Vacuum form headlight doors?
Vacuum form headlight doors?
Looking at kamel's ride at http://www.superturbodiesel.com/std/kame...-t-44.html (awesome by the way), it occurs to me that you could easily make a custom cover for the headlight door piece out of styrene.
This way, for almost nothing in weight and difficulty, you could end up with a super custom looking louver setup using the fog light space like kamel did.
Im going to make a vacuum form machine and post back after I try this
Ok, rigged up a basic vacuum form machine, and made a couple of test pieces-
here are a number of pictures of the process-
I modified a couple of old busted door pieces into molds for this experiment. I poured gypsum casting cement into where the fog would be located-
heres a few pics of the former headlight doors, now molds after sanding and shaping-
A couple pics of the vacuum form machine-
Forming process-
Let me go and see if they need any trimming or shaping this next week on some dead cars in my area, then Ill just send this pair to you if you'd like. After all, this whole project is based on your car! PM me your mailing address. The fee would be for you to post back with some pics if you use them!
Ah - thermoforming, that is one process of production we use for the products we make. Looks nice, it looks like you have some experience in this.
(12-06-2009, 11:24 AM)Rudolf_Diesel Ah - thermoforming, that is one process of production we use for the products we make. Looks nice, it looks like you have some experience in this.
(12-06-2009, 11:24 AM)Rudolf_Diesel Ah - thermoforming, that is one process of production we use for the products we make. Looks nice, it looks like you have some experience in this.
(12-07-2009, 02:48 PM)winmutt Seems like a really easy way to make molds for spoilers and what not right?
(12-07-2009, 02:48 PM)winmutt Seems like a really easy way to make molds for spoilers and what not right?
Painting them black would make them look much more natural. Now here's a crazy idea. vacuum forming body panels? possibly even bumpers? hmmmm
that should be the next project for this toy, an A-pillar gauge pod that is actually the right angle for these cars. It would take some considerable shaping and screwing around, but as long as a release is incorporated into it, it should work. Also, I see no reason why we can't make a kind of ghetto version of this taxi dash part- http://www.superturbodiesel.com/std/taxi...t-297.html
That vacuum form table was crappily made at a friends house, my oven is actually a little older and bigger, I am now making mark 2 vacuum form table with some better construction.
I bet you can totally pump out body panels, the machines big enough are just soooo expensive. If you were to make a qualiy mold though, I bet you could take the mold to a facility and have a panel made. I made these pieces out of 8th inch stryrene, and they are pretty stiff and heavy duty.
From what I was reading, the thickness of the material on the flats is reduced by 30% and on the up and downs by 10% when you stretch over a mold. At the same time, the structural integrity of the part is also increased, so things work out, but to make a decently stiff enough body panel, you would have to use at least 1/4 inch or bigger. Ive only gone up to a 1/4 inch in the past.
Still searching for a more recyclable plastic, grade 6 is actually pretty crappy since grade 7 is the hardest to recycle. I cant find a local center that will take grade 6. I want to find something down in grade 2. there is like a 50% waste in plastic, you make a huge pile of garbage in this process.
We use PET (PETG / APET / RPET), PVC, and Polystyrene. We have to grind PS into small chips and send to a recycler. It is not impossible, just a pain. You are probably on the right track with PS, it is more rigid than the other materials, unless you use a really heavy gauge. We run our ovens around 650 degrees more or less depending on the material. If you have ever seen the Simpsons DVD collector series cases, we made those.
Simpsons DVD collector cases! I have seen and own your work
Here are a second set of comparison pics, this time I found a non horrific car to put them on, and painted them. The guy already has kind of a nice look going on, he had the original panels painted a nice grey. Still need to trim them a bit on the bottom, and I was unable to close the hood fully because of engine work taking place, but you get a better idea. If I were to do this, I would remount a set of stand alone fogs either below on on top of the bumper in the same general area. The other option would be to split the space, and put into the mold a provision for smaller newer fog lights in the flat space, with an air intake above-
Ahhhh this is awesome! A while back I ripped the clear panels off the front of the light doors and painted the "fins" flat black, and since then I've been hopping junkyards left and right searching for a really nice set of light doors to steal the clear panels from.
How much for a "replica" clear front piece? for lack of better words lol.
This is great man, thumbs up!
*edit* "a set of clear front pieces" haha
It's certainly different. Personally I like the lights too much to want to lose them. Maybe for relocation to under the bumper.
Kamel, if you want bumpers, fiberglass is pretty easy. I've heard rumors of 'DIY Carbon Fiber' but I have no idea how involved/feasible/still expensive it might be.
I'm thinking of making a panel to replace the sunroof panel. Use the stock piece as the mold, leave about an inch of overlay around the edge and use 3M double sided tape. Or, for us in lovely SoCal and the like - Velcro? Lightweight, gets rid of the tracks, cable, and motor, and with the Velcro you'd still have a sunroof! Wouldn't work in Washington, but in Cali...if you moved you'd just 3M it and maybe do something for a reliable watertight seal (non silicone if you ever want to paint the car and don't want fisheyes everywhere.)
The sunroof panel would fit in an oven...if you make 'em, send me one for the idea!
Please Mr. Drop I need a Pillar Pod for some gauges!!!!!!! FML please!
(01-08-2010, 09:38 PM)CID Vicious I've heard rumors of 'DIY Carbon Fiber' but I have no idea how involved/feasible/still expensive it might be.
(01-08-2010, 09:38 PM)CID Vicious I've heard rumors of 'DIY Carbon Fiber' but I have no idea how involved/feasible/still expensive it might be.
Hey drop would you consider vaccuforming the euro light lenses? I need some without flutting for my next project...
Yeah yeah, what winmutt said!
He's been out giving candy to kids from his van window again, he'll be back once he runs out of snickers bars!
(11-17-2010, 01:20 AM)300D50 He's been out giving candy to kids from his van window again, he'll be back once he runs out of snickers bars!
(11-17-2010, 01:20 AM)300D50 He's been out giving candy to kids from his van window again, he'll be back once he runs out of snickers bars!
Wait, moving!!? What???!?!!!!
You mean we're loosing one of the few properly cared for MB's in NY to RI?
(11-17-2010, 11:41 AM)300D50 Wait, moving!!? What???!?!!!!
You mean we're loosing one of the few properly cared for MB's in NY to RI?
(11-17-2010, 11:41 AM)300D50 Wait, moving!!? What???!?!!!!
You mean we're loosing one of the few properly cared for MB's in NY to RI?
Congrats, sounds like a bundle of savings that could be spent at dervtuning...
What's RI's stance on kit cars? I might have to rent a timeshare for a day each year...
Hey Dropnosky how soon is the move??
And how is your newest acquisition coming along??
I am moving this sat for the second time in a year.... With a weeks notice. Not fun. Of course my move is only 15miles and for many good reasons...
(11-18-2010, 10:56 PM)Silberpfeil Hey Dropnosky how soon is the move??
And how is your newest acquisition coming along??
(11-19-2010, 07:24 AM)winmutt I am moving this sat for the second time in a year.... With a weeks notice. Not fun. Of course my move is only 15miles and for many good reasons...
(11-18-2010, 10:56 PM)Silberpfeil Hey Dropnosky how soon is the move??
And how is your newest acquisition coming along??
(11-19-2010, 07:24 AM)winmutt I am moving this sat for the second time in a year.... With a weeks notice. Not fun. Of course my move is only 15miles and for many good reasons...