Making a simple buck or mold.

Hi, just looking for some ideas for my next project, a Formula Junior based on a Volopini front engined single seater.
As I do not plan on building many! of these, I do not want to make production molds but want to be able to make the basic shape and do the finish on the actual body. I would probably make some plywood forms to get the correct shape and then either foam or plaster over mesh to fill in the form. What have you done or been successful with. I am pretty sure that the centre section of the car is parallel so can easily be formed with rolled ally sheet, so that leaves the tail and nose sections to make molds for. They are really cute little cars and this one will be running a 4k Toyota, Mx5 front and rear suspension with a custom tube frame chassis. I have got all the main bits stashed away just busting to start the build but first finish the current project.
Any suggestions welcomed.
Russell
 

Attachments

  • DSCN3533.JPG
    DSCN3533.JPG
    434.3 KB · Views: 289
  • DSCN3535.JPG
    DSCN3535.JPG
    410.8 KB · Views: 354
Russ if it was me i'd go with your suggestion, do the main body out of 1.6 alloy as that moderately straightforward, then just make an MDF buck up to make the nose and rear bob tail.
cheers John
 
If I was to do something like that I would cut cross section formers out of ~15+mm MDF and screw them onto a fullsize lengthwise center line profile and use plastic splines to get the profiles correct, then staple light alloy diamond mesh to those, use inside/outside circlip pliers to manipulate the mesh to correct profles, the cover all the mesh with single layer of 'boat cloth' and epoxy resin, leave til cured then fill & sand to get your final buck which can be painted/polished to make actual body sections.
 

Terry Oxandale

Skinny Man
It sounds like you're wanting to do something similar to what I did with my McLaren (buck that was finished). I used floral foam due to it's resistance to resin. For larger pieces like you are planning, I built wood boxes, and then hot-glued the sufficient foam to the outside of the box to create the convex shapes with greatly reduced amounts of foam. It sands extremely well. Once the shape/size is attained, I roll the resin/mat onto the outside to a desired thickness, and let it kick. Once hard, I simply remove the foam from the buck, and start the finishing process with bonded brackets, tabs, etc to make it what I need. This was how I built many pieces on this and my 240Z.
 
Russell, I would suggest making the full body in alloy over a wire frame buck, The car would be amazing. And you get to buy new tools. Its a win-win . -Vinny
 
Thanks Jack, John and Terry, I think that`s the correct thing to do, make up profiles and foam bucks ...at least you end up with something usable for all the work. Time to start scrounging MDF board.
Cheers
 
Back
Top