Do you put the resin in a vacuum chamber for a bit before pouring?
I use a one to get rid of trapped air from mixing high temperature silicone rubber prior to pouring over the pattern.
How to make a brand new plastic French steering wheel.
- Thread starter 56 Fregate
- Start date
I use a one to get rid of trapped air from mixing high temperature silicone rubber prior to pouring over the pattern.
No I didn't vacuum it because I cannibalised my vacuum pot long ago for another purpose but I have a plan for gas bubbles. Remember this is just a plaster mould for a one-off item and as such won't produce a perfect finish anyway. Nay I have a plan so stay tuned. I'll leave it for a day or three for the resin to harden before I bust it out. Given that it is winter in New England it will take a little longer to fully cure and the plaster block won't fit in the oven. Yes I measured it and it won't. 
Much to my surprise, delight and unequivocal reverence to lady luck I gently unscrewed the centre bolt and carefully prized open the plaster mould with the same wonderment that Howard Carter did all those years ago. The wheel is a success and after a bit more time to allow the resin to cure I reckon I'll get the wheel out of there in one piece. The surface finish looks pretty good and will come up well with a wet sand and fine finish with a selection of fine abrasives but again, the resin needs to fully cure before that can be done. The only defect I can see so far is some cavitation at the pouring end where the resin shrunk away because I was unable to give it a final top up due to sleep requirements. (see last image)
Today I will fill the affected area with the exact same product from the same bottle and let it harden before I remove it from the mould. Given that I can see no sign of trapped air bubbles except for the filling end I think this will be like a walk in the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont.
Today I will fill the affected area with the exact same product from the same bottle and let it harden before I remove it from the mould. Given that I can see no sign of trapped air bubbles except for the filling end I think this will be like a walk in the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont.
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The crowd yelled hoorah and cheered wildly, some threw their hats, some threw flowers as the new steering wheel emerged unscathed from the plaster mould. Who'd have thought?
To my surprise there aren't any visible gas bubbles or bits missing so the new wheel is now in the oven for baking at 50 degrees for a couple of hours. Tomorrow I will arm myself with a bucket of warm soapy water and some sand paper and see how she comes up after a bit of love. In the first image you can see where I fixed the defect near the pouring funnel, I always prefer to over fill any defects. Any other defects that emerge will be filled in the same way and with the same original material from the same bottle. The plaster mould survived intact with just a couple of screw driver marks. It's a shame I will never need to use it again and it will ultimately be scrapped. In the last pic you will see a small hole where a chaplet was placed. If you have a look at the back side of any old plastic wheel you will see the exact same detail.
To my surprise there aren't any visible gas bubbles or bits missing so the new wheel is now in the oven for baking at 50 degrees for a couple of hours. Tomorrow I will arm myself with a bucket of warm soapy water and some sand paper and see how she comes up after a bit of love. In the first image you can see where I fixed the defect near the pouring funnel, I always prefer to over fill any defects. Any other defects that emerge will be filled in the same way and with the same original material from the same bottle. The plaster mould survived intact with just a couple of screw driver marks. It's a shame I will never need to use it again and it will ultimately be scrapped. In the last pic you will see a small hole where a chaplet was placed. If you have a look at the back side of any old plastic wheel you will see the exact same detail.
Genius!
After two rounds of patching and wet sanding the wheel has been painted with the same resin and put on my rotisserie in front of the heater for curing. Since epoxy resin isn't actually a paint it will run, drip and seep if it's allowed to remain still, hence the rotisserie. This step will be repeated on the morrow. The mighty little Ryobi has been ticking away for about 4 hours on a single battery.
Mission accomplie..
After using several different grades of wet and dry paper with soapy water followed by a rub down with a scotch-brite and car wax polish the job is done. One Art Deco steering wheel ready for service, I'm happy with the feel of it this time. I'll have to make a wall clock with the other one I suppose.
After using several different grades of wet and dry paper with soapy water followed by a rub down with a scotch-brite and car wax polish the job is done. One Art Deco steering wheel ready for service, I'm happy with the feel of it this time. I'll have to make a wall clock with the other one I suppose.
Unpaid product endorsement.
The resin I use for this type of work is Barnes Epoxy cast and the hero of the day was the wax release agent I sourced from Bunnings
The resin I use for this type of work is Barnes Epoxy cast and the hero of the day was the wax release agent I sourced from Bunnings
Thanks!
I reckon it's a pretty simple process when you see it broken down into steps. Steps that anyone could do in their own shed should they so wish. In post #4 I estimated it would take about 20 hours and that's about how long it took in various stages. Drying and curing times excluded. But if you're anything like me you may have many things going on at any one time and producing a new steering wheel is no different to tending a vegetable garden. It's all done in stages.
I reckon it's a pretty simple process when you see it broken down into steps. Steps that anyone could do in their own shed should they so wish. In post #4 I estimated it would take about 20 hours and that's about how long it took in various stages. Drying and curing times excluded. But if you're anything like me you may have many things going on at any one time and producing a new steering wheel is no different to tending a vegetable garden. It's all done in stages.
That is just incredible..... staggering. Have you ever done a wooden steering wheel? Someone just posted making one on the Traction facebook group. If you'd llike to see how they did it I can post there photos here (links don't work unless your a member of the group).
I've only made and repaired plastic wheels on a needs basis. To make or repair a wooden wheel would surely be easier.
Sure post away..
Sure post away..
its over 20photos .... but I found it fascninating. anyone that loves woodwork could probably do it.
This isn't my work. Its from a member of the Traction Avant facebook group.
I don't think he used exotic tools to make htis (he's pictured with an ozito sander in one of them). I can't read the comments etc as its in french!
Nice. That looks like white cedar which grows prolifically in Queensland.
Are we going to get a wooden "sports" steering wheel now for special events rather that is interchanged iwth the plastic one for normal use