| Author | Message | ||
     Lake_bueller |
Okay...it looks like the riding season is coming to a quick end here in the Frozen Tundra. So the S1W is prepped for her winter storage and I'm ready to start my first project. BTW...the S3T is still waiting until after the first salting of the roads before being put to rest for the winter. This year I decided to attempt making an underseat tray for my S1W. Because I've never done this, I'll be using fiberglass as the medium. If all goes well, look for a carbon fiber version in the future. Now keep in mind I've never even ATTEMPTED to try something like this. I'm a complete newbie to the art of fiberglass. I've found some helpful hints on-line but I could use some suggestions from the BWB masses. Obviously, my first task is to make a mold. I've already started with shaping blocks of foam to fit the lines of the tail section. I cut two pieces of cardboard to get the correct lines. I then sandwiched the foam block and trimmed the blocks. Now comes my first question....can I lay the fiberglass over the foam mold or should I make a plaster mold from the foam mold. What other road blocks should I look forward to meeting along this journey? Thanks (as always) for any helpful information! Dennis | ||
| Wells01 |
Hi When you are happy with the shape of the foam. Take a plaster mold. You can then shellac, wax and polish this to take a fibre glass impression from it. the good thing about plaster is that you dont ruin anything if you have an accident. | ||
| Jssport |
This is a great site for helpfull info. Go to the "Help, I'm new "section. http://www.fibreglast.com/ I would suggest a moldless consruction method. You want to make a tray under the seat? How about lining the area with plastic, laying it up with fiberglass/cf, then let it dry, remove and the glass will seperate easily from the plastic. Of course a proper mold is desirable for make multiple pieces, but it does add time and materials to the process. Some good material and info here too. http://www.uscomposites.com/ JimS | ||
| Newfie_buell |
Dennis, Where are you going to put a tray? Do you mean directly over the rear wheel section? If you do make a mold I'd like to have one too. | ||
| Lake_bueller |
Newfie.... I'm thinking of something like this:  It will allow for complete remove of the rear fender because it will follow the tailsection to the bottom. If this works, I'll have mine painted to match the paint (Ice Pearl White). I'll probably use a more chip resistant clear coat to help with the road debris. If this works, I'll let you know. It could be a nice little money making hobby for the winter months. | ||
| Newfie_buell |
Now you got me thinking too, I have a friend that is a distributor for fibreglass products. The foam is definately the way to go or you could use some kind of clay to mold it up. | ||
| Lake_bueller |
I'm already shifting directions on the mold making. After reading a little further, I decided that the expandable foam in a can will be easier to getting the right shape. It will probably make a large mess under the the bike. However, I'll be able to make the mold directly on the bike (I hope). Once I have the foam mold, I'll make a plaster mold. And thanks to Don Griffin's pictures of his Eurocomponents tray, I have a better idea of how it should mount. More updates next week when I get some time to work on this. | ||
| Newfie_buell |
That kind of tray would certainly keep road grime from the top of the Oil Tank. I always get a collection of very small pebbles on the top of the tank. | ||
| Al_lighton |
Dennis, Be careful with the expandable foam in a can. My experience with the stuff I used is that it sticks tenaciously to anything it contacts. Maybe just the type I used, but beware and experiment with something other than your bike first! Al | ||
| Bomber |
Al is right on time AND target here -- wax paper (use alot) works well to shield the surrounding area -- the foam will expand more than you expect, and will travel and drip more than you imagine | ||
| Mikej |
Wise words to the wise - practice first on something you don't care about. Drive around the neighborhood and find a gas lawnmower someone is throwing out, then bring it home and put it up on a bench and try making a mold of the blade cavity, or just a section of it. Keep the lawnmower in the same position that you'd be working on your bike in, most likely right side up so the work you do will be done physically with you working from underneath looking up (unless you were planning on turning your assembled bike upside down to do this). And please post pics of the process. I've had something similar planned for some time now but won't be doing it until maybe next winter. | ||
| Lake_bueller |
Thanks for the suggestions!! There's a reason this thread has the word "dummies" in there  I was actually thinking of using cling wrap as the barrier. The can has a very big warning about the expansion of the foam. I've also seen and episode or two of Monster Garage (remember the floating VW)  | ||
| Newfie_buell |
That stuff expands at an alarming rate, I have used it to plug stuff up in the past. Iwonder if cooking spray would help to keep it from sticking to stuff. | ||
| Road_thing |
Wear long sleeves and a dust mask. Work in an area where solidified drips of catalyzed resin on the floor won't have you sleeping on the sofa until spring. There is a substance called "mold release agent" or something similar that allows you to separate your part from the mold once the 'glass has set up. Check with boat repair shops in your area.  rt | ||
| Steve_mackay |
If you're planing on fiberglass, you might as well go carbon fiber.  But, I would suggest a book for you to read. "Competition Car Composites" By Simon McBeath. ISBN 1859606245 It's all about molding composites. And pointed toward the DIYer. http://tinyurl.com/6su3f I'm also doing some carbon fibre stuff this winter. Trying to tackle doing some S3T bags and fairings, while making some changes to 'em. Making the S3T bags a tad bit bigger, with more robust latching. The fairing, I'll bedoing a bit more work too. I want a pair projector beams for headlights, while also frenching or flush mounting in the turn signals. But I have a tad bit of an advantage over most of the DIYer. I work in a tool/die/moldmaking shop. I do 3D mold design for a living. But my 'lil project will be a bit more expensive. I need to scan the original parts, so I can make a 3D surface model of them, to make the mold and then CNC machine the mold. But, I have to pay for the 3D scanning to be done. And it's not always an ideal situation... | ||
| Lake_bueller |
Thanks r-t! Steve...CF will be a future potential. I decided to start with the less expensive material for my first time project. |
