How do you guys do it? (make your own bodies)

Captain Fred · #1 01-09-2004, 01:47 AM

I was wondering how some of you guys are able to mold your own slotcar bodies. Where do you get the stuff to do it with? How do you make your molds? Is there a book or some available information about it?
I would like to try it. Any help would be appreciated.

vaBcHRog · #2 01-09-2004, 10:09 AM

Well Captain Fred here is a quick and dirty how I make a mold for a TJET. First find a diecats body that has the wheelbase you want or an existing TJET body you want to reproduce.

There are two ways for the 1st step. Some people grind out and mount the diecast to a tJET first and make the inside mold ( also called male mold) and some people make the outside mold (also called female mold) first. I make the outside mold first as I want to make the resin body as thin as I can.

So you have the trusty diecast car in your hand. Look at it close if the bumpers are molded to the body great if they are sepaerate pieces great but if they are molded into the bottom of the car you have to do the 1st step a little different. If the bumbeers are molded to the body or seperate pieces then drill the two rivets out on the bottom of the car and remove everything except the glass and if sepaerate the bumpers. If the bumpers are molded into the bottom of the car take your trusty dremel tool and cutting disk and cut through the bottom of the diecast just behind the fron rivet and infront of the rear rivet. Then remove everything except the glass.

Now fill all of the inside of the diecast with Kleen Klay, it should be squishing out the side windows, and wheel wells and at least 1/4 inch below the bottom of the body. Now clean up the side windows making sure they are indented (clay is pushed in from the side of car), indent the wheel wells and clean up the edges where the clas meets the front and rear bumpers and side of car.

Now polish up the car and remove all fingerprints etc.

I then place the car on a flat piece of plastic. I use old CD cases, Ziplock top that I have cut etc, just a thin piece of plastic. I then take a small mold box with the bottom cut out of it over the car and tape the edges of the box where they meet the flat plastic.

I ten mix up enough silicone to fill the box which is normally one bathroom cup filled 3/4 with part A and one bathroom cup filled 3/4 with Part B and mix. I use Smooth-on's OOMA 25.

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vaBcHRog · #3 01-09-2004, 10:10 AM

Come back in 90 mins and remove the Mold from the box and the car from the mold

I then slosh cast this mold to get a shell to mount posts to and reinsert into outer mold to make the inner mold. I coat the mold with a light dusting of Baby Powder. I then heat the mold for 1:30 1:45 mins in the microwave. I mix up 1/4 teaspoon of Part A and Part B of resin. I pour it in the mold and by tilting the mold back and forth and side to side I kepp the resin flowing covering all the body,. When the resin gets as thick as molasses and almost ready to set up I tilt the mold forward and turn upside down with the front of the mold (front of body) tilted down slightly.

I remove the body clean it up, remove window I want to remove and add body mounting posts.

The first bodies I made I used JW's body mounting posts and epoxied them in. I now use some of my older inside molds and pour resin into their body post cavities and make resin posts taht I glue to the body using resin. I like these better as they are easier to work with, i.e, grind down.

After I have the body post on drilled and mounted I will use this body to go back inside the mold. I put tooth picks in the body post screw holes.
I cover the outside mold with silicone every place the inside mold silicone might touch the outside mold when its poured. Silicon sticks to silicone.

I then place the mold box on the top of the outside mold as shown here

Then I mix up some OOMA 25 and pour in the inside

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vaBcHRog · #4 01-09-2004, 10:14 AM

I carefully pull the molds apart

Clean all the vasoline off both mold and I'm ready for my first pour. I use 1/2 teaspon of Part A and Part B of resin. I use Smooth-on's 300 and 320 as well as MicroMarks EasyFlo 300 and Bare-metafoils Poly S. For some reason I always miss a little of the vasoline but you will see where it is by looking at your first casting it will show on the surfcae anywhere you missed the vasoline.

Get Smoth-ons Starter kit , it has everything except the Kleen Klay which I get fro Micro Mark.

I use plastic Bathroom Cups and Cheap plastic measuring spoon sets from Walmart. I swirl the parts A and B around in the cup to mix it. I use plastic bottles from the Candy making Hobby section of Walmart these are used for applying chocolate and have red caps to close them. I pour the parts A and B of the resin into their own bottle, this makes it very easy to pour and measure, they are cheap enough that I just throw them away and buy new ones when I run out. The molding box I got from my local Hobby shop. A lot of guys use Leggos for molding boxes.

Hope this helps

Having fun

Roger Corrie
Virginia Beach, VA

roadrner · #5 01-09-2004, 11:12 AM

Roger,
Great how to, especially with the pix! Thanks, rr.

Captain Fred · #6 01-10-2004, 12:42 PM

Wow! Thanks for the How to & links. I am just itching to try it. I've already picked out some diecast bodies that I wanna use.

You rock, vaBcHRog!

BFK · #7 01-10-2004, 12:52 PM

Yhe,i have done a couple beaters for the kids with the Smooth On starter kit.
I bought mine local.
The Starter kit is the cheapest way to go,and if you have others in your family to buy at different intervals, its even better!!

Here's the website for dealers in your area or to order online:
http://www.smoothon.com/distrbtr.htm

They also sell the dyes...

also,you can make your own slicks for your slots as well,as long as you know someone who can make the mold(machinist)

rodstrguy · #8 03-25-2004, 01:09 AM

Corrokid, you might want to check this out!

vaBcHRog · #9 02-09-2005, 09:01 AM

Brought this back to the top for those looking for info on resin casting

Roger Corrie

toypark · #10 02-10-2005, 12:36 AM

hi after you make a mold for what kind of vec you want. were can i buy wheels like matchbox or johnny lightning wheels i am looking to make police vans,and pd cars so i am thinking about taking apart a johnny lighting crown victory to try it. any one have any tips? and how do i make windows? this is for a 1\64 scale model so all tips are welcome and you can e-mail me at toypark@aol.com