Maybe I can help?

BLUPORT

Carpe Diem Cras
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So, I accidentally hijacked another thread by brainstorming, and figured I'd pitch an idea to you folks. It's obvious that there is a shortage of some parts for C-Bodies, and I started thinking I might be able to help with my 3D printers.
Granted, this would really only be beneficial to replace plastic or pot-metal parts with cast aluminum, so I can't help with sheet metal... but if you're still reading, here are my thoughts...

I am not much of a designer of 3D images, but not having any deadlines to meet, I can make my way through it. If someone needed a hood ornament because theirs is just beyond restoration, I could take that ornament, measure everything, make a 3D design of it from measurements, then create a reverse mold for it with my 3D printer. I then fill that mold with wax and let it harden. Open the mold, then cast the wax in plaster, once it cures I now have a perfect mold. I can fill that mold with molten aluminum, clean it up and then with a little elbow grease, it shines like new.
Of course, it's not original, but I'm sure there are some who would rather have a shiny new hood ornament than a pitted and cracked piece of crusty goodness on their car.

This may even work for this mystery 66 tail light bezel I keep hearing about.

Thoughts? Opinions?
 
I was just brainstorming on how to find nice trim for my '66 Monaco taillights yesterday, and was thinking of casting my own parts.
 
Figure out how to cast in a bronze alloy like Laysons does for their repop trim pieces.

The bronze alloy will have a number of advantages, including being easily chromed as you can skip the copper plating step.
 
Figure out how to cast in a bronze alloy like Laysons does for their repop trim pieces.

The bronze alloy will have a number of advantages, including being easily chromed as you can skip the copper plating step.

Same process as aluminum, but more expensive.
 
Front turn signal/ parking light lenses for my '62 300 or small interior parts like door pull ends etc.for other cars/trucks. I think you're headed in the right direction, especially based on stuff I've seen you do already!!
 
Sounds interesting. If it keeps your ride on the road and looking good, is it really all that important if it is not original? Just remember the cars are meant to be driven, used as transportation, not to be looked at in a museum.
 
What size of items can your mechanism deal with?

Several years ago, a guy in car club brought us some tail light lenses he'd cast (from a good original) for his '30s Buick. The detail was outstanding. Done with a mold kit and plastic he got from a hobby store.

One future "thing" might be the soft bumper fillers that dry out and flake apart? Which could be where the length of the item might be a limiting factor?

CBODY67
 
Figure out how to cast in a bronze alloy like Laysons does for their repop trim pieces.

The bronze alloy will have a number of advantages, including being easily chromed as you can skip the copper plating step.
Same process as aluminum, but more expensive.
Bronze casting is the way to go, as @Big_John pointed out. Similar work, superior product... material expense shouldn't be hard to convince someone to pay up for if they understand the quality difference. Pot metal was never intended to last decades and still look good.

If you figure out how to knock something out with the printer, I'd say focus on metal stuff. If you made a good enough plastic item, it might be worthwhile, but most of what's needed may have durability issues like thin trim clips and such.

@Zymurgy has already done a fine job with the mold making for plastic items. I would only encourage that you don't waste resources on something that he has under control. Not enough folks making anything, no point competing with each other.
 
Bronze casting is the way to go, as @Big_John pointed out. Similar work, superior product... material expense shouldn't be hard to convince someone to pay up for if they understand the quality difference. Pot metal was never intended to last decades and still look good.

If you figure out how to knock something out with the printer, I'd say focus on metal stuff. If you made a good enough plastic item, it might be worthwhile, but most of what's needed may have durability issues like thin trim clips and such.

@Zymurgy has already done a fine job with the mold making for plastic items. I would only encourage that you don't waste resources on something that he has under control. Not enough folks making anything, no point competing with each other.

I wasn't aware anyone was already making things, but definitely not looking to step on toes or compete, I was just looking to fill any gaps.
 
I know I've been searching for close to a year for a 66 Sport Fury grill badge that isn't pitted with zero luck.....
 
I would love to see you look into .making casts for some of the white metal parts. Big John has a great idea of casting in a bronze alloy, to be able to skip the copper coating in the chrome process.

If you are serious I like your idea about the hood ornament and it would be a great place to start. It is a smaller simpler design to work on perfecting your technique.

I jumped in with both feet in my lense making by making the taillights for my 66 300. If I had it to do all over I would have started with a simpler lense. The small molds, of my clip making, was perfect in developing my mold making technique, that I could now use for my lens making.

Here are my lenses if you reach to the point in the making those 66 300 taillight bezels you would be hailed as the king. :)
20190829_190325.jpg
 
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I wasn't aware anyone was already making things, but definitely not looking to step on toes or compete, I was just looking to fill any gaps.

I have a few pot metal imperial hood ornaments and I’d be happy to send you one if you want to play around.
 
I have a few pot metal imperial hood ornaments and I’d be happy to send you one if you want to play around.
I don't have a foundry ready yet, I got rid of all my casting materials when I stopped making bullets. I keep thinking about it, and it might not even be beneficial to involve the 3D printer, if I have an original part. I could just make a mold of that part in rubber or silicone, then fill said mold with wax. Take wax replica and do any "repairs" then coat the wax in plaster, heat it to displace the wax and have a pourable mold, fill with the molten bronze, do any tiny touch ups it needs, polish and it's ready for chrome (and paint where applicable.)

Maybe I wouldn't be saving people any headaches, since the average person could do this in their garage...

But I can always print more of these!

69154764_887164608351430_2559709566778474496_n.jpg
 
If you're new to silicone molds I'll be happy to pass on the product that I use and any of my mold material making process.

The material I use for mold making requires no special equipment
 
If you're new to silicone molds I'll be happy to pass on the product that I use and any of my mold material making process.

The material I use for mold making requires no special equipment
I already have a vacuum chamber I've used for the silicone molds I've done previously.
 
You could also look into printing ornaments and having them plated. I'm not real familiar with the process, but I believe it involves coating the plastic with nickel and then doing conventional chrome plating. Much different from the vacuum metalizing they did with model car bumpers.
 
I am leaping ahead at the 66 300 bezels. Seems kind of impossible to make a mold, can you take pictures of the bezel to enter into your computer to make a perfect 3D mold?

20191017_083654.jpg
 
I am leaping ahead at the 66 300 bezels. Seems kind of impossible to make a mold, can you take pictures of the bezel to enter into your computer to make a perfect 3D mold?

View attachment 323506

Yes... but no, at the same time.

It would have to be "3D scanned" which involves taking a metric crap-ton of pitcures of it, then using sofware to render those images into the object, and cleaning up any imperfections, making sure the dimensions are correct, THEN if can be printed.

This article kinda sums up the process: 3d Scan Anything Using Just a Camera

I already have the supercomputer and the overpriced software, but I don't have a good camera. One thing that article DOESN'T mention is, if the object is shiny, it's a really good idea to spray it with a mix of water and starch (corn, potato, whatever) and let it dry. That will leave a non-damaging but dull finish on the part and it shows up better in pictures. Technically it could be sprayed with a few coats of black Plasti-Dip instead, which would make it a flat black finish, and peel off when you're done.
 
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