Lance Mold Making - The Process - April  2004 - Redmond Washington           All text and photos © 2004 Douglas Herring www.douglasherring.com     Apologies to those with only dial-up connections....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lance back-end mastered and the support form for casting the silicon in place

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back-end silicon mold was done in two parts...  Note the transparent dome just a quarter inch above the master; for a thin, even silicon mold...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The silicon has cured and been touched up a bit, and the clear dome has been removed and the form readied for the casting of the epoxy support mold...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The epoxy support mold being cast.  Epoxy resin with three layers of fiberglass cloth was used...  Note the wooden legs, to make the final mold easier to use....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The silicon and the epoxy support mold for the first half of the back-end of the lance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first support mold is used as a frame for the creation of both the silicon and the support mold for the other half of the mold...  Note the front-end master is also in this shot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skipping a bit, the two halves of both the silicon and it's support mold are done, casting taking place directly onto PVC pipe.  Clamps hold the two halves in place...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finished versions of the first two painted and striped prototype back-ends, lying next to the lance we are using as a rough model.  Most of the dimensions were changed quite a bit...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sullivan says, time to cast the front-end...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Getting smart in my old age, I cast the silicon for the front end as one big piece, to be cut apart later...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And it works, that is one big hunk of silicon over the master of the front-end...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Support mold for the first half of the front-end... One mistake, not enough support in the middle, it sagged a bit....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Both support molds done for the front-end, with the silicon cut to match the dip in the support mold.  The dip has caused no production problems.  In the background, two prototype front-ends, both cast in foam, one on Schedule 40 PVC, the other on ABS...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Masonite support ring - incorporated into both front and back-ends on all of the prototypes...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first five prototype lances...  some were done on PVC, some on ABS.  Some were done with only foam, some were done with fiberglass outer shells then foam filled.  Both 2 pound and 4.5 pound rigid foam were tested, the latter being far easier to use...  Front and back ends were connected by a wooden handle...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of my prototype lances in action.... light weight....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the aftermath of trying to test how strong it was.  Nothing in a normal joust did any damage, save nicks and scrapes.  This damage was done trying to hit a home run with it, smacking it hard against a very solid object.  The lance passed the test for both weight and strength... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Getting