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Old 08-25-2010, 08:29 PM   #71 (permalink)
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The problem with the mirrors a little complex. I have an Outback Limited, they mirrors are power AND heated. I can't just nip the little buggers off the car. I have some ideas, but can't come up with something I'm happy with. I actually considered getting Hyundai Elantra Mirrors because they are smaller, more aero shaped, and still electric. But at almost 90 a pair thats a big price. Considering thats the mirrors without modification, without install. it would end up being a 120-150 price tag. I think I could fiberglass side skirts for ~50 bucks. Guess that will be the new task!

Maybe i'll go for wheel skirts. Brucey how did you do yours? I rather not drill into the side of the car, but I'm cool with drilling a few holes into the wheel wheels. Any suggestions?

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Old 08-25-2010, 10:15 PM   #72 (permalink)
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Quote:
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Progress made this weekend:


Does the glass layers just lift off the foil tape? Or do you just make it look easy??

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Old 08-25-2010, 11:30 PM   #73 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by Zerohour View Post
The problem with the mirrors a little complex. I have an Outback Limited, they mirrors are power AND heated. I can't just nip the little buggers off the car. I have some ideas, but can't come up with something I'm happy with. I actually considered getting Hyundai Elantra Mirrors because they are smaller, more aero shaped, and still electric. But at almost 90 a pair thats a big price. Considering thats the mirrors without modification, without install. it would end up being a 120-150 price tag. I think I could fiberglass side skirts for ~50 bucks. Guess that will be the new task!

Maybe i'll go for wheel skirts. Brucey how did you do yours? I rather not drill into the side of the car, but I'm cool with drilling a few holes into the wheel wheels. Any suggestions?
Check out the Wiki page on side skirts, picts and how to's
Rear wheel skirts - EcoModder
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Old 08-26-2010, 01:33 AM   #74 (permalink)
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Zerohour: Of course you can just rip them off the car. I did on mine. 3 Bolts and they're gone.



Mine were just coroplast and duct tape. I had the supporting rod loop around on the inside of the fender so they were completely reversible.
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Old 08-26-2010, 08:07 PM   #75 (permalink)
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Hehehe Okay maybe I can remove them from the car, but I find them a little, just a tiny bit, a maybe a little on the edge on the scale of useful. :-P

Wheel Skirts first, then I'll go back to removing mirrors. :laugh:

Pictures on on the way.
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Old 08-26-2010, 08:17 PM   #76 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zerohour View Post
Hehehe Okay maybe I can remove them from the car, but I find them a little, just a tiny bit, a maybe a little on the edge on the scale of useful. :-P

Wheel Skirts first, then I'll go back to removing mirrors. :laugh:

Pictures on on the way.
Are rear-view cameras considered legal alternatives to mirrors? Most states are going to require at least 1 side mirror. Cameras can be had for dirt cheap on Ebay ~$15 shipped. It is a relatively simple matter to do video and loose those side parachutes.
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Old 08-26-2010, 08:18 PM   #77 (permalink)
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@ Dmac

Yes and No on the fiberglass bit. I have developed extremely secretive ways of making fiberglass parts :-)

If you look back at the photos where you can still see the cereal boxes, those are HUGE when getting the fiberglass to separate. Yes, Fiberglass will come off of standard kitchen aluminum foil. Yes, fiberglass will come off from the aluminum tape, but when combined with a strong backing, its almost a once shot process. The hard part is planning. You need to use some strategery, plan to cover large area with the backing, but leave enough overlap of AL tape or AL foil so you can still remove the piece from the car. I had a hard time getting it off the front bumper of the subaru because I neglected the top portion for the license plate holes. That was 100% aluminum tape, which did not want to leave go from the bumper. I had to separate fiberglass from tape while it was on the car. A process that is best described more profanity having an orgy with other profanities. :-)

So yes it will work, but you need to plan ahead. Know where you'll need to separate from the piece. Overlap 20% more than you think you'll need. I'm getting better with my work, but its better to go 3 to 4 inches past where you'll fiberglass. If you have NEVER fiberglass before, you need to start on test pieces. Getting sloppy with fiberglass will permanently leaves globs on your bumper!

If you're interested, or want more info ask. I can give you alot of pointers on where to start!
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Old 08-26-2010, 08:24 PM   #78 (permalink)
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Picture Time:

Money Not well spent, but I'm in love. Green LED Dome light, and puddle lights.


Lost a low beam, got new headlights. Not eco, but now they are white.


Bought a Toaster:


Made it Naked:


Screwed Around with mirrors, which was a terrible fail:




Inhaled some nasty fumes, god damn terrible human nature go ask "I wonder how bad this really smells?". This little bottle has abs plastic mixed with Acetone, Makes a good putty, but not feasible for large parts.



Installed a Vacuum/Boost Gauge for my Non-Turbo. Couldn't find a good deal on a vacuum gauge, so a vacuum/boost @ $25 will do just fine.

Building a lame pod, but none the less played with melting ABS and using the ABS Putty:


End product:

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Old 08-26-2010, 10:28 PM   #79 (permalink)
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@ Dmac

SNIP

If you have NEVER fiberglass before, you need to start on test pieces. Getting sloppy with fiberglass will permanently leaves globs on your bumper!

