Mold to reproduce spoiler?

jozi

Is there anywhere that can make a mold of a existing spoiler so a copy of it can be made?

Is it you could do yourself??

Gitb1

Cant you just get a part number for it and order one?

jozi

They aren't made any more unfortunately And any that come up on ebay go for crazy money. Will probably end up getting one from ebay and woud like to then make a copy to sell.

MetzgerMeister

I see what you're trying to do here and it's a good idea. However, might it be infringing on manufacturer design copyright?

jozi

Not thought of that. I just can't really justify paying 200-400 for a spoiler thats only a little bit bigger than the standard one. It's the last part I need to finish the exterior off. Their so hard to get people think they can charge the world for then (greedy...)

Midnight_EG

You could use Isopon I suppose...just don't be tempted to taste it

mickdw

Its hardly worth while unless you plan on making a few copies.
If you were willing to spend a few hundred on this moulding process, it would be possible IM sure. What do you propose to make the spoiler from?

jozi

If I made a few and got some of my money back I'd be happy, I know a few who'd be willing to pay for one.

I have no idea what to make it from, the spoiler it self is a kind of hard rubber.

Mr Benevolent

Fibreglass would be the cheapest and easiest way imo. It's still not easy, but it's cheap enough to try.

irlgw

DUDE, you need to make the mould in two halfs that means a lot of work if they are to join together perfectly. I would recommend doing a cut and shut with several bits of spoiler joined togther- for a shape near to the one you want. Its probably an ABS plastic injection moulded one from the OEM. a lot of these part are designed with acute angles to prevent people from copying them or at least make it more difficult. A lot of these plasctic also react with the sytrene in polyster resins. You can make a mould from any material you wish-even paper mashe!

Ideally you would get some polyeurethane foam and shape it, then fill and fair it, paint it, wax it, mould it, release it ,and then make your parts. I can tell you for a fact if you make the mould in a week you are going well. If you can hand laminate the edges succesfully and join with no problems then you are likely to need to sell about 5 to make back your cost and labour. Really if you have not done before then advise to find an alternative. Interestingly,which part is it that you require for what car..

jozi

It's a M-Tech 2 spoiler for a E30 BMW Touring, I'll try get a pic uploaded tomorrow. For what it is people are being way to greedy and asking way to much money.

vetstu

jozi wrote: »

For what it is people are being way to greedy and asking way to much money.

Not really, if they are not made any more and there is enough people who want them, it's the law of supply and demand that is driving the price up.

MetzgerMeister

Is it the lip spoiler?

mullingar

OldmanMondeo

It is possible to pull a mold from that spoiler. You can make the mold from chop strand fibre glass using a polyester resin. You will also need a releasing agent to stop the fibre glass sticking to the spoiler. you will need to mould both sides, so you will nee to pick a reference point so both sides can be clamped together cleanly, thus reducing the amount of sanding required later.

on making the mould, us a woved Fibreglass, possibly with 1 sheet of carbon fibre if you are not planning on painting the spoiler, with an expoy resin.

There is a lot of work involved as you will be using a lot of chemicals. If you know anyone would builds Kayals they might be able to advise you, Try Kema kraft in Clane or Rough Stuff / The Canoe Centre in Plamerstown

jozi

Fair point about supply and demand. You wouldn't give the standard touring spoiler away if you tried. The spoiler posted by Mullingar is indeed a m-tech2 spoiler however it's for a 2/4 door, they don't fetch near half of what some of the touring spoilers go for.

This is the standard and m-tech spoiler side by side:


And one on the back of a touring:


I was thinking if you wrapped it in cling film and made a top and bottom mould which you then glue together, with plenty of filler of some sort in the cavity.

Eric Cartman

wrap it very tightly in cling film, put it in a box that has just 3-4cm each side of it, then put that expanding foam in a can in the box, fill the entire thing with the expanding foam (or liquid rubber or something similar) let it dry then carefully cut the foam block in half remove the spoiler , fill in any air bubbles in the foam and cut away any little bits of cling film marks in it, then you can use fibreglass or carbon fibre to re-make the spoiler , note im not sure how carbon fibre or fibreglass resin react with expanding foam , so plaster may be another idea