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Thank you!!! Glad you're enjoying!!
I totally appreciate this looks messy and archaic. It is! While I'm building these molds so they would be stout enough for reuse, they are still done with less attention to detail than normal as the final parts will be covered with leather so hyper clean molds is trumped here by get'n it done. Parts will be stout and clean. More pics of the molding process. More flanges and gelcoat below. For sure brushing gelcoat, instead of spraying, is less than ideal. Again, still good just not the exact proper process. All three of these will be 3-4 piece molds. Attachment 81763 Attachment 81764 Attachment 81765 |
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Fiberglass mat doesn't like to fold 90 degrees without leaving air pockets. You can use fiberglass cloth in those cases but another path that I like is using "chop strand". Basically just chopped up glass in various lengths, in this case I'm using 1/8". When I make the actual parts, these 90's will also be a problem and I will use an even finer version which is basically fiberglass powder.
Attachment 81766 You just mix it with catalyzed resin, ending up with a wet paste and then brush it into the corners. Quickly and rough, no science. Attachment 81767 Then lay mat on top of that and squeegee out the air bubbles with a brush and a roller. This will force the paste into the corners and small areas. You can see it here, sorta darker. But note how the mat is very flowing and there aren't hard bends. This will be very solid with no air pockets. Attachment 81768 |
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Molds done. On the second pic, you can see where I got the gelcoat to thin on the flange of the center piece. No big deal, won't even fix it as it's on the flange of these one time use molds! The rest is good enough for these parts.
Attachment 81786 Attachment 81787 Attachment 81788 I know it seems like a lot of work for molds that will only be used once and for sure these molds are a long way from being perfect but they are straight, flat and stiff. They will make great parts. More to come in the next few days. Attachment 81789 |
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Gelcoat sprayed in molds.
Attachment 81816 Attachment 81817 Parts laminated and fresh out of the molds. A bit of clean up needed but the parts came out as planned. Attachment 81818 Attachment 81819 Attachment 81820 Attachment 81821 |
Nice work as always, John!
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Thanks Trey!!
Parts mostly cleaned up and ready for the interior shop to cover with leather. Still not sure what I will cover the metal center with, time will tell. Mounted the AC controls, other switches coming soon. Attachment 81825 Attachment 81832 Attachment 81826 Attachment 81831 Attachment 81827 Attachment 81828 Attachment 81829 Attachment 81830 |
Great job as usual.
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GPS/Track mounted.
Attachment 82066 Attachment 82067 Switches mounted, 3D printer ordered, cover for switches coming soon. These are from Iron Works in Bakersfield CA. I did modify them a bit to prepare for the cover I will print, trying to keep it tight so the maximum amount of the handle portion of the switch is exposed. Just the handle will poke through, not the entire switch, so I had to machine the switch down a bit. Started with a mill but it was risky to clamp so built a jig and went old fashion with a bandsaw. Attachment 82068 Attachment 82069 |
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Hope everyone is doing well!
Final sand on the dash before prep'n for the mold. Attachment 82133 Embracing the chaos and messiness of making the flanges for the mold. Looking like this mold will be somewhere around 20 sections. Rattle can black appliance epoxy to seal up the bondo and primer. Attachment 82134 Rough and quick is the only way to describe this process right now. Hot glue, scrap wood are your friends to hold down the sign makers plastic! Attachment 82135 |
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