Almost ready to lay up some bucket bodies!

Well I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! Got this old mold for the t bucket bodies about 2 months ago. It is pretty old ,warn and needed some help with scratches. I tore into the gel coat ground grooves in the cracks and chips then came back with fresh gel coat filled those up and placed clear accetate film over to make a flat repair and let the gelcoat cure. Non waxed gel needs to be covered for a non sticky cure. Tonight I finally power buffed the mold to a new high shine! Sanded yesterday till my arms where ready to fall off. Buffed tonight and then got 3/4 of a coat of mold release wax on when my arms said no more and my back has given up to match...getting older sucks by the way! Anyway 4 or 5 more coats of release wax and I am ready to lay up tge first t bucket body! I got pva to use white gelcoat, resin, matt, veil cloth, all my rollers and bought a new bristle roller even. So pictures will be next. Hopeing the weather breaks and the rain stops flying soon. Then i can wheel this thing out and get busy! Should learn a bit on the first one. Not 100% on my layup schedule but will adjust it after this one comes out for the next. I used to lay up boats so not new to thus but new to making a lighter part for sure. Boats are thick and much heavier built. Stay tuned!

 

I'll be watching

 

You need to get a hold of @RPM to advertise on the site to be able to offer your bodies.

 

Good Luck.

 

So far I have only seen the description of a t bucket mold repair. Not the statement that whatever is produced will be for sale.

The warning from hulkamania seems both presumptive and preemptive.

Have I missed anything in Golddregger's other correspondences ?

John

 

I was just saying if he was going to start offering them. There have been other people/businesses/shops that posted in the past about product and just wanted to give him a heads up. Below is what made me think he was going to start offering them

Again the main thing for my post was just to inform him of the advertising offer and welcome him not matter what.

 

Lol they are not for sale! This is purely to build a couple of cars for my son and I. Just having fun here. Thought the group might be interested in seeing it done from a hobby stand point. Old mold thinking from the 70's not production in any way. I have a quart of gelcoat ,1 1/2 gallons of resin, and I hope enough cloth and matt to do the first body. As you can see NOT production quanities here. I do find it a bit over the top that someone assumed in an instant that I was selling bodies. Did not think in any way my post read that way. I just wanted to make my own. Traded a flathead for this mold and having some fun and I can say I built my own body!

 

Its always fun to do your own projects like that, and be able to say, "I did it myself". Keep us posted on your project.
Lee

 

Yep awesome and my son 20 now will be learning how its done. We need to make 2 bodies at least. One for each of us. Will post some pictures soon as we start laying up a body.

 

Yes make sure you keep us posted. Glad to see you working with your son and getting the younger generation interested in hot rods. Welcome to the board. I don't mind or care if you wanted to sell the bodies. Just wanted to let you know that there are advertising opportunities was the man thing for my posts. It is good for the hobby and don't want no hard feelings from anyone on the board when I posted about contacting @RPM for advertising. I know starting a new business is sometimes hard getting customers and your name out there.

 

No worries. I am retired and not planning to get into business. Just having fun building some cars and fabbing up some cool stuff. I am huge on do it yourself ways. I can see where the "layup schedule" may have thrown you as most guys do not know thats what the cloth count is called. Like I say used to build boat hulls and jet ski hulls when I was young. So I fully know how and a bunch about composites and I know enough not to get back into it. But for the fun of making my own... you bet! I even made my own mufflers for my 46 ford truck on an s10 chassis. I like to fab everything!

 

Here is my old mold when I got it. Since been chipped repaired and polished up very nice.

 

Well get to work, we want to see pics

 

This is really cool!

 

I like watching and discussing this stuff! Keep posting your project updates. It's interesting. Nice to share tips, troubles, likes, dislikes...I learn stuff all the time, just getting different perspectives on stuff. Not everyone is making a living doing this, or trying to. No offense, just sayin. I don't know, or care if or how much the sponsors make off of this site, but in their defense, they do put considerable effort into maintaining this site for everyone to enjoy, so I understand them not wanting any vendors tagging along for free. How do you guys that do a lot of glass work keep your rollers and such clean? What is your preferred soaking chemical? I've heard several things from lacquer thinner to acetone.

 

Rollers are cheaper than solvent! I toss mine.

 

Soft fluffy rollers for putting resin on get tossed. But the aluminum, plastic, and bristle rollers get cleaned. Your local paint supply should have recycled lacquer thinner in bulk. I take my container they fill it for half the price of new thinner. Just ask they might have it to. Then i have a 1 gallon metal paint can. 2 large hose clamps, and a car inner tube. I cut 2 strips like 6 inches wide and about 10 inches long from the rubber tube. Lay them over the can overlapping the rubber 2 to 3 inches then put the hose clamps together and make it fit the can . Press the clamp over the rubber so it is tightholding the rubber overlapped and snug around the top of the can. Tighten the clamps. Now you have a can with a rubber lid and a slit in it. I put a few inches of lacquer thinner in . Then you can push the rubber open place the resin covered tool in avoiding touching the rubber by holding the rubber back and let the tool soak. The handle will poke out. Keep it fairly sealed. Also the rubber will swell a bit from the lacquer and it will get softer. Keeps the evaporation and smell down a bit rather than just an open can. Lacquer evaps to fast. I need to make a new can myself for this project so will post a picture when i do.

 

acetone