My Interior Project (Will be updated as it progresses)

[Dragonheart]

UPDATE -

Small bit done tonight, getting closer to completion now;

Gear lever surround, 90% complete;


Trimmed the area around the cigarette lighter and applied resin to same;


Lower centre console 95% complete;

[Sebastian]

oh dear , can't wait to see this stuff

[Myfeckin FTO]

oh dear , can't wait to see this stuff

+1 - think it might surprise a few people. You may just have stated a trend - I'd now like to give this a go with the regular CF pattern (do you take orders? ).

[Dragonheart]

oh dear , can't wait to see this stuff

+1 - think it might surprise a few people. You may just have stated a trend - I'd now like to give this a go with the regular CF pattern (do you take orders? ).

If I'd known people were interested in this sort of stuff I'd have set up a workshop or something, would have saved me having to ship off halfway around the world.
Def worth a shot giving it a go, I would suggest though doing as I did, and getting second parts to work on, or else you could be driving around with no dash pieces for a while.
I'll put up a more detailed description of ways to do it hopefully tomorrow in a seperate thread, for those who do feel like trying it.

[TopCat]

Great work MJ, the finishes you're getting are really good, will be nice to see these in the flesh.

[finers]

Looks amazing, can this be done with original carboon fiber look? i would love to do my voltmeter/clock surround. can this stuff be sourced easly?

[Dragonheart]

Can be done finers ya with the regular carbon fibre. Its the very same technique as the cloth I'm using. Carbon fibre is just a cloth as well with the resin over it. You can buy the carbon fibre cloth much easier than the kevlar, a good few websites have it in england I think.

[finers]

Can be done finers ya with the regular carbon fibre. Its the very same technique as the cloth I'm using. Carbon fibre is just a cloth as well with the resin over it. You can buy the carbon fibre cloth much easier than the kevlar, a good few websites have it in england I think.

Thanks Dragonheart i presume your not using real kevlar? and the diff between the both in this instance is weave pattern? I like the look of the kevlar and wondering if it comes in a carbon colour perchance? noob

Have a spare surround and ready to give it ago.

cheers.

[Dragonheart]

Its a kevlar carbon hybrid. I wouldnt drape myself in it and jump in front of a gun but its the real stuff all right as far as I'm aware.
I think the colour can be got all right in grey/black instead of red/black, try these boys; http://www.ecfibreglasssupplies.co.uk/store/-c-43.html, under the decorative cloths section, though its not kevlar its carbon and polyester hybrids. You could try the seller I use on eBay, Polymer Products, they have a good bit of stuff too and might have you're looking for.
Be careful doing the surround, its been the trickiest bit I've done so far and only from doing other easier pieces was I sure of what to do. Its worth it doing a test piece on something else first so you know the right mixes and stuff and how to go about it. Tom will back me up on that I think?

[Dragonheart]

Havent got a chance to do that step by step for your Janus yet, I'll try and do it over the weekend, will try and do it on one of the door handle surrounds and take a pic of each step of the process as its done. That ok?

[Muad_dib77]

Perfact mate - thanks

Here's a place that sells all kinds of mad colors..
http://business.shop.ebay.com/items/Oth ... ec0Q2em282

[Dragonheart]

UPDATE:

Got the first coat of resin on the hood for the speedo;


The cloth for the upper centre console trimmed back, first coat of resin yet to be applied;





Getting close to completion now! All pieces only have resin coats left, plus the final sanding and laquer. Hoping to have it done by next week.

[Muad_dib77]

So you glue the cloth fully to the part prior to applying the resin?

[Dragonheart]

Well what I do is put a light coat of resin on the piece, keeping back a bit from the edges, and push the cloth into shape. Then, when that dries, I stick the edges down with bostik or superglue, (bostik is best cause your fingers dont stick together). Then I apply another light coat of resin to the whole piece, including out over the edges of the cloth, when the cloth hardens it makes it much easier to trim it back when its hard. Once trimmed back, let loose with the resin.

[gary d]

fair play, your game as a badger for trying it, would'nt be my cup of tea each to their own mind.

[dcfto]

Was just wondering how your getting on with your project these days?

Was making for some good reading and giving me ideas as well.

Fair play to you.

[Dragonheart]

Got a bit more done, will be posting more pics up soon enough, hopefully after the weekend. Got the final (I think) resin coats on all items, (and your walkthrough as well Muad), done, so its all complete except for sanding down. And fitting will prob take a few adjustments but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Havent had much time to do it lately unfortunately but did a bit during the week and last week.

[Dragonheart]

UPDATE:

Upper centre console resined. (Hood for gauges is too but still a bit of work to be done to it so not going to put up pics yet).

Had to be done in 4 seperate pieces as the shape of the piece is too awkward to do in one piece, the top was one, the bottom was one, and the holes for the gauges were one each too;




The bits tie in not too badly when resined up. Hopefully after sanding and laquer they will be less noticeable;



Nice shine off the top;

[Muad_dib77]

Top Man DH.. Cant wait to see this - hopefully I'll get to see it in the flesh as well before you bugger off to Mordor.

I already have the material picked out I want to use...

[Dragonheart]

Oh aye, you'll get to see it all right I'm sure at some stage. Provided I get it all done to satisfaction that is! Picky bugger that I am!
You're walkthrough is up there too.

[Muad_dib77]

Super nice mate.. really liking the finish.

a few things though I'd like to as..forgive me if you've already mentioned these..

1. What resin are you using?
2. What Lacquer are you using?
3. What grade of sandpaper?
4. How hard do you go at it when you sand & do you have a snap of a sanded piece - my fear is to sand too much and turn an otherwise good piece to muck.
5. The little frilly bits around the edges on the gauge pod, are you going at them with a blade prior to lacquering or will they "fold in" with the lacquer?

Apologies for amount of questions..

[Dragonheart]

1. What resin are you using?
2. What Lacquer are you using?
3. What grade of sandpaper?
4. How hard do you go at it when you sand & do you have a snap of a sanded piece - my fear is to sand too much and turn an otherwise good piece to muck.
5. The little frilly bits around the edges on the gauge pod, are you going at them with a blade prior to lacquering or will they "fold in" with the lacquer?

No problem.

1. The resin is a brand called Gurit SP 320, it comes as a pack with the resin and the slow hardener.
2. Havent got the laquer yet myself but any UV resistant laquer I've been told will work. I'm going to try to get it in the marine shop where I got the resin.
3. Use 400 grade for the first rub down, then 800, 1200, and finally 1500 for the final finish.
4. I'll get some when back up in cork for you if thats ok. When you sand the piece will lose the shine, heres one I done before;

The main thing is this - Make sure not to sand down to the cloth, thats why its important to have a good few layers of resin on, the sanding is for removing any small impurities or bubbling on the surface and to take down any bits which may not have settled and appear lumpy. If the piece looks smooth as it is I wouldnt bother sanding. But still apply the laquer. When the shine is gone the laquer should bring it back up again. Then when the laquer is dry wax it same as you would externally to bring it up even more.
5. I'm going to trim them back a small bit more, but the main way I'll be covering them is with resin, once there is no cloth sticking out through the resin then the finish will be fine.

Hope that helps, any more throw them at me and I'll try my best to answer.

[Dragonheart]

Almost forgot about this baby!

The Mitsi badge for the front bumper;


And in black and white (just think it looks nice);

[Sebastian]

i hate you .
i just ordered one from ebay last night

[Dragonheart]

Ah jeez Seb why didnt you pm me, I'd have made you up one no bother!