Fiberglass Bumper Moulds attempt

[RebelV8]

Good luck with take three Andy

[andyverran]

After faffing with the suspension and sump for months, thought I best get back to the bumper....

...I may have used to much foam.

Somewhere in there is a bumper quarter.

[shokenore]

onwards and upwards.

[andyverran]

perhaps onwards and downwards...

Having mixed foam as per instructions (which I sort of didn't last time) I now have a little to much air in the foam. Instructions are to airate part A before mixing part B - and part B needs to be poured into a jug before being added as the tin can can't pour fast enough, it starts to foam before it's all in the mix, so I discovered.

couldn't stop it sticking to the rust either, despite lots of PVA and release wax..

So filled some of the holes with P38, however it will look a bit rough:
As I ran out of gel coat, it should be overlapping the edge, and forgot the mould release wax...oh well...how ever rough it turns out its going on as the the bumper is past it now.

I see much rubbing down in my future.

Might try latex for the main section mould...then I will have used a different mould for every bit.

[shokenore]

Hi Andy, glad to see you are keeping at it, my glassing took a break too, I was using the exceptionally hot summer as my excuse.

The foam you used, did you have a link to the one that you used?
And
how strong was the foam ?

Do you think that it could be used as a form for the bumper and you glass over the top?
ie so the bumper corner becomes solid and not a shell so to speak?

Cheers

[andyverran]

Hi Ady,

http://www.cfsnet.co.uk/acatalog/CFS...iquid_415.html

It was very robust, used as a laminate like you suggest, I think would work. It took a hack saw blade to get the bumper out of that mess I made, so not to wimpy.

...the hard bit would be getting the shape. I did wonder about filling the long section with it so it was stiffer than just glass.

[BUSHWHACKER]

perhaps onwards and downwards...

Having mixed foam as per instructions (which I sort of didn't last time) I now have a little to much air in the foam. Instructions are to airate part A before mixing part B - and part B needs to be poured into a jug before being added as the tin can can't pour fast enough, it starts to foam before it's all in the mix, so I discovered.

couldn't stop it sticking to the rust either, despite lots of PVA and release wax..

So filled some of the holes with P38, however it will look a bit rough:
As I ran out of gel coat, it should be overlapping the edge, and forgot the mould release wax...oh well...how ever rough it turns out its going on as the the bumper is past it now.

I see much rubbing down in my future.

Might try latex for the main section mould...then I will have used a different mould for every bit.

Have you thought of using plaster of paris reinforced with hessian and/or wood strips to make the molds?

[andyverran]

Have you thought of using plaster of paris reinforced with hessian and/or wood strips to make the molds?

I did think about plaster of paris, dismissed it at the time due to not being sure I could get the part out with mould intact, but now you bring it up it would be a good way to get a mould to pour foam into, as per Ady's thoughts below (or above, depending on your forum settings).

I'll give that some thought between now and pay day (need gel coat and other supplies).

[soramad]

I have used plaster and plaster of paris for forming fibre glass hulls for model boats and provided you use plenty of mold release there should be no problem with either the initial molding or the fibre glass copy.

[BUSHWHACKER]

How about making a vacuum former?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maH5Ech0wK8

[andyverran]

How about making a vacuum former?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maH5Ech0wK8

That's a great budget idea...I think I might struggle with a 3ft bumper, I love the idea though.

[andyverran]

I have used plaster and plaster of paris for forming fibre glass hulls for model boats and provided you use plenty of mold release there should be no problem with either the initial molding or the fibre glass copy.

I do keep co**ing up with the mold release. Today I just forgot it all together (just PVA), so that will be a bugger, or buggered, take your pic.

[andyverran]

After much faffing with body lift etc I have finally done the other quater bumper...complete with "authentic" dent.

[soramad]

I have been following this thread with interest however in my humble opinion a lot of time and effort is being expended on a project that is not going to achieve
the desired effect as far as protection of the actual vehicle is concerned, it will probably look very nice and attractive when the finished product is fitted to the surf but as regards protection is concerned , useless, having had a renault clio hit the passenger side rear end of my long rear bumper extending into the rear quarter bumper, at speed, I can categorically say that if the steel bumper had not been there a lot of damage would have been done to the main body and rear door of the surf and would possibly have been a write off, instead of which the opposite happened, the clio was a right off and I got a bent bumper for which I have got a replacement though not yet fitted.

[andyverran]

Soramed,

Thanks for your interest, as you say it wouldn't protect anything, though I'm not trying to protect my car.

Many of us just take the bumper of as you know and any protection a steel bumper (or any bumper) gives is at low speed anyway. The main reason I started was to lighten the back of mine as the springs were saggy and I didn't want to replace them, but I did want to keep the mud flaps and the general appearance of the rear profile. The bumper, tow bar and spare wheel/carrier are in the region of 100Kg (about 5% of the vehicle weight that must be) and mine was pretty rusty as most are now I imagine.

Your quite correct in saying it's more work than it's worth, however, having started I will finish! And I do get to learn something new...would I do it again? not a chance.