Reproducing Plastic Parts

So, I recently got another S12, and it's generally in good shape, so I've been considering recasting some of the plastic components. I'd like to get a show of hands here to see who would be interested in buying various plastic recasts of S12 parts, eg vents, opera window tabs, etc.

I have a bit of experience in molding and casting, but it is a bit expensive. Like $150-200 a gallon for molding silicone and $85 a gallon for urethane resin, plus about $8/oz of tinting agent to color the plastic, expensive. So if I'm gonna make this happen, I'll probably need to set up a group buy to get the materials.

If I recast parts, which, if any, would you guys be interested in? Check each item you'd be down to buy in the poll, and your interior color. If you don't see something you'd like listed, suggest it and I'll throw it in the poll. Just bear in mind, this is hard plastic items only, and only stuff that's fairly small.

Depending on how this turns out, I might recast stuff, and I might even be able to make some new stuff, like cupholders or something.

what about a 3d printer??

If I had the initial investment to buy a 3D printer, I'd do that. But even as the prices come down, they're still really expensive. There's also the matter that the urethane is stronger than PLA, though that shouldn't be too big a deal in this application.

Of course, if you wanna buy me a 3D printer, I can 3D print all these parts, and more.  :laugh:

you could 3D print ABS, it's stronger than PLA.

Additionally, you make try casting clear corner lenses/turn signal lenses. They are had to find and should be a relatively easy casting. Hard part I would think would be getting the material to be nice and clear.

Optically clear casting resin is expensive, hazardous to use, and only available in industrial sizes.

And I could 3D print ABS, but I don't know anybody with an ABS printer. Probably my best bet if I want to bring a 3D printer into the mix is to use it for prototyping new parts, then use those prototypes as a buck for new molds.

I'm not super familiar with casting, but I know that at hobby lobby they have a clear casting resin that is supposed to be for stuff like leaves and rocks and stuff. That may work for lens. After a quick search it's polyester resin. Doesn't seem tooo expensive.

I have also heard that PLA parts can deform in a hot car. I had seen where someone had printed a cell phone holder for their car and it deformed in the hot sun. Maybe an issue for direct to manufacture 3d printed. won't be an issue if used as a plug for casting.

Highly interested in seeing where this goes and would be interested in parts that you produce. Keep us updated on this.

Basic on 12:47:27 PM / 22-Jan-15I'm not super familiar with casting, but I know that at hobby lobby they have a clear casting resin that is supposed to be for stuff like leaves and rocks and stuff. That may work for lens. After a quick search it's polyester resin. Doesn't seem tooo expensive.

I have also heard that PLA parts can deform in a hot car. I had seen where someone had printed a cell phone holder for their car and it deformed in the hot sun. Maybe an issue for direct to manufacture 3d printed. won't be an issue if used as a plug for casting.

So, I got the driver left vent out of my car in one piece today. The process begins:

you going to make it as an exact replacement? I would be fine with a fixed vent, so long as I can cover those ugly ugly holes.

I'm gonna make it as an exact replacement. Retooling for a fixed vent would make the fixed vent even more expensive. I may design a gauge pod based around the vent body if the mood strikes me, though.

I've decided I'm probably going to go with 3D printing for 2, maybe 3, of the parts, but I'm going to cast the rest. Because of how some of the parts actuate, I'm going to need the flexibility of ABS or PLA more than the structural rigidity of urethane.

The one thing I'm not sure about yet is the center slat- it's made of metal. I don't know if urethane will be strong enough for it.

I do know, it's the only slat that didn't break when I was tearing the vent down. Fortunately, two of the broken slats were easily repaired, and I only really need one for casting reasons- the 4 slats around the main slat are identical.

I'm trying to come up with the best plan for casting this main vent body. I also need to get my hands on a driver right vent. I believe all the parts will be identical other than the body itself, which will drive the price of casting it down.

In the meantime, enjoy some images:










Post Merge

in for updates

Well now I can update the thread and it'll actually bump post:

A lot has happened since the last update. I've 3D printed some prototype parts, redesigned some bits, and rebuilt the tabs that were missing from my driver left vent body. The group buy on the CS12 facebook page has filled up and if all the funding rolls in this week, I'll be able to start getting materials for casting. Rumor is, there's a vacuum degasser hiding in the Dallas Makerspace. If I can find that, it opens up some better silicones for molding.

I'm gonna get started on cleaning up these printed prototypes today and adding the finishing touches that'll make them casting-ready. I also think I'm going to abandon trying to print a prototype for one part, which just doesn't want to come out right, and use the old ways to redesign it.

Pics:

coolness to the fullness
Post Merge

Apparently they're not. I was told "opera window" referred to a window, especially a rear window, that hinged open with a latch. Apparently it's just a vented quarter window. But people know what I'm talking about.

I've been away for the week and have just found this thread and I'm damn impressed.  Good show, Schizo.  I'm sure you'll make a lot of S12 owners happy, myself included.

