Quad headlight project - MDF plugs for vacuum forming

Talk Composites - The Forum for Advanced Composites

Back

Quad headlight project - MDF plugs for vacuum forming

Author	Message
TURK	TURK posted 11 Years Ago HOT Topic Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 101, Visits: 662	Hi folks, Just a quick explanation of my current project. And a chance for me practice my skills at uploading pictures This is what I'm trying to make. The rough shape of the quad headlight cover was vacuum formed using my DIY vacuum former. I'm still a long way away from creating the final product, I know. But a lot of things have changed since then. Namely the mounting brackets. The new design is a modular system, these plugs are made of MDF, I've had to use body filler to shape the draft angles, as I'll be using my newly acquired Formech 508DT vacuum forming machine. Here are my MDF plugs for the headlight brackets >> My first question to you guys would be, now that I've purchased some 'Pattern-Coat Primer' to cover the plugs with, is how to measure out ( or weigh ) how much pattern-coat primer I need the cover the plugs ? Would I calculate the volume of the plug ? say, L x W x H ........ then what ? TURK Tags MDF Pattern-Coat Primer Plug Quad headlights vacuum forming
	Reply Like 7
Reply
TURK	TURK posted 10 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 101, Visits: 662	Thanks Billy, glad you approve ! Ah, yes ........ BMW E30 units, I see the high beam also has the black cross-hairs in them as well, very nice. I did look at using those units for my build in the beginning, but I found them to be slightly underpowered, they were first conceived back in the early eighties. So I decided to use the Hella modular units instead, and the Hella's are only 90mm in diameter so I could just about install two headlight units side-by-side in an aperture originally designed for only one headlight unit. Yeah, I do like my VW Transporter T4's .......... so much so, I've got two of them ! >> Most VW's suffer from major voltage drop on the headlights, making the headlight illumination very poor at night, to the point of being dangerous. I decided I would remedy that and design a quad headlight system with a upgraded wiring loom. The T4 needed a bit of a face lift anyway, automotive headlight and bulb design technology has moved on in the last 20 years, but the T4 hasn't. I'm currently inundated with orders, and I haven't even finished the prototype yet ! >> Unlike most guys on this forum, I'm not fibre glassing or vacuum bagging carbon fibre ............ I'll be vacuum forming my headlight parts. So I've got the headlight mounting brackets to make and the headlight covers. Here's one of my latest headlight mounting bracket prototypes >> I'm currently using the 96Kg/m3 PU foam, and just in the process of applying Pattern-Coat Primer to the plug blanks. My intentions are to create some silicon moulds out of the plugs, so then I can cast Vac-Cast Epoxy resin into the silicone mould leaving me with a solid vacuum forming tooling plug. This is where I may need some help, as I'm now learning the characteristics of the materials. You could say that I've had many failures in the past, but I would see it as, I've found hundreds of ways of how not to do it ! Here's where I am at the moment with the Pattern-Coat Primer application > T4 Quad Headlight Project TURK Tags Plug Quad headlight project Transporter VW T4
	Reply Like 5

Merge into selected topic...

Merge into merge target...

Merge into a specific topic ID...

Threaded View

Quad headlight project - MDF plugs for vacuum forming

TURK - 11 Years Ago

You need to work out / roughly calculate the surface area you want to cover with the primer. Then...

Dravis - 11 Years Ago

Many thanks Dravis, My MDF plugs are ready, all flatted, sanded, just ready for the Pattern-Coat...

TURK - 11 Years Ago

No -No no -- You do NOT need the VOLUME -- You need the SURFACE area .. Cut out some soft cloth or...

Dravis - 11 Years Ago

[quote][b]Dravis (24/09/2015)[/b][hr]No -No no -- You do NOT need the VOLUME -- You need the SURFACE...

TURK - 11 Years Ago

Just some comments on your Bracket "Plugs" I assume that, since you are going to "pattern" coat...

Dravis - 11 Years Ago

1 square cm = 0,0001 square meter .. :cool:

Dravis - 11 Years Ago

Hi all, OK, I've worked out all the dimensions of all six sides. W=14cm x L=15cm x H=7cm all...

TURK - 11 Years Ago

Hi Turk, 826cm2 equates to 0.0826m2 - so you'll be looking at around 80-90g (0.862 x 1kg) of...

Rich (Staff) - 11 Years Ago

Hi Richie, And many thanks for taking the time to respond ;) Your math must be spot on as...

TURK - 11 Years Ago

Hi Turk, Yes, 5g equates to 2% of 250g. There is a degree of adjustability though, if you find it...

Rich (Staff) - 11 Years Ago

I have a constant 21 - 22 degrees in my workshop -- I use 1,5% for both the EC Pattern coats ---...

Dravis - 11 Years Ago

Many thanks guys, Glad I got a couple of things right :D Would you think that different...

TURK - 11 Years Ago

The density of MEKP is 1.0-1.15g/cm3 meaning that 1litre would weigh 1.0-1.15kg - as such, the...

Rich (Staff) - 11 Years Ago

[quote][b]Richie (25/09/2015)[/b][hr]The density of MEKP is 1.0-1.15g/cm3 meaning that 1litre would...

TURK - 11 Years Ago

If you want a totally gloss surface, you will end up doing a lot of sanding down, and re-applying...

Dravis - 11 Years Ago

I'll be sure to post my progress Dravis ....... or you can just follow the entire project here >...

TURK - 11 Years Ago

Hi guys, Thought I would update my quad headlight project, and show how my moulds worked out....

TURK - 10 Years Ago

where you bought these lenses? any link or price

TomDesign - 10 Years Ago

[quote][b]TomDesign (22/10/2016)[/b][hr]where you bought these lenses? any link or price[/quote]...

TURK - 10 Years Ago

Awesome work my friend Looking to do something similar as I have some Hella DE headlights for my...

Nightfox - 10 Years Ago

Thanks Billy, glad you approve ! :) Ah, yes ........ BMW E30 units, I see the high beam also...

TURK - 10 Years Ago

Reading This Topic

Login
Remember Me Reset Password Resend Validation Email Login	Facebook Google