Alan B
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| posted on 20/5/03 at 03:31 PM |
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Bonnet mould done!
The "non-car body filler" technique worked...it parted well....
http://www.desicodesign.com/meerkat/
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MattWatson
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| posted on 20/5/03 at 05:34 PM |
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Looks good Alan. Can't wait to see the finished product!
Matt Watson
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VW 1.6L SOHC Turbo Mid engined car
http://members.shaw.ca/wavindustries/
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Alan B
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| posted on 20/5/03 at 06:18 PM |
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Thanks Matt,
I thought you'd be glad to hear of the non-bondo plug......very time and cost saving...so long as you put enough kilz on that you don't
rub through it's great.
Should be making the bonnet/hood pretty soon, so we'll get some idea of the finished car then....
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kb58
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| posted on 21/5/03 at 02:18 AM |
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I just shake my head... in admiration of your work with composites - that's a mountain I have yet to climb. I just have images of an enormous
mess, with dust through out our house and all the plants dead from epoxy fumes. Maybe when I build a detached workshop...
[Edited on 21/5/03 by kb58]
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Alan B
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| posted on 21/5/03 at 11:42 AM |
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Thanks KB,
Yes, I have to admit the detached (200 yards away) shop does not hurt at all......
The breathing mask helps with the fumes, but the dust does get everywhere....I won't miss it when I pass the body stage..
Good luck when you reach that stage.....at least your are well on with wiring,...I have that to come...
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Alan B
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| posted on 21/5/03 at 11:47 AM |
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KB, where in CA are you?
I'll be in San Jose next week for a couple of days.
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kb58
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| posted on 21/5/03 at 02:26 PM |
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Nope, way south. (And if you did visit, with the dog fiasco and all, you'd not be allowed in the house, as it'd make your shop look
really clean...)
And yes, the wiring is/will taking a really long time. As an EE I should have known better... but it has to get done so I just keep digging.
[Edited on 21/5/03 by kb58]
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ned
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| posted on 21/5/03 at 03:42 PM |
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dog fiasco??
beware, I've got yellow skin
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Alan B
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| posted on 21/5/03 at 05:19 PM |
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Ned,
Click his www button for the story.
You really must keep up.......
KB,
Nothing short of the end of civilisation would make my shop look tidy...
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Alan B
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| posted on 21/5/03 at 05:20 PM |
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Ned, you should visit KB's site anyway...full of great stuff....
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MattWatson
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| posted on 21/5/03 at 10:30 PM |
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If I do a wood buck will you do all the filling for me?  I am a better wood worker than a composite worker. I can get it looking okay, but I
can't get it to look right within a couple feet.
Matt Watson
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VW 1.6L SOHC Turbo Mid engined car
http://members.shaw.ca/wavindustries/
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Alan B
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| posted on 21/5/03 at 10:54 PM |
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Matt, with the white drywall filler it's pretty easy...just long winded..slap some on...rub it down...fill again...and so on
It's just more tedious than anything else really.
Then when it is really close to feeling true you can start putting the paint on to help show the blemishes.
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kb58
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| posted on 21/5/03 at 11:27 PM |
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Before asking him to build you a body over a buck, first figure what you'd pay him per hour (wild guess, $50?, or $80 if he doesn't want
to do it,) then multiply that by a month.... or two, or three. I'd expect it to be very very expensive.
About my site, it's at:
http://members.cox.net/kimini22/car/
Specifically the "Build Diaries."
[Edited on 21/5/03 by kb58]
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Alan B
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| posted on 22/5/03 at 12:08 AM |
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Ah KB....you read between lines for a living I guess......
Yes, indeed it is soooo tedious it is difficult to imagine what I would need to charge to feel adequately compensated...
It could explain why it is nearly 20 years since I last did a set of car body moulds..
It's a fantastic experience......
once....
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kb58
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| posted on 22/5/03 at 03:50 AM |
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That's what I find about yard projects. They're a great experience... once. I'm not so sure about the car. While I'm
building, I'm keeping a mental list of how I'd do it better, cheaper, faster, etc, the next time. "Next time" might be a
three-wheeler - much, much simpler, cheaper, lighter, and I secretly have always wanted a sportbike, though I know I would kill myself. At least a
three-wheeler has some protection.
This picture on my website I got from the owner's website and it looks pretty nice:
http://members.cox.net/kimini22/car/next/index.html
Styling is certainly the nightmare though. As much as I like the specs, cost, and simplicity of it, it IS hard to get past the "missing
wheel."
