mould progressing..

The main section of the mould is now smoothed and and filled so just needs polishing before it can be used.

I'm working the hat rim for the mould out of MDF using shims to build up a downward profile at the front and back with cut aways to make an upward one at the sides.

The next step is to fix the rim to the main mould section in such a way as it can be easily released and then the mould needs to be split in a diagonal direction so that the finished hat can be extracted. This shouldn't take too long to do when I actually get round to it with all the other things going on.

toodle pip.

Tophat?

We've all had it, walking down the street and suddenly...

"Damn, I could really do with a Carbon Fibre tophat right about now..."

Well I'm now here to save the day (because I'm bored and want a tophat).

This took me a while to figure out but in the end I've settled on a split mould made from layered MDF propper Mr Stewart DT stylee.

The mould will be split to allow extraction of the finished hat and will screw together along with the base and rim for manufacture. The top of the hat will be slightly concave and the sides shaped to achieve character which would otherwise be lacking.

My circular saw packed in half way through the first cut so I had to finish the rest by hand, at least it kept me warm.

The jig saw kicks up a lot of dust which I don't like having to cough up of an evening, not to mention oesophageal cancers and the like.

Mould laminates get stuck together before being weighted down for curing.

This project is something I'm doing in my spare spare time after my day to day job as a chemical process engineer in the aerospace industry and "EST" helmets, a start up venture which can be seen here:

www.nogginlovin.blogspot.com

Enjoy

francis