Project -- CF dash
05-19-2009, 09:09 PM
#63
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I do a lot of this stuff... not as much lately as I would like, but still, I have a few years experience. Just a few thoughts that may help out...
If you scuff up the vinyl of the dash with some 80 grit the glass will stick alot better, it won't be permanent, but it'll last long enough to make a mold.
I'd look at laying a thin layer of CSM on the whole surface, skim it with some filler and sand it smooth with some 80 grit to start, then go to finer grits. After 400 or so you can lay primer paint and clear and get it really smooth. rattle cans work wonderfully for this. let the paint dry for at least a day.
Reinforcing the backside so it doesn't flex was a great idea. you can also glass in a couple pieces of scrap wood to add stiffness. Before you mold make sure you fit it back in the car. things tend to warp and it sucks to make a mold of something that doesn't fit.
After all is good rub 5-6 layers of partall #2 or the like and lay up some tooling gelcoat... black seems to show any blemishes better than the orange or beige etc. I like using regular polyester resin for the mold, the tooling resin gets hotter, sets up faster and has more of a tendency to warp. Keep in mind that more than a couple layers of CSM at a time gets the piece too hot and it may warp. You can use some PVA after the wax but it doesn't leave a smooth surface and defeats a lot of the work you did to get the dash smooth, it does almost guarantee a release though. you end up sanding the mold and polishing it to eliminate orange peel. your final piece will only be as perfect as the surface of the mold.
Don't underestimate the importance of good wide flanges. The dash doesn't have any negative draft angles so bridging should be your only problem when you bag it.
you would be far ahead of the game to use some of the better resins and epoxies from usomposites or another company (if you aren't already), west and system three are good but expensive. It is a night and day difference when compared to the bondo stuff. Also some lightweight evercoat filler is light years better than the bondo filler. I wouldn't bother with any glass reinforced filler for this. I can't stress enough how much harder it is to get these projects done with the bondo brand.
Keep in mind that most epoxies are not UV resistant and will yellow. They need a coating sprayed in the mold first that is UV resistant or they need painted with a resistant clear. Also keep in mind that without a surfacing coat in the mold the part will be somewhat porous when you remove it and you will have to fill in pinholes.
Hope this helps out, looks like a great project, can't wait to see it finished!
If you scuff up the vinyl of the dash with some 80 grit the glass will stick alot better, it won't be permanent, but it'll last long enough to make a mold.
I'd look at laying a thin layer of CSM on the whole surface, skim it with some filler and sand it smooth with some 80 grit to start, then go to finer grits. After 400 or so you can lay primer paint and clear and get it really smooth. rattle cans work wonderfully for this. let the paint dry for at least a day.
Reinforcing the backside so it doesn't flex was a great idea. you can also glass in a couple pieces of scrap wood to add stiffness. Before you mold make sure you fit it back in the car. things tend to warp and it sucks to make a mold of something that doesn't fit.
After all is good rub 5-6 layers of partall #2 or the like and lay up some tooling gelcoat... black seems to show any blemishes better than the orange or beige etc. I like using regular polyester resin for the mold, the tooling resin gets hotter, sets up faster and has more of a tendency to warp. Keep in mind that more than a couple layers of CSM at a time gets the piece too hot and it may warp. You can use some PVA after the wax but it doesn't leave a smooth surface and defeats a lot of the work you did to get the dash smooth, it does almost guarantee a release though. you end up sanding the mold and polishing it to eliminate orange peel. your final piece will only be as perfect as the surface of the mold.
Don't underestimate the importance of good wide flanges. The dash doesn't have any negative draft angles so bridging should be your only problem when you bag it.
you would be far ahead of the game to use some of the better resins and epoxies from usomposites or another company (if you aren't already), west and system three are good but expensive. It is a night and day difference when compared to the bondo stuff. Also some lightweight evercoat filler is light years better than the bondo filler. I wouldn't bother with any glass reinforced filler for this. I can't stress enough how much harder it is to get these projects done with the bondo brand.
Keep in mind that most epoxies are not UV resistant and will yellow. They need a coating sprayed in the mold first that is UV resistant or they need painted with a resistant clear. Also keep in mind that without a surfacing coat in the mold the part will be somewhat porous when you remove it and you will have to fill in pinholes.
Hope this helps out, looks like a great project, can't wait to see it finished!
06-16-2009, 10:06 AM
#66
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Sorry about the blackout folks. I had some other **** I had to take care of. And I have to that Texas heat makes me want to stay inside for the time being. I guess I better work at night than. 
I'll post some pics when I get home.
Cheers.
I'll post some pics when I get home.
Cheers.
08-13-2009, 11:45 PM
#69
I dont think u can bring that dash back......... good luck with it man....... I wanted to so something simiilar but the work involved is rediculous unless youve got alot of experience.
