Battery covers???
Originally Posted by FredoCamaro
Has anyone ever taken a battery apart?
12 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 993
Likes: 3
From: Waukesha,WI
I'm going out to measure my optima tomarow i plan on making a cover/ box out of lexan plastic. any tips on how to bend it? i think heat is the key. But you can paint on the inside of it and it comes out all glossy with out a clear coat on it. i love the stuff i'll have to get some pictures when i get it done.
12 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 993
Likes: 3
From: Waukesha,WI
it shouldn't be too hard. just need some supplies thats the whole reason for measuring the battery. See how much material i need then make the template and bend the lexan. Probably take about a week or two to get it all done 
Originally Posted by 99zee
If you make it work please post some pictures. I'm interested. I'm still trying to find a cover for my Optima.
travisnd: what battery do you have??
I checked with optima and the covers they have do not list the battery I have. I have the red top 75/35. Does anyone know if their covers fit this battery? I have seen a few optima covers on Ebay but can't get them answer whether they will fit or not. What I'm thinking of doing is mounting the spacer that comes with the battery (for the bottom) on top and then using a flat cover for the top. It would have to have longer sides to cover the height of the spacer. I don't want the spacer or the battery to show. Its been raining here for what seems like weeks and I haven't put much time in finding a solution.
I checked with optima and the covers they have do not list the battery I have. I have the red top 75/35. Does anyone know if their covers fit this battery? I have seen a few optima covers on Ebay but can't get them answer whether they will fit or not. What I'm thinking of doing is mounting the spacer that comes with the battery (for the bottom) on top and then using a flat cover for the top. It would have to have longer sides to cover the height of the spacer. I don't want the spacer or the battery to show. Its been raining here for what seems like weeks and I haven't put much time in finding a solution.
The only Battery that Optima makes a cover for is the 34/78 group, like the battery and battery cover I have in the photo above. Optima does not make a cover for the 75/35 group unfortunatley.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0
Brett Foote
10 Reasons the LS7 Is GM's Most Extreme Naturally Aspirated V8 Engine Ever
Verdad Gallardo
Originally Posted by LILWS6
it shouldn't be too hard. just need some supplies thats the whole reason for measuring the battery. See how much material i need then make the template and bend the lexan. Probably take about a week or two to get it all done
I dont know if lexan will bend 90degrees on a small inside radius without breaking, but if you can get ahold of some polycarbonate, I know that will bend without a problem in a regular press brake.
12 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 993
Likes: 3
From: Waukesha,WI
your supposed to heat lexan to bend it and so far i've taken the time to make a template out of cardboard. Figured it would be cheaper than trial fitting it with the lexan. got some pics of the card board in the engine bay. It fits nicely so i think it'll work out fine. I just ordered a piece of lexan today as well so that should be here hopefully by this weekend.
12 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 993
Likes: 3
From: Waukesha,WI
acually instead of bending it i'm thinking of glueing it together using some bondo to smooth all the edges and paint the outside instead of the inside like i planned because now doing the cardboard has made me realize the sides arn't going to look good it would be like it is on the cardboard and have to have something on the edges like the ductape. Or how bout i bondo the card board lol
Originally Posted by LILWS6
now doing the cardboard has made me realize the sides arn't going to look good it would be like it is on the cardboard and have to have something on the edges like the ductape. Or how bout i bondo the card board lol
I hear you on that one! This is why I wanted to see if I could get one ready made before attempting to customize
Launching!
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 210
Likes: 1
From: Merritt Island, Florida
A Local Plastics shop can supply you with lexan or acrylic "solvent-weld" to really do it right. Not sure bondo grips lexan...well you could rough it up inside I guess.
To use the solvent weld, fine sand your cuts very flat, (sandpaper on table top, not held by fingers) then make sure everything fits tight, tape the box up with small pieces of tape and finally...carefully use the applicator to "wick" the solvent into the seam. It "sucks" the fluid in with capillary action. Cures in an hour, take the tape off.
I have made a lot of stuff like this.
It's nice to buff the cut edges for a finished look. Eastwood supplies buffing compound....
Ram
To use the solvent weld, fine sand your cuts very flat, (sandpaper on table top, not held by fingers) then make sure everything fits tight, tape the box up with small pieces of tape and finally...carefully use the applicator to "wick" the solvent into the seam. It "sucks" the fluid in with capillary action. Cures in an hour, take the tape off.
I have made a lot of stuff like this.
It's nice to buff the cut edges for a finished look. Eastwood supplies buffing compound....
Ram
12 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 993
Likes: 3
From: Waukesha,WI
^Any where i can get it online? is this the stuff?
http://www.rplastics.com/weldon16.html
http://www.rplastics.com/weldon16.html
Last edited by LILWS6; Feb 2, 2007 at 06:05 PM. Reason: added text
Launching!
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 210
Likes: 1
From: Merritt Island, Florida
Sorry I havn't visited lately...
Yep That will certainly work. And it is more forgiving than the stuff I used. So your cuts don't have to be so perfect. Get the right applicator for it.
You are going to paint it right? so you will probably clean any roughness or gaps up with sandpaper anyway first and maybe even round the egdes. Start with 120, 180, 250, 300 and end up with 400 or something like that. then the paint should fill the rest of the scratches.
I used to build water bubble sculptures out of clear plexi so I had to use the SOLVENT types, in the little cans. Real thin like acetone. and I used the little hypodermic needle applicators (they have them too). But I had to get the cuts really close to perfect then polish the edges and it had to fit really tight before taping it up or it would leave gaps. I used that NOVUS plastic polish too, nice stuff.
So I think you chose the right stuff. Let it cure real maybe 36 hours before beating on it with sandpaper and paint.
that's a good site, I'm bookmarking it. Thanks.
good luck!
Yep That will certainly work. And it is more forgiving than the stuff I used. So your cuts don't have to be so perfect. Get the right applicator for it.
You are going to paint it right? so you will probably clean any roughness or gaps up with sandpaper anyway first and maybe even round the egdes. Start with 120, 180, 250, 300 and end up with 400 or something like that. then the paint should fill the rest of the scratches.
I used to build water bubble sculptures out of clear plexi so I had to use the SOLVENT types, in the little cans. Real thin like acetone. and I used the little hypodermic needle applicators (they have them too). But I had to get the cuts really close to perfect then polish the edges and it had to fit really tight before taping it up or it would leave gaps. I used that NOVUS plastic polish too, nice stuff.
So I think you chose the right stuff. Let it cure real maybe 36 hours before beating on it with sandpaper and paint.
that's a good site, I'm bookmarking it. Thanks.
good luck!