Requires MEKP catalyst (not included).
Easy Composites' Uni-Mould system is a universal composite mould making system ideally suited to medium to large sized composite moulds. Moulds made using Uni-Mould are fully compatible with all widely used resin systems (including epoxy, polyester and vinylester). Important Note, MEKP is not automatically included with this kit because of shipping restrictions.
For further information see our Uni-Mould Advantages and Laminating Guide.
In this complete kit we include a the full Uni-Mould system include Tooling Gelcoat, Coupling Coat and Tooling Resin, along with the right amount of 100g chopped strand mat for the coupling coat and 450g chopped strand mat for the main reinforcement. Also an optional addition to the kit is the correct amount of MEKP catalyst (see Transport Info tab for important information), a plastic finned laminating roller, a pack of nitrile gloves and laminating brushes.
Suitable Pattern Materials/Compatibility
The Uni-Mould system has a vinylester gelcoat which will be in direct contact with your pattern so it is very important to check that your pattern is made from, or coated with, a material that will not be attacked from the styrene solvent in the gelcoat.
Paint Finished Patterns/Original Parts
It is common to create moulds from existing panels that have been painted but in these situations, extreme caution must be paid to ensure that the gelcoat will release from, and not attack, the paint finish.
The main causes of problems with paint-finished parts are:
- Solvents still coming out of fresh paint/fillers affecting the release agent
- Styrene in the gelcoat softening vulnerable paints/finishes
Most factory paint finishes will be oven-cured industrial 2k paint and will not be leaching solvents or be attacked by styrene in the gelcoat but fresh paint, 'rattle-can' paints, filler primers and polyester bodyfillers can all be problematic.
Whilst paints make a tempting option to finish original patterns, or modified/refinished components, rattle-can ‘1k’ paints, or rattle-can 2k paints which have not been oven cured, will almost always result in a release problem or complete release failure.
If your pattern or original part has a paint finish, it is essential to conduct a small test to establish whether you will get a proper release.
A far more reliable alternative to traditional paint is to use our Pattern-Coat Hi-Gloss which is a two-part polyester resin system designed specifically for finishing patterns prior to mould making.
New Composites Patterns
For new composite patterns, the most reliable surface would our Pattern-Coat Primer or Pattern Coat Hi-Gloss. Both of these coatings will provide both a high quality surface finish and a trouble free release of the mould.
Uni-Mould is known to work with the following pattern/barrier materials:
Further Information
Other Materials You May Need
Our Uni-Mould Starter Kit does not include any release agent so when purchasing the kit, if you don't have any release agent already you might want to consider purchasing Mould Release Wax, PVA or Chemical Release Agent depending on your requirements. For most pattern making materials, such as Pattern-Coat Primer/Gloss, epoxy resin, sealed tooling board, we would recommend CR1 Easy-Lease Chemical Release Agent. Please check the compatibility of your chosen release agent with the materials used for your pattern/original part.
When taking moulds off original parts you will generally need a sheet material to extend the part or make 'barriers' around the edge of the part; for this we would recommend either Polypropylene Sheet or Fluted Sign Board.
Taping over holes and features on an original part is best done using Flash/Release Tape and smoothing tight corners to create softer radiuses is best done using Filleting Wax.
International Shipping
Due to its highly corrosive and oxidising nature, The MEKP Included in this kit is NOT available for shipping to any destination other than mainland UK (when shipping from the UK warehouse or mainland EU when shipping from our EU warehouse). MEKP is however a standard chemical and should be available from any local fibreglass supplier.
Use with Prepregs
Although it is possible to use Uni-Mould moulds with out-of-autoclave (oven cure) prepregs (such as XPREG® XC110) we no longer recommend Uni-Mould moulds for this purpose.
Instead – for prepreg use – better results will be achieved using high temperature epoxy moulds made using our EG160 / EMP160 tooling system or XPREG® XT135 Tooling Prepreg. These high temperature epoxy tooling systems allow the prepreg to be cured at the optimum 120°C which reduces the cure time and improves the mechanical properties of the component. Additionally, epoxy tools have been found to result in a better surface finish with prepregs such as XPREG® XC110.
Kit Size and Contents
The kit is available in two sizes; regular and large. Please choose the size you want from the drop-down menu at the top of the product listing.
For a full list of what's included in each kit, along with the estimated mould area for each kit, see below:
| Regular Kit (0.7sqm) | Large Kit (3.3sqm) |
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Estimated Mould Area | 0.7sqm | 3.3sqm |
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Uni-Mould Tooling Gelcoat | 1kg | 5kg |
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Uni-Mould Coupling Coat | 1kg | 5kg |
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Uni-Mould Tooling Resin | 5kg | 25kg |
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100g Chopped Strand Mat | 2sqm | 7sqm |
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450g Chopped Strand Mat | 2kg | 7kg |
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MEKP Catalyst (OPTIONAL UK MAINLAND ONLY) | 125g | 1kg |
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Plastic Finned Laminating Roller | 50mm Width | 75mm Width |
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Laminating Brush | 2x 2" | 2x 3" |
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Nitrile Gloves | 5 pairs | 10 pairs |
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