craig1410
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 posted on 15/3/04 at 01:08 PM |
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Best method to widen a nosecone?
Hi,
I'm shortly going to buy my GRP bits (probably from GTS tuning) but as they only do standard width bits and my chassis is a McSorley 7+4, I will
need to widen it by about 4"
Can any of you GRP experts out there recommend the best method of cutting and joining the GRP for strength and aesthetics as I don't want to
completely ruin the bits.
Things I need to know are how best to cut it (straight line/zigzag/sine wave...), how best to hold everthing in place while the bonding is done and
how best to actually make a good bond with the existing GRP.
I need to keep everything as neat as possible underneath as I won't have much clearance above the Rover V8 engine, and obviously I want a nice
neat top surface.
All advice very welcome!
Craig.
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the moa
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| posted on 15/3/04 at 01:44 PM |
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nose cone
hi there, i had the same problem. What i did was cut the nosecone in half with jig saw, then got some little bits of wood and put a bolt through
middle of two and clamped it every so often to keep it flat. once that is done just put 1 layer of fibre glass on in between the bits of wood just to
tack it together. Then when thats dry take the bits of wood off and fibre glass the rest of it,(i put some stripes of aluminium across just for extra
strenghth.). i did about 4-5 layers. Then on top just use some P38 filler and clean up the top with hours of sand primer and wet and dry. it took me
about 1 week.
hope this is help to you.
ive got some pics showing what i ve done on my archive.
The m.o.a
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givemethebighammer
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| posted on 15/3/04 at 10:44 PM |
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I needed to reduce the width of mine but the technique is the same
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=10888
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Simon
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| posted on 15/3/04 at 10:51 PM |
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Craig,
Have a look at this:
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/photos.php?action=showphoto&photo=10000068.jpg
I also put a piece of wood along the front top to steady that bit.
On the outside of the nosecone I taped (3M brown tape!) some 1/64" ply - 5" wide (available from model shop). This became the inside of
the "mould". I also covered the inside of the ply with the same brown tape - because (for me anyway) the f/glass didn't stick to it.
Anyway, working inside the nosecone I poured resin (not a lot) over the ply, then when set, laminated matting and resin.
Turn over when cured, remove ply and bit of filler and sanding and job done.
Will take about 4 hours.
ATB
Simon
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Hugh Paterson
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| posted on 15/3/04 at 11:44 PM |
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Craig, Give it to me and ill do it for you for a couple of beers mate, how soon you want it? Do you want it wider and deeper, or just wider?
Shug.
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craig1410
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| posted on 15/3/04 at 11:56 PM |
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Guys,
Thanks for the replies, much appreciated as always.
Simon, that seems like a good technique, did you go to any lengths to key the existing fibreglass and to prevent any splitting where the existing edge
meets the resin/matting? I was considering not cutting a straight line (maybe sawtooth instead) so that there wouldn't be a distinct edge to
split. I also thought that perhaps feathering the edges of the existing GRP (from the inside of the nosecone) would help to provide more surface area
for the bond.
Shug,
Thanks for the offer, I may very well take you up on that! I don't yet have the bits and when I do get them I may have some difficulty
transporting them as I recently sold the only car I had with a towbar to tow my trailer (Doh!)
What I might do is have a go at the scuttle and if that goes well I might progress to the nosecone and if I'm really doing well then the bonnet
would be next. I have worked with fibreglass before (a while ago mind...) and I wouldn't mind having a go at it once again. I might regret
saying that once I've developed "hairy hands" syndrome 
Shug, any good tips if I did have a go myself?
Cheers,
Craig.
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Hugh Paterson
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| posted on 16/3/04 at 12:08 AM |
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Craig, will be building a plug and mould for the +442 for my own use and probablly Hippys, your welcome to one of them if ya want it to save the hairy
hand syndrom, I work with this gloop all the time when u get the panels if your still stuck give me a shout
Shug.
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Simon
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| posted on 16/3/04 at 09:36 PM |
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Craig,
No, no feathered edges - fg only about 3mm thick so not much to gain strength wise (imho). What I did do was use increasingly wider bands to matting
(cut is 4" wide so first strip was 5", second 6" and so on for about 4 or 5 layers.
You will probably find that'll you'll need to build up on the outside just to keep the correct contour of nose (when looked at from front
or rear. This will sandwich the original pieces between the matting and filler, so should be strong.
ATB
Simon
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