Hi Dave
The amount of pulls you can get from a mold depends on what type of gel coat you use to make the mold .If you use regular gel coat you can get 20-25 hulls before it needs repair of replacing .If tooling gel coat is used I am told you could get over 100 .If I ever sell that maney I will know for sure .
Either way I keep the plug and when its time I can just make another mold .
If you are not living on the edge then you are taking up to much space
Thanks Richard . I am always amazed at the quality of the mouldings I see . I know of course its all in the hard work of preparation and the importance of a good plug as you have shown so well .Another question , how long do you leave the model in the mould for . It has been mentioned to me that if you pull to soon from the mould there is a chance that the hull could distort , is this a real problem .
Dave Wooley
Hi Dave
It all depends on things like temp at the time vs the amount of hardener that was used .It is all temp related .Under a ideal situation I leave it in the mold for twenty-four hr then remove it .After that I put it back in the mold and let it sit for three to five days .If this is not done then yes it can warp .
If you are not living on the edge then you are taking up to much space
Hi All
My wife is in the hospital so I haven't done much .I did spray PVA on the stern .While that is drying I installed the bolts that will hold the mold together when I make a hull .The port side mold support was drilled on my milling machine so the holes would be 90 degrees to the wood .Then I used a hand drill to drill through the starboard side using the starboard side as a guide .
1/4" carrage bolts are used so they will become inbedded in the wood .I put epoxy glue on the heads also .
1/4' carrage bolts are used to hold the mold together when it's time to make a hull. I put epoxy glue on the heads first .
Flat wasers and nuts installed on starboard side .If all the bolts were not straight ,then the mold would not come appart and if it did it would not go back together again .
If you are not living on the edge then you are taking up to much space
boy oh boy richard,the amount of work you are putting into the mould is amazing.the hulls that come out of it are going to be beautiful.i wait with baited breath to see the results
Phil
If the plug was fully cured and there is enough release wax on the plug ,then it should pop out any time .( should ) My wife is out of the hospital and is flying around on her broom . Thanks for asking .
If you are not living on the edge then you are taking up to much space
Hi All
I had to order more tooling gel coat to finish the stern .UPS just dropped it off so this weekend I will start laying matt on the stern on one piece .In the backround is my next project PG-50 Gunboat Erie in 1/48 .
I used this grinder to trim the edge of the mold .
Port side trimed
If you are not living on the edge then you are taking up to much space
richard i agree with norbert and dave,by following this thread one can pretty well learn how to build i glass hull.you make it look easy i know it is not my fiberglassing efforts usualy ends up with my hands getting most of the glass fibers.one thinks you can just smoth things a bit by hand and then you know the outcome,fuzzy sticky hands
Thanks Norbert
I have the sixth and final coat of matt on the stern .It will set up for five days then with any luck the mold will come apart. Wish me luck !
If you are not living on the edge then you are taking up to much space
I am watching with great interest in this as I plan to make a mould for my DDE. I belive that you are spraying the gelcoat on in several layers (3?) I had read that if you use 2 or more you risk having the gelcoat wrinkle. Have you had that problem? I am planning to brush on the gelcoat as my compressor does not have the CFP to use a spray gun much bigger than my airbrush and I have to keep the hobby expenses within the acceptable limits of the CO.(she never reads these posts )
Keep up the excellent posting.
James W.
Dry docked:
1/72 HMCS Assiniboine DDE 234-1960
1/72 HMCS Ottawa DDE 229-1960
1/72 HMCS St. Catharines-River Class Frigate-1944
On the slipway:
1/72 HMCS Camrose-Flower Class Corvette-1943
1/72 HMCS Trillium-Flower Class Corvette-1942
My wife is out of the hospital and is flying around on her broom . 
Wish me luck ! 
)