[Edited on 22/5/03 by kb58]
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TheGecko
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| posted on 22/5/03 at 04:20 AM |
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Alan,
I hear you re the tediousness of plug and mould making. I'm currently doing a course on same and, with five three hour classes, we won't
come close to being finished making our simple plug and two part mould. As it is, I brought home the plug from class last night so I can try to
finish all of the tedious sanding, filling, sanding, filling, polishing etc etc at home.
I'm having pretty serious concerns now about how much time it will take me to build a plug, set of moulds, and pull panels for my proposed body
design. This is now at the point where I'm considering a much simpler body style more like a traditional Locost (ali side panels, simple cycle
guards etc) to get the build finished in my life time
My sincere congratulations to you for the speed at which you've completed the buck, mould, and first set of panels!
Dominic
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ned
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| posted on 22/5/03 at 09:24 AM |
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Dominic,
Is the avatar a rendered model of what you're planning to build? it reminds me of the fiat x1/9, albeit with a few bits chopped about a bit.
Ned.
beware, I've got yellow skin
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TheGecko
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| posted on 22/5/03 at 01:16 PM |
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Ned,
The avatar image is actually of a 1:6 scale model rather than a render but, yes, that is what I am/was planning to build. The current version is
somewhat modified from the avatar one - see this message thread for some
newer images.
I said 'was' above because I've been having serious concerns about build time for the bodywork (and I can't get the nose
looking the way I want ). I'm now leaning towards something a lot like the CarCraft Cyclone - a mid-engined Locost-like car (a lot more so
than the Sylva Mojo too).
Dominic
Brisbane, Australia
http://www.DIYSportsCar.org
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Alan B
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| posted on 22/5/03 at 03:33 PM |
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Dominic,
I thought that way too (simpler design), but ended up just saving having to do GRP sides, which wasn't much saving because most of the work was
in the front and rear.....in my design at least
I must admit it does get easier...I think you get better at filling and rubbing down...although in saying that I just checked and the bonnet will end
up having taken 3 months in total....:-(
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kb58
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| posted on 22/5/03 at 08:01 PM |
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How many hours labor would you guess constitute that three month period? I'm just wondering what I'm in for when I tackle something along
the same lines...
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Alan B
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| posted on 22/5/03 at 08:30 PM |
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I reckon I've done about 15 hours per week on average........so say around 200 hours.
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sgraber
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| posted on 22/5/03 at 09:17 PM |
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Shiiiite!
<head in hands>
oh God, oh GOD, OH GOD.....
I sometimes wonder if it's better to be blissfully unaware of whats in store for me. For some odd reason (maybe it's denial), I keep
thinking that my cars bodywork will be less difficult. But I'm delusional.
<head in hands>
oh GOD, oh God, oh god...
Steve G
Steve Graber
http://www.grabercars.com/
"Quickness through lightness"
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Alan B
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| posted on 22/5/03 at 09:39 PM |
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Er yes....perhaps it may be easier to pretend you didn't visit the site today...
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TheGecko
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| posted on 23/5/03 at 01:14 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Alan B
I thought that way too (simpler design), but ended up just saving having to do GRP sides, which wasn't much saving because most of the work was
in the front and rear.....in my design at least
If I go for a Cyclone-like design, I think I can use ali for the sides and bonnet (hood) and possibly tail - very Locost-ish. I'll need
fibreglass scuttle, f/r guards & nosecone as a minimum. Front cycle guards can be standard parts (there are at least three different designs
available here), rear guards I hope to modify standard ones and the scuttle should also be a standard part. The nosecone may be possible as a cut and
shut standard part or (better) by using George Cushing's lovely design modified to suit.
quote:
I must admit it does get easier...I think you get better at filling and rubbing down...although in saying that I just checked and the bonnet
will end up having taken 3 months in total....:-(
I'll echo Steve's comment here ... Oh God , Oh God, Oh God !!!!!
Our sample piece in the mould making class is basically a chamfered rectangular solid about 4"x3"x2". So far I have about 10 hours
invested in it and I could easily triple that to get to a point where the surface quality is poor to average (as opposed to the current attrocious!).
That's just the plug! Making a two part mould and pulling a part from it is sure to take almost that much time again
I'm trying to find time (hah!) to finish a small model of a middy made to a Locost layout. This would (hopefully) illustrate that a reasonably
attractive car could be made using many 'standard' Locost-type parts and common, cheap, FWD running gear.
Then I just need to write a book about it to recoup the cost
Dominic
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kb58
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| posted on 23/5/03 at 01:47 AM |
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200 hours... yup. If it makes you feel any "better," I've spent about 120 hours on my wiring... and I'm not done yet.
[Edited on 23/5/03 by kb58]
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