Post by 59fireflite on May 23, 2017 2:50:48 GMT -5
I have quite a few questions, but, I fear without images, it may be difficult. I am fabricating parts for my beloved 59 Glastron boat.
I am no stranger to manufacturing processes, and restorations, but, I am reminded there are a lot of variables with thermo-setting resins. And, I have dove in head first, into multiple different parts, which is complicating things for me as well.
The first part is for an original Attwood steering wheel restoration. The center cap to be exact. It required a fairly complex mold, with risers for air to escape, etc., and has threaded holes to boot. Those features proved relatively easy. It's been the unforeseen/unknown issues that are making it much more complicated.
I am working with Plat 55, and, Alumilite clear for the first question. I have a vacuum chamber, and a 100 PSI pressure pot.
Lots of lessons learned already so far. First lesson: Use the vacuum and the pressure pot, both, for the Plat 55, as even unseen air bubbles underneath the skin of the mold, will later collapse inside the mold under 55 PSI pressure when making the plastic parts. And, will make pimples on the part. Easily wet sanded and buffed, but, ...lesson learned.
Here is where I really want to attach a photo, but, don't have a photobucket anymore to do so. The original steering wheel part has a mirror finish on the inside of the clear plastic. At first I swore the mirror was gold, and I've seen (virtually all) restorations try to duplicate this gold color(quite poorly actually). But, since UV light has turned the 60 year old plastic yellow, I now believe it was actually a chrome mirror, which now only looks gold through the yellowed original 1959 plastic. The OEM coating appears to be damaged just as an old silver nitrate mirror would be, and that theory fits the timeline. However, I just found a video from 1953, that featured "vacuum metalizing", which, technically is a form of PVD, and, I didn't think that even existed at that time. But, it did actually exist in '59. But, can that vacuum metalizing method be applied, to plastic, in reverse order?
1: This is where my first question gets complicated quick. Of my choices: Alclad II paint, Spaz Stix paint, very modern "Wash Chrome", PVD coatings, Conductive Plating, Silver Nitrate, etc.. Many need to be applied to a dark, or conductive base coat. This coating to be done just the opposite, like a mirror with the mirrored surface applied first, and any back coatings applied behind it. So, what would your plastic expertise expect the 1959 OEM chrome mirror finish was? I suspect "Vacuum Metalizing" (early PVD), or, Silver Nitrate. What is your best guess, and, which, if any, will work best with your Alumilite clear? What exactly would I tell a vacuum plater or, mirror maker, that my alumilite clear material is, to solicit their input? (ie; 2 part thermo-setting Acrylic...??) Makes my head hurt with so many variables, choices, and countless possible bad results. Like reinventing the light bulb...
Unfortunately your powder coatings seem they will not yield a "mirror of chrome" that I need. What would Alumilite do? The parts themselves are coming out great! But, I'm spinning in circles with too many variables on this one.
2. Using Flex 70. Many lesson being learned here too. What I really want is white. These are step pads for the gunnels. I reproduced them 10 years ago using white dyed epoxy, and they still look great. But, they are rock hard, and they shrank a bit too much when cast. But, they are still white, and match the spiffy creme white interior. The new Flex 70 "upgraded real rubber step pads", with max drops of white dye, seem to come out of the mold perfectly "creme white", just as I want them. But, within a week, they are very, very, yellow, like a manilla envelope. Yucky. I've tried mixing up turquoise to match, but, clashes horribly with the beautiful paint. And now I am trying a gray part tonight. But, I really want... White. The white that comes out of the mold to be exact. What do I do here? UV stabilizer??
TY in advance, sorry so long.
I am no stranger to manufacturing processes, and restorations, but, I am reminded there are a lot of variables with thermo-setting resins. And, I have dove in head first, into multiple different parts, which is complicating things for me as well.
The first part is for an original Attwood steering wheel restoration. The center cap to be exact. It required a fairly complex mold, with risers for air to escape, etc., and has threaded holes to boot. Those features proved relatively easy. It's been the unforeseen/unknown issues that are making it much more complicated.
I am working with Plat 55, and, Alumilite clear for the first question. I have a vacuum chamber, and a 100 PSI pressure pot.
Lots of lessons learned already so far. First lesson: Use the vacuum and the pressure pot, both, for the Plat 55, as even unseen air bubbles underneath the skin of the mold, will later collapse inside the mold under 55 PSI pressure when making the plastic parts. And, will make pimples on the part. Easily wet sanded and buffed, but, ...lesson learned.
Here is where I really want to attach a photo, but, don't have a photobucket anymore to do so. The original steering wheel part has a mirror finish on the inside of the clear plastic. At first I swore the mirror was gold, and I've seen (virtually all) restorations try to duplicate this gold color(quite poorly actually). But, since UV light has turned the 60 year old plastic yellow, I now believe it was actually a chrome mirror, which now only looks gold through the yellowed original 1959 plastic. The OEM coating appears to be damaged just as an old silver nitrate mirror would be, and that theory fits the timeline. However, I just found a video from 1953, that featured "vacuum metalizing", which, technically is a form of PVD, and, I didn't think that even existed at that time. But, it did actually exist in '59. But, can that vacuum metalizing method be applied, to plastic, in reverse order?
1: This is where my first question gets complicated quick. Of my choices: Alclad II paint, Spaz Stix paint, very modern "Wash Chrome", PVD coatings, Conductive Plating, Silver Nitrate, etc.. Many need to be applied to a dark, or conductive base coat. This coating to be done just the opposite, like a mirror with the mirrored surface applied first, and any back coatings applied behind it. So, what would your plastic expertise expect the 1959 OEM chrome mirror finish was? I suspect "Vacuum Metalizing" (early PVD), or, Silver Nitrate. What is your best guess, and, which, if any, will work best with your Alumilite clear? What exactly would I tell a vacuum plater or, mirror maker, that my alumilite clear material is, to solicit their input? (ie; 2 part thermo-setting Acrylic...??) Makes my head hurt with so many variables, choices, and countless possible bad results. Like reinventing the light bulb...
Unfortunately your powder coatings seem they will not yield a "mirror of chrome" that I need. What would Alumilite do? The parts themselves are coming out great! But, I'm spinning in circles with too many variables on this one. 2. Using Flex 70. Many lesson being learned here too. What I really want is white. These are step pads for the gunnels. I reproduced them 10 years ago using white dyed epoxy, and they still look great. But, they are rock hard, and they shrank a bit too much when cast. But, they are still white, and match the spiffy creme white interior. The new Flex 70 "upgraded real rubber step pads", with max drops of white dye, seem to come out of the mold perfectly "creme white", just as I want them. But, within a week, they are very, very, yellow, like a manilla envelope. Yucky. I've tried mixing up turquoise to match, but, clashes horribly with the beautiful paint. And now I am trying a gray part tonight. But, I really want... White. The white that comes out of the mold to be exact. What do I do here? UV stabilizer??
TY in advance, sorry so long.