If you're interested, or want more info ask. I can give you alot of pointers on where to start!
I have NEVER worked with fiberglass before but willing to try soon. I went to automotive parts store today and looked at the glass and resin and they had a "repair kit" .. seemed kinda small so might be good for experiment test pieces. Unless you advise against those kits.

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Old 08-26-2010, 11:59 PM   #80 (permalink)
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Well to start, those kits will work. Might not get too far with it.

You need to remember, fiberglass gets its strength from, you might this, FIBERS. The resin itself is brittle and cracks. But adding in the fibers greatly improves strength and flexibility. Using too much resin just results in a mess!

Personally I prefer the fiberglass "hair" as opposed to "woven mat". I fullly prep the surface before hand(wipe clear of dust) and check the surround area. You don't want items around you value. lol You also don't want kids, animals, etc around either. You can't fiberglass inside, and you don't want to fiberglass over a worktable or garage floor. COVER UP!

This also includes yourself. You need to invest in disposable gloves, "charcoal" breath mask (at minimum), and a face shield. You could use goggles, but you only get fiberglass on your face once. And if you're me, you'll place your own skull cave into it. :-(

Best Personal Protection equipment I recommend are the following: Tyvex Suit, charcoal breath mask, face shield, Paint stripper/chemical gloves, over top the chemical gloves use latex gloves. It sounds excessive, but its well worth it. Latex gloves over top the chemical gloves for two reasons. Chemical gloves cost 100 times more than latex. So throw away the latex and your chemical gloves stay clean! Second, chemical gloves cover your forearms. You really don't want fiberglass on your body. Trust me!!!

If you don't want to buy a tyvex suit, an old set of shoes, jeans (full leg, NOT shorts), long sleeve sweatshirt (or hoodie), and an old beanie (skull cap, etc). I like the Tyvex suit because it can be used for lots of stuff and you can just keep it in the garage. Cloths always seem to find them way back into the house/laundry. (doh)

Okay with that out of the way, two more things:

Ensure where you work will be above 60-65F. Make sure its not inside your home, make sure it has good ventilation. Make sure other people know that this terrible odd smell is fiberglass. People kinda freak if they smell weird odors. The last thing you'll need is a neighbor calling fire police because of an "odd odor".

And now:

Cover surface in a way which make it removable. Aluminum foil + aluminum tape are great! Tape is more expensive ( alot more) but its stronger, sticky backed, and will adhere to surfaces (useful for molds in Styrofoam)

To mix the fiberglass I like to use small dishes like cream cheese dishes. You do not want to mix alot at a time. Small quantities are better! If you can't use what you mix, it goes to waste.

When it comes to ratios, I've always found it better to use extra MEK (hardener). Too little will leave you with jelly, jelly which never dries. Don't get trigger happy as well. Too much MEK and the resin will turn into a brick in less than a minute. Always look on the labels to get proper, or close to proper ratios.

So whats the easiest mixer? I count my drops of MEK on a plastic spoon, thus preventing the hardening process till i am ready. Then dunk the spoon into your cream cheese dish of resin and stir for good 30-60 seconds. Again, if you don't mix well enough you'll have hard spots and jelly spots. (Age will worsen this result. Never try to store fiberglass resin/MEK for more than one year.) And the spoon is a throw away for each mix. You could reuse the spoon, but usually it ends up stuck to whatever you set it down on!

Now the easy-ish part. Using a regular bristle brush (1", 2", etc). Dip your brush in the resin, wipe excess off into the dish (don't drip all over the place). "dampen" the surface of your work in small spot. Stick a small piece of hair onto the spot. Don't press your fingers in, avoid getting sticky. The hair should stick to the dampened fiberglass. Now tap the brush into the hair. You will visibly see the fiberglass hair get coated by resin. Re-dip your brush if you need to. The trick is not to use too much resin. Just enough to hold the hair in place, while there is a coating on both the top and bottom of the hair.

continue onto the adjacent spot (up,down, left, or right). Dampen the surface, place the hair while giving adequate overlap. Tap the brush on the top to coat the entire piece.

Repeat this process to you cover your work, or your resin is starting to harden up. You will know when this occurs! Stop working the fiberglass when it does. Its time to clean your brush!

I use a "double dip" acetone clean when I fiberglass. I have two small tubs of acetone. The first I dunk the brush to swish it around and let it sit. This will remove most of the fiberglass. This brush usually soaks until i finish the next round of fiberglass. at which point, the second brush hits the first tub. I tap out the first brush, wipe it clean with a paper towel, and dunk it into the second acetone tub. This will give you a very clean brush! Then the third round of fiberglass gets the third brush into first tub, the second brush goes into the second tub, and the first brush should be clean enough to reuse.

So if you got one layer, and you got your brushes clean, you can either continue onto the 2nd layer or let this layer dry. You may have imperfections. It happens. I usually let my layers dry, then hit them with the sand drum on the dremel. The spot will be flat again and you can patch up the badness on the 2nd layer.

The # of layers depends on what the part is, where it will be used, etc. If you going for bumper,skirts, etc, a minimum of three layers. Don't forget the piece may need webbing for support. A large sheet of fiberglass will have flex, so you may need to make a ridge on the back of the piece. Its part the design process.

Hopefully this is enough to get you on your way. Look on youtube as well. There are a FEW good fiberglass videos on there.

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