CarBEN EV5 Full Sized Prototype Construction - 5 Seat Electric Car From Scratch

[euromodder]

Good to see you're still "at it"


I'm sitting here thinking these techniques would just as well make a nice removable, hitch-mounted boattail ...

[NeilBlanchard]

I've been smoothing the bottom and after gluing in some small patches, the diffuser fins are much more even and straight:


(click on thumbnail for larger versions!)

I need to work on the right side and then I will glue up the wheel skirts, and then start fiberglassing the bottom. A windshield (from a Smart ForTwo) will be needed fairly soon as well.

Yes, I think some of the ways I am building CarBEN EV5 are usable for other projects. I am following some of the stuff I have seen others use here on EM.

[freebeard]

Yes, I think some of the ways I am building CarBEN EV5 are usable for other projects.

Here's an example from 1965:

Gasket House - Archigram Archival Project

[zoltanbod]

Wow Neil,what do you do in your spare time? I commend you for your drive and creativity...thank goodness for cnc... EH !

[diegudio]

Awesome work!!! Congrats!!!

[mikeyjd]

Super impressive stuff going on here!

[NeilBlanchard]

I've recovered from a hard drive failure - these pictures were taken a few days ago, and now I can finally post them! I'm gluing up the wheel skirts, and I'm really liking the new sanding tools; they flex and make sanding the inside radii surfaces very nicely.


(click on images for larger versions)

[Rokeby]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

...I'm really liking the new sanding tools; they flex and make sanding the inside radii surfaces very nicely.

Neil,

+1 on the kudos for the impressive work that you're doing.

For the record, what sanding/abrasive tools are you using?

[NeilBlanchard]

The new flexible tools are made by Gator Finishing and they are called Zip Sanders. The flexible longboard tool is from Jamestown Distributors. I'm using a Porter Cable "compact" random orbital disk sander, and an oscillating saw, and a Makita belt sander. I made a two surfaced sanding tool to do the rabbet joint.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

I'm planning on using the same waterproof wood glue that I've been using to glue the foam together, for the fiberglass, too. I am going to focus on finishing this prototype to get to testing it - only the functional problems will get fixed.

Do they make a flexible version of the pneumatic longboard? I'm only on the second abrasive sheet - I bought the better 3M ones, and the foam is obviously easy to work.

I've not seen such an animal (I'd want one myself!).
At Oshkosh,Alexander Sport Air was doing composite clinics.They had the luxury of flex boards with each grit of 3M paper ready to go:30,80,150,220.
They could really get after it!
After a coat of glass and some micro-spheres they were ready for the lighter wet-sanding to dial in the final contours.Two-'color' primer guide-coats and extreme side-lighting would reveal highs and lows.
Running the hand over the wetted surface was the acid test.
Tedious,but flawless surface quality.
Stainless steel flex spines can be handy for spreading filler and micro-spheres over compound surfaces as well.Stainless doesn't have the memory of other metals and bends into a nice arc.Get 'em into acetone or vinegar fast enough and they're easy to keep clean.