Howlor
|
| posted on 15/12/06 at 06:52 PM |
|
|
Buck manufacture
I wish to make a fibreglass 1/3 scale car for a project. What is the best way of making such a buck as it will be very curvy.
Polystyrene then shape it? What would I then cover it with before making the mould?
Wood?
How do I model it to be perfect or is it just a case of an accurate eye and hand?
Very new to this so all ideas welcome!
Thanks,
Steve
|
|
|
|
|
suparuss
|
| posted on 15/12/06 at 07:11 PM |
|
|
personally i would use foam or polystyrene as timber takes much longer to shape and requires more tools and specific skill to use.
if using polystyrene just bear in mind that it reacts with polyester resin so you would have to seal it with epoxy resin before taking your mould from
it. polyuerethane foam doesnt react with polyester resin and takes a much smoother suface too. make sure you get the crushable stuff not the spongey
stuff as the bubbles make it harder to shape and doesnt get a smooth surface. foam also doesnt expand or contract under varying temperatures and
humidities like wood does. when sealing foam- use a thin layer of glass to make the surface stronger and less vulnerable to damage. sand the glass
smoothish, then a coat or two of gel coat sanded and polished to a glass finish should do the trick. then obviously the several coats of wax and/or
pva release stuff.
thats what i intend to do for my middy and im a joiner by trade.
for accuracy and simmetry you could build one half of the buck and then use that to make templates at key points both longitudinally and latteraly to
form the other side. or if you have a 3d cad programme with you design in there you can print out templates.
hope i helped!
Russ.
[Edited on 15/12/06 by suparuss]
|
|
|
Howlor
|
| posted on 15/12/06 at 07:15 PM |
|
|
Russ,
Perfect thanks.
Steve
|
|
|
BenB
|
| posted on 16/12/06 at 12:14 AM |
|
|
You could make templates as mentioned using CAD then if using styrene make up a hot wire saw to cut the sections (reasonably easy to make a simple 18v
hot wire controller). Making hard ply / ali templates and sanding between them also works though it's slower and less accurate... A little bit
of sanding and as previously documented the epoxy and gel coat shenanigans.....
|
|
|
Hammerhead
|
| posted on 16/12/06 at 10:42 AM |
|
|
hi, I am making custom bodywork for my MK Indy, and I will be using closed cell foam, which is basically insulation sheets that can be obtained from
b&q etc. Make sure you use a dust mask as the dust particles are barbed (when viewed under a microscope) so they stick well to lungs!!
I have a degree in product design and this was the prefered method of mould making. I have used mdf before, as I needed to vacuum form and styrene
would not take the pressure. So as an alternative its ok, but more work.
Good luck.
|
|
|
robertst
|
| posted on 16/12/06 at 11:44 AM |
|
|
i found out chicken wire, a bit of paper mache, then plaster all over it makes the easiest mold as the plaster can be filed to a smooth surface,
of course plaster is porous so it might need to be coated with some filler before starting with the GRP stuff.
Tom
|
|
|
