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Thread: Nose cone (bodywork)

  1. #1
    Hi guys

    This year we have decided to create our nose cone mould from foam. However due to our lack of a CNC machine we are required to shape the foam ourselves. Our plans are to take each section (elevation, end elevation & plan of the nose cone) stick & cut them to a piece of wood, place them against the foam [one section at a time] either side, (joint at the back to stay in position), then take a wire with current through it and shape the foam.

    However I have my doubts about this process, so does anyone have any better methods?

    Thanks

    elliot

  2. #2
    Hi guys

    This year we have decided to create our nose cone mould from foam. However due to our lack of a CNC machine we are required to shape the foam ourselves. Our plans are to take each section (elevation, end elevation & plan of the nose cone) stick & cut them to a piece of wood, place them against the foam [one section at a time] either side, (joint at the back to stay in position), then take a wire with current through it and shape the foam.

    However I have my doubts about this process, so does anyone have any better methods?

    Thanks

    elliot

  3. #3
    We've done our seat, sidepods, as well as our nosecone JUST like that. Recommendations for the wise:

    1) The foam won't Release. You will need a layer of bondo ontop that you can sand with slowly finer grits.
    2) Bondo likes to stick to the cf part. It looks like the bondo actually absorbs some epoxy during the molding process. Wax (ALOT) + Release spray sort of works. However, coating the bondo with a spray primer seems to work quite well (with wax + release spray)
    3) Get an art major who knows how to sculpt

    Check out our website--there are some pics of our nosecone mold and final product I think.

    Ben

  4. #4
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    Elliot,

    The method you are suggesting works quite well and can make for a very easy bodywork plug. Rasps will cut through foam really easily for the final shaping.

    Try and use a foam that is solvent resistant for the layers on top of the foam.

    Kev

  5. #5
    Elliot,

    Do you have a plotter or a printer? Open up your CAD drawing, and slice the nosecone in section. The more sections you have, the better.

    Then, print these sections on a 1:1 scale. Then trace this sections to an MDF or some type of wood. Cut the wood and aligned it to make the nosecone. Fill gaps and void with foam.

    Sculpt, and then spray any type of primer on it. Sand and then prime. Sand and prime, until you get the desired smoothness.

    Then apply wax or release. Finally do some layup.
    RiNaZ

  6. #6
    <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RiNaZ:
    Elliot,

    Do you have a plotter or a printer? Open up your CAD drawing, and slice the nosecone in section. The more sections you have, the better.

    Then, print these sections on a 1:1 scale. Then trace this sections to an MDF or some type of wood. Cut the wood and aligned it to make the nosecone. Fill gaps and void with foam.

    Sculpt, and then spray any type of primer on it. Sand and then prime. Sand and prime, until you get the desired smoothness.

    Then apply wax or release. Finally do some layup. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

    Is there a specific primer you recommend? Our team has been mainly pulling directly off bondo and we are starting to research extra layers such as a primer layer.

  7. #7
    We did the same thing. Made a wooden framework and then we used heavy duty stretchable plastic over the thing. Then we laid. However resin systems have to be taken into consideration here.

    In one previous year, we made the framework and then we covered it with cloth wool. Then we laid Plaster of Paris over it and sanded it to the desired shape and smoothness. Fibre parts came out really well.
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  8. #8
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    Try searching for "Fiberglass bodywork without molds" on Google

    This method can be a lot less work and requires no fine grit sanding.

    Also you can make almost any geometry and not worry about draft angles.

    If you use this method use foam that CAN be melted with a solvent.

    Best,
    William

  9. #9
    <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ben Kolodner:
    Is there a specific primer you recommend? Our team has been mainly pulling directly off bondo and we are starting to research extra layers such as a primer layer. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

    Any kind of paint should work. What you are doing with the paint/primer is making a non-porous layer on top of the bondo or foam. Bondo and most paste fillers I've worked with are porous, so unless you seal it well, they wont take release well at all. Wax and release spray do not seal the surface of the mold, which is why you are getting problems with the part sticking to the bondo. If you use something like PVA on top of the bondo, or some other kind of film coating that seals the bondo, then you will have more luck with getting your part to release. However, PVA won't give you as nice a surface finish as a mold that has a buffed, and polished surface. I have also seen people use something like shellac on a porous surface like bondo or plaster in order to seal the pores, and allow an easier release.

    The cheap route with a surface coating would be to go and get a couple cans of an automotive type of spray paint from your favorite auto parts store. The more expensive route is to get something like this h t t p : // www . duratec1 . com /dp04 . html
    The harder the surface coating that you put on, the better. You can polish a harder surface more, and it will be more durable than a softer coating.

  10. #10
    The way that i did when i was in school, is CNC the blue (or pink) insulation foam. And then glue them together. And then cover a thin layer of epoxy on the surface. Cured. Apply another layer of epoxy. Cured. Apply another layer of epoxy. Cured.

    Then i spray duratec primer on the whole nose. Then sand. Any low spot, i filled with bondo. Sand.

    Then i spray duratec primer on the whole nose. Then sand. Any low spot, i filler with bondo. Sand.

    Then i filled low spot with the automotive filler (the green bondo, cant remember the name). Sand.

    Once done, i spray a heavy type of tooling primer, also from Duratec (usually orange or black color). At this point, i shouldnt have any traces of bondo or low/high spot. I take this up to 600 grit.

    Then i wash the nosecone with water and soap. Then i wax or put release agent or PVA (u should use PVA on top of wax, never PVA alone).

    Then do your layup or spray gelcoat first, and then layup.
    RiNaZ

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