This old hippy hates to admit it but I Love Plastics. Been having some summer fun and I just finished making the first two window frames. The old ones were brittle and fell apart when I removed them. I was able to salvage one with that broke into about 4 pieces.
I epoxied the together and mounted it with small flat head screws on a piece masonite. I used bondo to fill in the cracks and fill the screw heads.
I then built a frame around the inside and outside perimeter so as to reduce the amount of plastic that would be needed to make the mold. I sprayed generously with a separator. I calculated the volume needed using a nifty calculator courtesy of Google. I mixed equal amounts of part A and B. I stirred quickly and poured. I thought the videos on youtube were time lapsed and was amazed at how quickly the plastic solidifies. The whole curing from pour to solid was less than 3 minutes.
I waited 2 hours before demolding, that is separating the mold from the original frame.
I cleaned up the mold and finish sanding with 180 grit. When the mold was ready I leveled it out as best I could. I sprayed again with the separator. I recalculated for the volume of the frame and mixed the plastic and poured. To my disappointment when I tried to demold sections of the frame stuck to the mold and I had to gingerly pry it out. It broke in couple of places and left the mold with crusty deposits.
Undaunted I sanded it smooth again and this time used Turtle wax instead of the spray. I poured again and waited two hours. This time the frame came out nice, easy and clean.
I'll need to dewax the frame and paint with plastic paint to match the other gray Beckson ports. I will use these frames a trim on the interior. I will mount the acrylic windows without exterior frames.
All in all I am extremely satisfied with how they turned out.
Now I have to start the whole process over by making a mold for the mirror image.
Here are some picts of the process.
I epoxied the together and mounted it with small flat head screws on a piece masonite. I used bondo to fill in the cracks and fill the screw heads.
I then built a frame around the inside and outside perimeter so as to reduce the amount of plastic that would be needed to make the mold. I sprayed generously with a separator. I calculated the volume needed using a nifty calculator courtesy of Google. I mixed equal amounts of part A and B. I stirred quickly and poured. I thought the videos on youtube were time lapsed and was amazed at how quickly the plastic solidifies. The whole curing from pour to solid was less than 3 minutes.
I waited 2 hours before demolding, that is separating the mold from the original frame.
I cleaned up the mold and finish sanding with 180 grit. When the mold was ready I leveled it out as best I could. I sprayed again with the separator. I recalculated for the volume of the frame and mixed the plastic and poured. To my disappointment when I tried to demold sections of the frame stuck to the mold and I had to gingerly pry it out. It broke in couple of places and left the mold with crusty deposits.
Undaunted I sanded it smooth again and this time used Turtle wax instead of the spray. I poured again and waited two hours. This time the frame came out nice, easy and clean.
I'll need to dewax the frame and paint with plastic paint to match the other gray Beckson ports. I will use these frames a trim on the interior. I will mount the acrylic windows without exterior frames.
All in all I am extremely satisfied with how they turned out.
Now I have to start the whole process over by making a mold for the mirror image.
Here are some picts of the process.
