Author Topic: Fibreglass and things  (Read 10722 times)

Furrari

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Fibreglass and things
« on: May 22, 2018, 11:51:49 AM »
Going back about four years to when I first had the current Furrari I had a rattle at the back.  This was finally tracked down down to the ( Mk1) calipurr support bracket.  DNA provided me with an upgraded set of brackets which were also fitted to later West Coasts.

Step forwards to quite recently, a familiar rattle returned.  The MOT was due the next week so while it was up on the ramp we had a look.   The brackets were OK but the calipurr itself was broken where it joined the bracket.

I just happen to have one original calipurr moulding and was going to use that but talking to various people at The Stoneleigh show it seems that we need about 10 of these in the club.  It would seem reasonable to see if we could reproduce these.

The stuff to make a mould has been ordered.  I’m debating how to do the calipurrs themselves.  The originals are made of PU but the equipment you need is quite expensive so I think GRP is my first choice.

Watch this space to see how we progress.

How hard can it be.
« Last Edit: May 22, 2018, 12:04:40 PM by Furrari »
Not all problems can be solved with gaffer tape.  For those there is WD40.
Not even gaffer tape can fix stupid, but it can mask the sound.

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Furrari

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Re: Fibreglass and things
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2018, 09:51:47 AM »
The first lot of stuff is in and the original moulding has been waxed.  Some people say you need three coats of wax, some up to ten.  I’m new to this so it’s had ten.

As the original has opposing dimples it will have to be a two part split mould so they won’t mechanically lock together.  Just waiting for the polypropylene sheet ( is 3mm sheet or plate?) for the split flanges.  Probably won’t arrive before Ragley but I can start the template for the flanges.
Not all problems can be solved with gaffer tape.  For those there is WD40.
Not even gaffer tape can fix stupid, but it can mask the sound.

If you can’t buy it or steal it you have to make it.

Furrari

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Re: Fibreglass and things
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2018, 03:54:40 PM »
If anybody wants to see how moulds are made there are lots of vids on YouTube.  This is just what I’ve done.

Using a paper template I’ve made a barrier from 3mm polypropylene about half way along the calipurr and held it in position with some mould wax.  I’ve used more wax to seal the barrier to the caliper with it built up on one side and as flush as I could get on the other.  On the flush side I’ve put some squares of wax, cut at 45degrees to give a register for the two mould halves to mate together later.

I’ve given the this half a couple of coats of PVA mould release.  Put on one coat, wait for it to dry, tacky but dry enough for nothing to come off on your fingers.  Put the second coat on.   Let it dry for 24 hours(ish).
Not all problems can be solved with gaffer tape.  For those there is WD40.
Not even gaffer tape can fix stupid, but it can mask the sound.

If you can’t buy it or steal it you have to make it.

Furrari

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Re: Fibreglass and things
« Reply #4 on: June 24, 2018, 05:20:52 PM »
The calipurr job is on hold as I’m having a go with carbon fibre.

I’m not sure if this post should go here or on “well that didn’t work” ; but maybe it did.

I’ve got one or two jobs I want to do in CF finish.  After a local quote of £240 to dip the panel I want in CF finish ( with me doing the rubbing down) I thought I’d have a go at making a carbon fibre panel myself.

 First, what weave do I want.?  I ordered several CF samples and some resin and some bagging material.  Stuck the samples onto a bit of ABS board.  Applied the resin, the peel ply, the breather cloth and the vacuum bag.  Connected it to the vacuum tank and pump ( I already had these, as you do) and vacuumed these for a couple of hours and then left it all to cure over night.

This morning I tried to remove the bagging from the board.  The vacuum bag came off OK but when I tried to remove the peel ply it took the samples off with it.  Seems that ABS is not a good material to stick to and I had rubbed it down to too good a finish.  It needs to be rubbed down with 180 grit, and I used 400.

Not to worry, I was still able to put another coat of resin on to see what I liked and what suited the CF dip I already have.  So CF ordered.

What am I making?  Watch this space.  It’s big and if it works I’ll have a lot more to do.

M
Not all problems can be solved with gaffer tape.  For those there is WD40.
Not even gaffer tape can fix stupid, but it can mask the sound.

If you can’t buy it or steal it you have to make it.

Furrari

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Re: Fibreglass and things
« Reply #5 on: June 26, 2018, 04:14:42 PM »
As the weather is a bit hot to use the epoxy resin I went back to the calipurr mould.  Made the mix with just 1% hardener and it still set in about 20 mins. ( should take about an hour and a half).  Layered it up on the second part of the mould.  Let it set for about an hour ( usually I let it set overnight.). Drilled the bolt holes ( to clamp the two halves together later). Separated the mould from the pattern.  Separated the two halves.

RESULT. I now have a split mould for making West Coast calipurrs.

I’ll trim the furry bits around the edges and the sharp bits from the outside of the mould later.  I’ll practice a bit with vacuum bagging carbon fibre before I make my first CF moulding from this mould but things are looking good.
« Last Edit: June 26, 2018, 04:26:45 PM by Furrari »
Not all problems can be solved with gaffer tape.  For those there is WD40.
Not even gaffer tape can fix stupid, but it can mask the sound.

If you can’t buy it or steal it you have to make it.

