Body prototype advice needed

[dave6666]

That rigid foam you see body designers sanding on... What is that stuff? Sold in stores or on the net? Also, can it be finished to a smooth paintable surface by coating it with glass/resin or Bondo or ???

 

[ZexZo6]

That rigid foam you see body designers sanding on... What is that stuff? Sold in stores or on the net? Also, can it be finished to a smooth paintable surface by coating it with glass/resin or Bondo or ???

Sorry I can't help, but know exactly what you are talking about. That would be a great way to make a prototype pannel with fiberglass or CF. Best of luck to you on your project; what is it that you are trying to make? I am a big fan of your threads and was really following the rear splitter one before I left for a deployment. Now I can't see any pics on the CPUs here, but can still read the posts. You car is very luck to have you and is definately one of a kind. I think you also had the really good idea on the vented exhaust pannels with the grill mesh and made a custom side splitter to work with it, looked really nice.

Good Luck

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

I have used the foam blocks that florists use to poke arrangements in. You can find them in craft or hobby stores. It absorbs water but stays in shape. It is easy to cut with a razor. Might need two coats of glass to make a smooth surface. Very inexpensive and lightweight.

 

[dave6666]

Thanks Tom. That is likely just polystyrene, one of the simpler rigid foams. And cheap like you said. But is it sandable? I would think the cell structure would have to be smaller and the polymer a little denser or harder.

There's always the McMaster Carr catalog...

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

What you are looking for is a urethane foam that the resin will not melt. You can get it from refrigeration insulation manufacturers and might even be able to pick it up from refrigeration companies "used" when they dismantle large freezers. You can glue the sheets together to make large blocks and it will sand smooth. After you release it off the foam you will need to sand the outside of the parts smooth and use that as a final mold so size it down accordingly.

 

[BOTTLEFED]

I was thinking of this stuff
Foam - Fibre Glast Developments

I think they use it to make molds for fiber glass and carbon fiber. It is sandable and resistant to resins. It is somewhat like that spray-in insulation foam that comes in a can.

 

[sirhc76]

Dave

Take a look at Fiberglass Forums - Powered by vBulletin for all the info you can stand. When you get ready to buy stuff I recommend these guys Fiberglass , Epoxy , Composites, Carbon Fiber - U.S. Composites, Inc.

Chris

 

[v10Muscle]

If you are talking about the scale models they add clay to in spots....it is this.
In a former life- I used to be a model maker.

FMSC - RenShape Modeling and Styling Boards