I wouldn't

Buy the release wax and do it right..Its cheap enough.

Now you could use candle wax I bet..at least until your release wax shows up.

Frank
 
Hairspray

Waaaaaaaaaaaay back in the day we used to use Johnson's paste was as a mold release. Dad had a fiberglass plant and we made septic tanks and water tanks for much of Northern AZ using a chopper gun shooting onto gel-coated molds - all polyester resin. Worked great and it was dirt cheap.

I suspect about any type of wax will work for epoxy, but I'd still use a film release like Partall PVA or equivalent.

If you want a quick and dirty cheap and locally available solution, use hairspray.

George
 
mold release

As a mold release, I use wide cellophane packaging tape which works swell even over compound curves. I prefer the colored over the clear as the desired area limits are more obvious while laying up. All my fairings were made from scratch using this method along with modeling clay and poster board (cereal box material works too). All residue was removed with lacquer thinner including dissolving clay in tight places. All purchased for pennies and locally available with no shipping or delay.

Dick DeCramer
RV6 N500DD flying
RV4 N149KC flying
RV8 Wings & Tail complete, Fuselage on hand
Northfield, MN
 
Another option is...um....err... "personal lubricant". (At least that was my excuse when the wife found it in my tool box).:D Make sure it's the water soluble non-silicone type. Seems to work pretty well and washes off easily. Some of us really love our planes!
 
Release Stuff

If using a wax release agent I'd buy a product made for it. Virtually all automotive waxes contain silicone to make them more water resistant etc. That stuff and glass don't go together if you ever want to paint it. :)
 
grjtucson said:
Waaaaaaaaaaaay back in the day we used to use Johnson's paste was as a mold release. Dad had a fiberglass plant and we made septic tanks and water tanks for much of Northern AZ using a chopper gun shooting onto gel-coated molds - all polyester resin. Worked great and it was dirt cheap.
George
Click to expand...

Johnson's Paste Wax is still my release agent of choice. It is PURE carnuba wax and works great. I will put on four to six coats, allowing each coat to dry and buffing with flannel before putting on the next coat. If I have a valuable plug I will then spray a coat of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA).
 
I knew about using wax but was curious about something I could quickly and easily spray and would work especially when working with a mold.

Thanks for the input.

Glenn Wilkinson
 
curious about something I could quickly and easily
Click to expand...

This term is not synonamous with fiberglass work. Any time you save by taking shortcuts on glass work will be lost when redoing it.
 
WD 40 & paint

I understand the paint shops say you will never be able to remove it from any surface when its time to paint. Paint shops don't allow it in the building.
 
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