Found Dreaming

Im Jeff and new here for those that did not see my introduction. I have had some compliments on my patters so I decided to make a post. One of the parts I make are cluctch covers for vintage mini bikes, mini bikes are one of the many hobbies im into and restoring them is a blast. One cover I wanted ad to my collection was for the Zebra mini bike but finding a original cover to make a pattern off of is a big NO GO and just a dream, but I have been able to find some very bad fiberglass covers someone had been making in CA. So last night I got a package in the mail a very bad out of shape Zebra cover that I will turn into a very nice pattern, and then a nice part that has been long gone. First couple pics are some of my patterns I have already made then we will get to the Zebra pattern, I hope by monday we have a finished pattern.

Back to the subject, Zebra Covers... here is what I have to work with a real POS but we will be able to get a nice pattern from it, I have it compared to my Taco cover pattern they are the same cover just the logo is different you can see how out of shape this thing is.




My wife lending a hand!! well or two...






I will put a few hours in each night this weekend I will have some pics up of the progress

wow that is really nice

Great pictures Jeff, the patterns look really nice too. It would interesting to see a little more depth as to how you make these patterns. You mentioned they are glass and bondo master patterns used just for an initial cast which then becomes the pattern right? Seems like an excellent way to build up the needed thickness of a large thin part, I have never worked with fiberglass before but from what I have seen of the process it seems pretty straightforward. Seems I have even read that you can use foam to make your shape then coat it with plaster to keep the resin from melting it.

Harry,
I will start tonight on fixing up the Zebra pattern I will post pics later tonight of the progress. There are some different types of foam that can be used, the little header I made is just a thin cardboard pattern then duraglass and bondo mix.

Jeff, top notch stuff !! Really nice work, are you selling these or are they for your own consumption?

Harry, used the fiberglass technique you refer to, it's quite easy to do and very useful for making hollow objects because the styrofoam forms a core that can be melted out with a solvent. You carve the shape you want, layer the fiberglass over top, if you're using epoxy resin, it can go right over the foam but if you're using normal polyester resin, you need to protect the foam from the corrosive action of the resin, you can use anything that does the job just remember that whatever you use it will most likely stick to the fiberglass. I chose to use drywall mud, the premixed kind because unlike plaster, it doesn't set up rather, it just dries and will soften up again if you soak it water making it fairly easy to remove, had I used plaster instead, I would have had to chip the plaster off the inside of the part.

Will be interesting to follow Jeff.

Rocco, thanks for the tip on the drywall mud. Being able to wash the pattern clean makes great sense.

I got some time in this weekend on the cover actually about done now it needs to sit a couple days one wet sand and a final coat and we have another pattern to add.

The first thing I did was to grind out the inside of the Fiberglass cover, the cover is thin and out of shape from what is is suppose to be.



I then bead blasted the inside I will be using Duraglass for some build up especially on the top side by the tme I grind it to shape I know some of the orignal glass cover will be gone.

I then added a couple coats of duraglass and some sanding



I was then able to start grinding the top side back to shape, this stage is starting to take form.

Then some regular bondo and sanding to shape, I used bondo on the inside of the pattern to get rid of the "Glass" look and some depth.





It is really starting to take form now