Love the progress on this - this is awesome. I wish there was a makerspace around here, I would make little stuff like this all the time

Can't wait to see the end result.  I need these vents!

I'm down for one. Add me to your list of people interested

Yeah, the demand has been overwhelming. Hell, I'm in need of a vent myself. The first run is already all bought up- only took a couple hours for the group buy to fill up. It's gonna be awhile before they're in full production. It's looking like early March before the first sets go out. I still need to get a few more parts in hand, and I'm waiting on the last of the group buy money to roll in, so I can buy all the materials for making the molds and casting the first run.

My progress today was a bit less than optimal, but I didn't sit on my ass. Got the passenger vent out and pulled the inner duct with the shutoff valve for the vent body I've been working on. For the most part, the parts here are ready for casting, though I still have a few more prototypes to make. Gonna give everything a much more thorough cleaning before casting, too, of course.

Pics:

Wow I wish I had been following this thread earlier. I could def use those lock surrounds, in blue !

Keep following the thread, or the CS12 facebook page, for more details as they come.

Forum-exclusive update:

Made some of the mold boxes, figured out mold layouts.

I say if said people don't come through with payments, move on top others that wasn't it.

I'm thinking, if the people who haven't paid yet, don't have the money in by next Friday, I'm going to open up their spots in the early production roster. I'll keep you all posted.

Update for today:

Didn't have a chance to make it to the makerspace, on account of I had to babysit my cousin. I did, however, knock out a concept:

SchizophrenicMC on 04:35:57 PM / 31-Jan-15don't have the money in by next Friday.

One bourbon, one scotch, one beer

My top three favorite beverages

rednucleus on 01:16:03 AM / 06-Feb-15My top three favorite beverages

Or a large coffee for us old farts...

Is the cupholder concept designed to go in place of a vent or in the often empty slot below the radio?  If the latter, wouldn't it interfere with 5th gear position?

It's made to replace the left-hand passenger side vent. The one just to the right of the clock. The final version will retain the ability to direct air. I've also updated it slightly since the above picture:



I hope to 3D print a prototype this weekend.

In other news, the project is funded. I'm gonna buy the materials and get to work.

My Audi has a cup holder like that... I don't trust it. :lol:

Well, I did some revisions to the cupholder design, using a model of a Whataburger cup that I quickly threw together for reference. And then I Ray-Traced it.







That last render took 73 minutes and 40 seconds to complete, with my machine running at full tilt the whole time. And this is not a shappy PC by any means. It's actually fairly high-end.

Here's an update:

Picked up some trial-size containers of the molding and casting agents I hope to use today. I'm confident the silicone will work beautifully, but I'm still weighing my options for the resin which I'll make the actual part from. Smooth-cast 327 is very good for coloring, and it cures translucent if you don't add anything to it. But, it's not the most heat or UV-stable plastic in the world, and I fear that even with a UV resistant additive, it may degrade more quickly than I'd like in a real world application. There's another Smooth-on urethane that is apparently much stronger, though it only comes in black. According to the salesman, though, these urethanes take very well to paint, so I might go that option instead of molding in color. The paint would also be UV resistant and prevent UV damage to the parts themselves.

In any case, here's what I have so far:


That cost $127.

Hey, we use smooth on at work.

I really like the cup holder - genius!

Nice

Man, that cup holder looks super spiffy. I will 100% be buying one from you this spring.

You're the man. This is getting good

Got the trial mold box put together. Gonna start the molding process in the morning. I'm anxious to see how this turns out.

Update:

I have good news and bad news. The good news is, the silicone I've selected is excellent and will be perfect for casting the vents out of. The bad news is, the driver side vent body I used as a trial mold may be unusable. The master came out completely shattered, due to some oversights I made in the mold design. I don't even know if I'm gonna be able to salvage this master. If all this is true, the project has just gone way over budget, and way past deadline. I'm still waiting on my source for the vent body I didn't have, and now I may have to source another vent from an ever-scarcer supply.

I'm going to do a trial pull tomorrow. I'm not holding my breath, but it is possible the initial demold was just more than 30 year old plastic could handle, and fresh urethane in a broken-in mold may hold up better.

Keep your fingers crossed, Club S12.

We're all crossing our fingers...

im confused about how the molding process works. once you make the mold why do you still need the vent?

IggyEGuana on 07:04:22 PM / 03-Mar-15im confused about how the molding process works. once you make the mold why do you still need the vent?

Got any syringe questions don't forget they are kind of a routine part of my career - probably could get quite an assortment (price will probably be right too) to try from a fellow club member - even though you are a CA hater

I picked up some 100cc syringes that I know will have enough capacity and flow to fill the mold cavities with. My only concern is whether I'll be able to clean them well enough to reuse them at least a few times. These suckers are $6 on Amazon and they take 2 days to show up.

show me a pic of what you are using

Check an autoparts store, look for something called a mixmizer, I don't recall how much they hold, but should be cheaper and easier to find.