MADMAN

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Re: Fibreglass and things
« Reply #6 on: June 27, 2018, 12:47:18 AM »
Well done Furrari.
MADMAN

kalifornia

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Re: Fibreglass and things
« Reply #7 on: June 27, 2018, 10:16:50 AM »
Good Work

Lee22

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Re: Fibreglass and things
« Reply #8 on: June 27, 2018, 09:00:00 PM »
Well done Mick
Looks good 👍🏻

Furrari

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Re: Fibreglass and things
« Reply #9 on: June 28, 2018, 08:47:46 AM »
Before I move on to a big project I though I could do with some practice so I decided to cover the fuse box cover; nobody will see it if all goes wrong.

Learning from my previous errors ( that’s what errors are for) I roughed up the surface with 120 grit and cleaned it to remove any dust.  I covered the surface with a black epoxy base coat and left it to set to a tacky surface.  Once it had set to the tack I covered it in the carbon fibre.  I’m using a material called pro-finish 'cos it’s suposed to be non-fray.  It’s not!  I’m laying it up to form a V patern.  After laying the CF I covered it in clear epoxy resin and it looked very good.  After covering it I bagged it up with the peel ply, separation ply, breather ply and vacuum bag, switched on the vacuum pump.  I released the vacuum after about an hour and a half and left it to finally cure overnight.

Next morning, with great excitement I un bagged it.   What a disappointment.  It was dull and the weave of the peel ply was pressed into the surface.   :-(

Oh well, I thought, I’ll give it a coat of resin anyway.   WOW as soon as the resin hit the surface it burst into life, what a change.  It looked amazing.  Took it into the sunlight and the two thread directions flashed as the sun hit them.  Fantastic.  Left it to cure.

It’s not to flash now it’s dried, but this is just the first coat.

Watch this space.
Not all problems can be solved with gaffer tape.  For those there is WD40.
Not even gaffer tape can fix stupid, but it can mask the sound.

If you can’t buy it or steal it you have to make it.

kalifornia

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Re: Fibreglass and things
« Reply #10 on: June 28, 2018, 10:19:34 AM »
I think you have to put a few coats on, before you get the depth and shine.
Well done

Furrari

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Re: Fibreglass and things
« Reply #11 on: June 28, 2018, 02:46:14 PM »
Cal.  That’s right.  A minimum of four coats, applied with the previous coat just still tacky, then left for a couple of days, sanded, then a top coat and then polished.  If you are going to use it outside in direct sunlight you need a UV stabilised gloss laquer, and then polish that.  This amount of labour is why CF components are so expensive.  It was just so disappointing to see such a dull finish from the bagging, but it’s the bagging that gives you the quality of the CF before you start getting the finish.
Not all problems can be solved with gaffer tape.  For those there is WD40.
Not even gaffer tape can fix stupid, but it can mask the sound.

If you can’t buy it or steal it you have to make it.

Furrari

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Re: Fibreglass and things
« Reply #12 on: June 28, 2018, 03:54:05 PM »
Yesterday I sprayed the back of the 15mm tow CF with a spray adhesive to stop it fraying. ( tow is a large checkerboard  patern  rather than the narrow woven stuff that you accociate with CF).   This morning I put a coat of clear on the box lid and waited for it to go tacky.  While I was waiting I trimmed the tow down to three rows, it didn’t fray so the adhesive seems to work.

When the coat reached the tacky stage I but the strip of tow down the middle and gave everything another coat of resin and then the performance of peel ply, separator ply etc etc.

I had a leak on the bag I couldn’t find so I could only manage a 40% vac instead of the 80% I have been but strangely I got a better result.  As I wasn’t pulling such a hard vacuum the pump didn’t have to work so hard so I will be installing a controlled leak for the next job.

After the bagging dried I removed it all and it wasn’t such a shock seeing the result.  A coat of resin over the whole lot and I’ve left it to dry overnight.  Again the wet resin brought it all back to life.
Not all problems can be solved with gaffer tape.  For those there is WD40.
Not even gaffer tape can fix stupid, but it can mask the sound.

If you can’t buy it or steal it you have to make it.

Furrari

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Re: Fibreglass and things
« Reply #13 on: June 28, 2018, 05:49:29 PM »
On applying the coat after the debagging it looks like the adhesive has reacted with the resin and it’s produced a reticulated effect ( its not supposed to).  If it was paint that was like this you would have to strip it all off and start again.  Because this is an epoxy resin I’m hoping it will be OK when I start sanding next week.  We shall see won’t we.

I should say in the sun it looks spectacular, even 'though it’s still wet.  Unsanded, unpolished and untaxed.
« Last Edit: June 28, 2018, 05:52:39 PM by Furrari »
Not all problems can be solved with gaffer tape.  For those there is WD40.
Not even gaffer tape can fix stupid, but it can mask the sound.

If you can’t buy it or steal it you have to make it.

Furrari

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Re: Fibreglass and things
« Reply #14 on: June 29, 2018, 02:01:12 PM »
NEW WONDER MATERIAL.

You can forget Kevlar.  You can forget Twaron.  You can forget all those exotic Aramids.  I’ve found the ultimate.

Gafer tape and the epoxy resin you use laying up Carbon Fibre.  Do I offer it to NASA, DARPA or the Marines for their bullet proof vests, or all three.
It’s probably got a use in F1 as well.

M
Not all problems can be solved with gaffer tape.  For those there is WD40.
Not even gaffer tape can fix stupid, but it can mask the sound.

If you can’t buy it or steal it you have to make it.