Lee
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Post by Lee on Aug 21, 2004 5:03:13 GMT 1
Today we learned from a master that you vacuum the Silicone rubber and pressure the resin casting. So we bought a 2 1/2 gallon paint pot and an air compressor. We can do the vacuuming in the pressure pot, but we will be unable to see what is happening.
Jerry now has seven different masters which he is fine tuning for the finish moldings. Eric should have some more pictures up this weekend so everyone can see what is happening.
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Lee
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Post by Lee on Aug 21, 2004 23:00:50 GMT 1
This morning Jerry tried some of the new resin that we aquired yesterday. He thinks it is the best yet that we have found.
We are thinking of two different lines of vehicle castings. The low end or solid models as we have been talking about in the past. The high end or otherwise known as hollow casting. Our goal big goal with the high end is to make a box with a lid type model. In other words, the frame, seats, dash and door panels would be one piece. The body shell would slide down over it. I have never seen it done before and do not know if it can be done. But we are going to have fun trying. The big problem will be the sides as they will have to be very thin.
The same material that is used as a mold release can be used as a filler in the resin. This makes the resin much stronger, tougher, and more durable.
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Post by RDgraFX on Aug 25, 2004 13:07:46 GMT 1
Lee,
The Oldsmobiles and the Buick pictures posted at Showcase #13 look great. Keep up the good work, and keep feeding those pictures to Eric so we can see more.
Have you thought about or are you considering doing some Chrysler Corp. vehicles of the same era?
Ron
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Post by superba on Aug 25, 2004 17:13:14 GMT 1
Lee;
The Olds and Buick are fantastic!!
Good luck on the hollow casting, I have been experimenting with limited success.
The gallery photos look great.
Joe
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skunk
87thScale addict
5th B-day
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Post by skunk on Aug 25, 2004 19:16:58 GMT 1
Dont listen to Joe, his hollow casts are excellent (although understandably fragile) - but of course I do not know how many discards it took to make one good piece...
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Lee
Senior Member
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Post by Lee on Aug 26, 2004 2:39:19 GMT 1
On the Buick. The master is fine. While making the mold, the top part slipped so will have to be tossed and a new mold made.
One thing that does not show in the pictures is the generic underbody detail. I think there is a picture in the SMCC of it in the making.
Hollow casting by hand is tricky at best. I left a post in resin casting about hollow casting.
Jerry does not like me telling what he is working on as it/they may never be finished. So I will not tell you anything about the '57 Merc, the Chrysler Airflow, the '37 Studebaker four door, or the...........mmmm.
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skunk
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Post by skunk on Aug 26, 2004 5:27:46 GMT 1
A Chrysler airflow...?
I am very interested, but only because I would like to build the copycat Volvo PV36 "Carioca" (http://home.wanadoo.nl/remcovangogh/Volvo5.html) - as far as I know Volvo was the only manufacturer that followed Chrysler's design path. Volvo, too, got burnt by this attempt at modern design, and remained fairly conservative for the next sixty-plus years.
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stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
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Post by stanhas87 on Aug 26, 2004 5:43:12 GMT 1
Dear Skunk:
I think that there was a Peugeot that followed Chrysler Airflow design and that was produced as well.Correct me if I am wrong.
Nick K
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Lee
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Post by Lee on Aug 27, 2004 5:13:49 GMT 1
Put all the equipment together today and tested it. There is a small leak in the vacuum line, but I am unable to locate it. We can only draw down to -25 lbs. Anyone know how to test for a vacuum leak? Pressure leaks are easy to find. Just squirt soapy water on the line and the leak will bubble.
Other than the small leak everything seems to work fine. We will make our first molds this weekend and, if everything goes ok, cast the first models Monday. I will be taking pictures of the equipment and the processes as we go thru them.
Everyone we have talked to so far has never heard of anyone doing a vacuum/pressure system. One or the other, never both at the same time. Maybe I have started something new?
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Post by Sylvain on Sept 1, 2004 7:50:20 GMT 1
I think that there was a Peugeot that followed Chrysler Airflow design and that was produced as well.Correct me if I am wrong. Nick, Yes, there was: the Peugeot 402 in 1935, the 302 and and the popular 202 in 1938… www.lecaav.com/402.htmwww.bboivin.com/peugeot/
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Lee
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Post by Lee on Sept 1, 2004 20:16:04 GMT 1
Jerry has been reworking the masters, always trying to make them a little better. We have found out that you think you have a good model so you make a mold and cast it. When you put a finish on the casting, you start seeing the little defects that need correcting. When you start comparing your finished piece to a picture of the real thing, you start seeing little errors. For example: Look at the pictures of the Olds. The top half of the grill is wrong. It has been corrected now. Jerry now has six masters and we hope to start making the finial molds in the next couple of days.
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Post by Meguntic on Sept 2, 2004 1:19:35 GMT 1
Sylvain:
Welcome back from vacation, I hope you enjoyed it, I thought Lee had you chained to the workbench working on his test shots. He claimed you were on vacation.
How is the progress on the Cutter cars?
Dwight
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Lee
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Post by Lee on Sept 2, 2004 1:23:22 GMT 1
Sylvain finish those three and is looking for more. ;D
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Post by mrbst30 on Sept 2, 2004 2:37:50 GMT 1
From the pictures I have seen the castings themselves look awesome. And I think it is save to say that Sylvain has really doen them justice in building and painting them.
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Lee
Senior Member
Posts: 1,899
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Post by Lee on Sept 2, 2004 2:54:55 GMT 1
Yes, Sylvain can take a sows ear and make a silk purse out of it. If you look close at the vehicles they look very rough. The chome looks like it has been pitted. This is not Sylvains fault but ours. Jerry used a self de-airing rubber to make the test molds. We figured out that after a couple of castings little tiny air pockets turned up in the rubber causing the roughness. If you look at a picture of a master you will see that brass wire is used in making the trim. This should come out smooth. As soon as Jerry finishes reworking the masters, we will remold with regular molding rubber which we will de-air with the vacuum. I think you are going to see a big difference with the new castings.
As I said before - you are seeing a "company" going thru its trials and errors. I am doing this so others can learn from our mistakes.
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