08-19-2009, 07:48 PM
#72
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Hi to everyone. I am back and working on this man hour pit 
I had a really busy summer and temperatures in my garage made me stay away. But now I'm back at it. They say a picture is worth 1000 words, so, here you go.
A car for trial fitting.
I had a really busy summer and temperatures in my garage made me stay away. But now I'm back at it. They say a picture is worth 1000 words, so, here you go.
A car for trial fitting.
08-19-2009, 07:53 PM
#73
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Next step would be to get some more modeling clay for the gauge cluster tub and start laying fiber glass on the surfaces that are ready (Center console, glove box)
While working I had this crazy idea: wouldn't it be nice if all the radio controls / climate controls/ and vehicle diagnostics were done from a touch screen monitor in the center...
While working I had this crazy idea: wouldn't it be nice if all the radio controls / climate controls/ and vehicle diagnostics were done from a touch screen monitor in the center...
08-20-2009, 07:44 AM
#74
Man I'm sorry but as of right now none of the thousand words that come to mind about this are gonna be productive or positive. This looks like a disaster.
Please tell me your not gonna mold the gauge cluster surround to the dash. If thats your plan how the hell are you gonna get the cluster in/out if you need to replace a bulb? You gonna pull the entire dash to replace a light bulb? Thats would make zero sense.
I'm sorry but it looks ghetto as **** at this point. Maybe when it's completed it'll change my mind but as of right now it's not impressive at the least.
Please tell me your not gonna mold the gauge cluster surround to the dash. If thats your plan how the hell are you gonna get the cluster in/out if you need to replace a bulb? You gonna pull the entire dash to replace a light bulb? Thats would make zero sense.
I'm sorry but it looks ghetto as **** at this point. Maybe when it's completed it'll change my mind but as of right now it's not impressive at the least.
08-20-2009, 01:52 PM
#75
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http://www.fiberglassforums.com/showthread.php?t=8194
http://www.fiberglassforums.com/show...?t=8044&page=2
Great job!!!! As you can see from the two threads above that the process of making something like this is very ugly....but the end result can be amazing!! The first one is a completly custom dash in a camaro (slammed1500) hes on here to!! And the second is of making a fender mold.....same process hes doing!! Good luck with the dash and I might suggest if you are only making one then fiberglass the stock guage cluster houseing onto the new dash or if making multiple then put the housing back on your mold and cut out the areas you need after you make the final piece!!!
http://www.fiberglassforums.com/show...?t=8044&page=2
Great job!!!! As you can see from the two threads above that the process of making something like this is very ugly....but the end result can be amazing!! The first one is a completly custom dash in a camaro (slammed1500) hes on here to!! And the second is of making a fender mold.....same process hes doing!! Good luck with the dash and I might suggest if you are only making one then fiberglass the stock guage cluster houseing onto the new dash or if making multiple then put the housing back on your mold and cut out the areas you need after you make the final piece!!!
08-20-2009, 05:38 PM
#76
Great to see you're working on it again!! Cant wait till its done, that doesnt look extraordinarily messy for a fiberglas project, they can get really bad! I'm sure as long as you stick to it, it'll turn out just fine!
08-23-2009, 08:14 PM
#77
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I have a small update. First, I have discovered that lighter fiberglass is a lot more pleasant top work with vs home depot finest. It is also a lot stronger.
Next step is a lot of sanding, I have to clean it up a little before I can continue to lay fiber on it.
Here are the pics.
Next step is a lot of sanding, I have to clean it up a little before I can continue to lay fiber on it.
Here are the pics.
08-24-2009, 09:21 AM
#79
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Smaller details are like center console mounts are way too difficult to replicate on the mold of this scale. It's a lot easier to fill it in first, than cut it out from the final product. At any rate, leaving any opening in the plug makes it extremely difficult to make a good mold. Thats the same reason I filled the glove box in.
08-24-2009, 09:48 PM
#80
This looks like a train wreck but I know it can still come out positive if you've got the time for it. That $279 for the VFN piece seems cheap now doesn't it?
Here's a tip- check out "Polyester glaze" from Evercoat. It will do what you want the Bondo to do, but has the consistency of something slightly thicker than chocolate syrup. You can wipe it all over everything and it levels itself out, and it easy as hell to sand.
As was said above, you're swimming upstream if you ever use any resin or body filler from "Bondo" brand.
Here's a tip- check out "Polyester glaze" from Evercoat. It will do what you want the Bondo to do, but has the consistency of something slightly thicker than chocolate syrup. You can wipe it all over everything and it levels itself out, and it easy as hell to sand.
As was said above, you're swimming upstream if you ever use any resin or body filler from "Bondo" brand.