Making tail light molds

[rida125]

So I dont know if there is already a how to on making tail light molds for using lexan and making custom tails, but i was wondering if any body would care to tell me how to make some molds???

[Trickyslick]

http://www.aleromod.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28364

He is selling....if he hasn't already....the lights and a how to.

[lonnie]

Looks like he used fiberglass on the outside of the headlights to get the mold. Of course you are going to want to use donor lights.

[NickAlero2000]

If there was a How-To then we would be less reliant on the 2 tail light makers on Aleromod, and we would all make our own.
Its a process that's been kept a secret by them, because it makes money in a car enthusiast group with no mass produced tail light aftermarket.

[rida125]

Thats what i figured, im hoping wrightie will sell me his molds and instructions, because i can do some pretty good basic LED third brake light stuff but now i want to move up to doing all the tails

[lonnie]

I don't think it is that big of a deal...I just don't think anyone else wants to put the effort into doing it.

[NickAlero2000]

I would give it a shot if I knew how to.

[rida125]

I would think the most confusing thing would be wiring the LED's and that sort of stuff, i dont think working with the molds and lexan would be all that difficult

[pimpalero2003]

There was a howto posted on this by him also. Been awhile though

[rida125]

yeah but i am almost 100% sure that i am going to be buying a set of tail lights from somebody on this site, and once i get those a buddy and i are going to try and make our own molds. and if they turn out good, we are going to start making custom tails.

[cherrington17]

if its thin enough lexan.. it would melt to the fiberglass mold, in an oven. then just dremel/cut to correct size, and mount.

i have no idea how the rubber coating around it works though. some kind black sealant.



for 2 members to figure it out, and make good quality.. its not exactly rocket science. I'm not saying they are dumb, but it can't be THAT hard to do.

[rida125]

so what your saying is that i put a couple of layers of fiberglass over each tail light so i get a set of molds, then once i get some lexan just center it over the fiberglass molds and set it in the oven until its flush with the mold. then take it out and the lexan should just come off the fiberglass mold???

[lonnie]

He actually poured a clear acrylic into his molds which makes more sense and is probably easier.

[rida125]

how would that work if the molds where curved? wouldnt the liquid want to pool up in the middle??

[cherrington17]

not if you have something to press it with.

i'm guess pariffin/wax paper was used to make it not stick, as well

[lonnie]

how would that work if the molds where curved? wouldnt the liquid want to pool up in the middle??
The acrylic could be thicker then you think! IDK never had the desire to research any of it. If you can poor..whatever to make a lense it sounds allot better then trying to bend lexan into the exact shape you want. Might be vaccum forming as opposed to heat forming.

[rida125]

would it be as strong? and if I used Acrylic you think i would have to make two molds one to pour the acrylic onto and another one to place on top to hold the acrylic into place?

[cherrington17]

that would be the ideal method.

although.. i think the heating in oven would probably work just as well. You'd have to be willing to invest in a few methods, experiment, and report back.

we'll keep suggesting/tweaking until you get it right! :lol:

[lonnie]

that would be the ideal method.

although.. i think the heating in oven would probably work just as well. You'd have to be willing to invest in a few methods, experiment, and report back.

we'll keep suggesting/tweaking until you get it right! :lol:
:lol: :lol:

[rida125]

you guys are kick ass, this is so helpful beyond belief. yeah im buying a full set of tails from somebody here on the site i think and when i get them they are going to be mold making set, and then from there its going to be endless in all the things i will try. And i mean if you guys continue to get idea's about different ways to do it or what to use to make them just continue posting stuff here and i will try it

[broken__one]

I am curently working on tails my self.
lexan does work in the oven, but it's not as easy as you would think to get the perfect shape. i'm in the proses of making molds for the acrylic.I have other ideas other then fiberglass for the molds. as soon as i get something together i'll post up about it.

[rida125]

what else would you make the molds out of??

[cherrington17]

molding clay?

model foam?

[rida125]

i have never even heard of modeling foam, but i suppose clay wouldn't be all that difficult, do you think clay would work with the acrylic best??

[rida125]

also how would you go about taking off the original cover? just dremil it out?

[cherrington17]

step 1: mount brake light on car
step 2: punch center of lens, really hard
step 3: pull broken shards out of hand/lens with pliers.
step 4: have a beer. Job well done.

[cherrington17]

clay would probably give a better result. Model foam is dense foam you can cut/shave/sand easily.

not ideal for this... it would give an odd texture.

i'm thinking clay would be easy to smooth out, then after dried.. would give a clean smooth, hard finish

[rida125]

would you really want me to try using clay? if i did use clay with acrylic, i would have two pieces of clay so that i could put the acrylic on one piece and than use the other to make sure the acrylic doesnt move to the bottom. so would you think that i would still have to put a piece of wax paper on the clay?

[broken__one]

Yeah clay is what i'm going to use. and yeah i think wax paper is best.

[rida125]

where did you get clay from and how much did you get?

[broken__one]

You can get it at any craft store. I got two bricks, there about ten bucks each.

[rida125]

and did you make two molds of it so that you put the acrylic in one and use the other to make sure the acrylic doesnt pool in some places?

[broken__one]

I only have the one side. I just started on them last week
I'll work on the other side as soon as i have some spare time, been busy as hell.

[rida125]

so we both are just as clueless as each other lol,

[rida125]

Ok so what kinda acrylic would i get, and where would i get it from?

[broken__one]

Not sure yet. I'll let you know as soon as i find out.
And if you could do the same.

[rida125]

ok, so everybody else watching this thread, if you would have any input on what kind of acrylic to use for this please post

[cherrington17]

thats why i opted for lexan.... i know nothing about acrylic. :lol:

ask at the hobby/craft store

[rida125]

ok so i know im going to try working with some clay, so if i did clay with lexan, do you think that i would have to bake the clay first just to make it hard?

[rida125]

Yeah clay is what i'm going to use. and yeah i think wax paper is best.

Do you think you could take a picture of the clay mold that you made, and post it on this thread for me??? or us??

[wrightie]

or better yet buy my set of tailights and get the molds already done. with the instructions on how to doit. I figure if you buy a set of tailights to make molds you are gonna spend at least 100 bucks if not more. this way you will have 12 lights to work with for sale and the knowledge that is tried and works for sure. If you ask me 250 Canadian is about 200 dollars american. Where are ya gonna get a deal like that?

[rida125]

ok so this friday im picking up clay, so does anybody know what kinda acrylic i should use or try?????

[wrightie]

deleted...... good luck!!!!

[broken__one]

^^^^ Don't be ass cause no one is buying your molds. The clay is just as good as your glass molds, and if done right easier.
Instead of being negitive you could put out some helpfull advise. It's not like your losing anything. You opted to get out of the light making thing.

[broken__one]

deleted...... good luck!!!!


Thanks

[wrightie]

I actually deleted that before I saw your messages. Anyways, I didnt give it up, I am actually putting the finishing touches on a set right now that will be ready for tomorrow

[natedawg9640]

dudes... i would suggest before you go scotch taping a bunch of wax paper over a playdough mold, that you check out fiberglassforums.com and possibly read up of pulling molds, mold release, negative molds, bending polycarbonate, and different resins, then when you are done with that... buy all the stuff you need and start to amass a collection of tailight blanks... oh wait... or you could buy wrightie's stuff casue it's a good price... then you can screw a few up and not lose your ass.

[rida125]

I dont know what's going on with wrightie, he told me that he would send me the instructions on how to do the fiberglass and what not and how to do the lexan, well now he doesnt want to tell anybody, even after he told me he would tell me after he sold the set.