get enough material first time. And to clear up some confusion on the type of mold making I'm doing , I am doing a two piece open pour mold. Silicone mold resin casting. (Silicone rubber) the process I am doing does not require degassing of mold material but is recommended. The process of degassing is not the same as vacuume molding. This is not vacuume molding. I am using the casting method. All the vacuume that I am using is for materials prior to being poured. When materials are mixed air may be introduced to material. If material is degassed(vacuumed) for about 90 second it allows the trapped air in mixed material to be removed. Then the material is poured into mold. The mold is NOT vacuumed during the final casting process. The material used in making the mold is not as critical as the actual casting (part) resins in the degassing nature. But having well placed vent holes are in the casting application is. So it looks like earliest results will be Wednesday.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Coop I worked on some of this kind of molding years ago and things have changed big time but I'm with bigford, unless you cut your pattern in half in the tread centerline and its laying cut side face down why aren't we seeing half the tire sticking out of your first mold pour?

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I guess I was just posting progress pics :)

This is the first half of mold poured last night. Have to let first half cure before second half gets poured. I should have taken a picture of the clay base. In the first pic the mold box has 3/4" of clay the tire is resting on. Then clay up the sides to centerline of tread pattern. Also why I choose a tread pattern to make mold simpler. The pink is the mold material poured onto half the tire.

In the second pic I removed the mold box, and removed the clay. Some more cleaning and then a release agent, then second half of mold will be poured onto that. Making a complete two part mold. Pour holes and vent holes will be added. And that is the ugly side of tire that will always be facing inward so not as much time spent on smoothing out all the little lines.

I choose to make the mold this way as it seemed more uniform. I guess I could have made the first half with the plugs on bottom and not went the clay rout. Eather way it's the same.

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Actually the second half will not have vent or pour holes. It will be poured as is. Once the mold is cured I will cut holes from the mold cavity side. Just using a piece of tubing to cut a couple circular holes. This way I don't have to worry about attaching anything and can precisely locate them where I want. I'll post the progress as I go :).

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what have we told you about posting pic out of order!!!!! bad cooper you confused us

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Yeah Coop we'll have to have my shop Forman have a chat with your shop Forman!:cop::lol::lol::D

http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/...psy4ulotwo.jpg

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And then we definately wouldn't get anything done!!!! Lol!!!!! Kind of funny, last night after I poured the mold I left heat on in garage and closed up. Then before I went to bed I had to go out and check the mold,,,, found the cat sitting next to it looking odd!!! Don't know if I interrupted what was about to happen or if I just saved myself cleaning silicone off a giant hairball with teeth!!! Might even have found a cat poop mold in the morning!!

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http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psl3qz8qhf.png

Well I bit the bulled and found a 785d 1:50 scale model to base this build off. Pricey little buggers!! Found one for a little over one bill!! Just some size comparisons. I'm building the one in middle. Some big pieces of equipment on our planet!!! I have never been up close to anything bigger than a 777, but that was impressive. Might have to take a ride up to coal country, but don't know if any 797s are around here.

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I seen this picture a couple of days ago, kinda puts it all in perspective, the size difference is amazing.

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I think.......that giant hairball just wanted to help you make the worlds first Cooper/Cat tyre :cool:

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Lol!!! I'm just really glad I went and checked on it. I didn't know cat was still in garage!! Just imagine going out in morning and seeing the cat all matted in hardened silicone , possibly laying in the mold box!! We would have one of those hairless cats!! Ya know,,,,, it may be fun shaving that cat,, all but his head feet and tail!!! Oh great, more work to do in the shop,,, shaving a cat.


(All yours reg!!)

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We have a hobby shop/ raceway about 45 minutes from here. They have a large orange tabby that they shave to look like a lion and he does, if you like cats he's is really cool looking.

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Ummmm.... Too easy.lol

...silicone and a shaved kitty.... Sounds like a party!