Acs_guitars

My Feedback: (3)

I know many of the plane and heli guys do this for canopy and cowl moulding with good results. Has anyone tried this for custom car bodies? I am considering trying this myself to make a Marder body. I can make the plug by modifying a mold of my current body. I plan on making a 2 piece(front clip and main body) design so that the parts will be easier (smaller) to form. I have seen a few make custom bodies with fiberglass, and I have considered that, but vaccum forming is quicker and easier (from what I have seen) once you have the plug made.

Dr Honda

My Feedback: (4)

I’ve done a lot of vacuum forming… but not on a body this big. (1/5th scale) I’ve done it mostly with cowlings and canopies. And yes… once you make a plug that works well… it’s easy to reproduce it again. But you normally have to rework your plug to get it to form correctly. But on the small stuff… it’s cheap enough to throw away a few messed up parts.

But did you have a question about the process? Or were you just expressing a general statement?

avgas

Hi Guys,
Theres a new company in the UK thats making lots of new largescale (offroad and onroad) bodies.
I'll try and find more info, think there called MCB?
The main problem of doing molds for lagescale is the size of the machine you need to pull them, I know in the UK a machine is around £7000 to do Marder shells, and molds are about £300.
Steve

Acs_guitars

My Feedback: (3)

I know the process very well, and even know how to make a hobby grade machine. I am just expressing an idea, and I welcome any suggestions or feedback on the idea. Nothing is even started yet and I am just tossing ideas around other than fiberglass. As for the size of the large scale body - - That is why I would try it in a front and rear piece instead of having one big hard pull, it would be a little more managable.

Dr Honda

My Feedback: (4)

I actually like the idea of a two piece body. You can always run just the nose section to give the car a different look. Or you can have different styles or rear sections… then you can change your look with less cost.

Give it a shot.

Acs_guitars

My Feedback: (3)

That's kind of what I was thinking. There is also the fact that the top of the main body takes the most beating and I could keep the nose and replace the rear atleast 50% of the time. I think I'll give it a shot... It may not be till Spring though as I am getting the Gas-Maxx together right now and will be working on that as soon as all the parts get here. Thanks for the Help on everything Doc!

---- Anyone esle have any input?

quarterscalelegends

Something you may want to think about is that lexan needs to be "dried" before you can do a forming with it or you will get small bubbles in your part. With smaller parts its not such a big deal, but when you run a body it will be noticable. Might want to think of using black poly?

Acs_guitars

My Feedback: (3)

Exactly what is "drying" lexan and what doe it involve? I have not heard that before or maybe just not that term used.

quarterscalelegends

its just heating up the lexan enough to evaporate all the moisture in it. Trick is getting it hot enough to do so and not melt it. It need to sit in the heat for some time also.

MrMikeG

If you use Kevlar cloth and Epoxy resin along with layers of FG cloth you should get a very durable body. Straight FG will crush in a hard bump.

Acs_guitars

My Feedback: (3)

Okay, that is what I had thought. Similar to flashing the surface of ABS and Poly materials to glue them. I will give this a try in the next few months and post some results when I see how it turns out. I'll take my time on the plug and get it perfect before I make the maching to pull it, that way I will be certain of the size table I will need.