So I am finally getting around to making a thread of my progress on the front lip I have been making for my speed 3.
My plan is to make a mold of this lip, in which I will be able to poor urethane into it. Plastic is much more flexible than fiberglass and much easier to produce assuming the appropriate mold has been made. It is at this point that I will decide if I want to sell the lip and figure out a pricing schedule.
This lip will only fit 2010+ Mazdaspeed 3's, but when this lip is complete I will begin working on one to fit the 2010-2012 Mazda 3 and possibly the 2013's...
So lets begin...
I started with a big ass piece of foam. To be specific... it is high density foam insulation board (4'x8'x2") that I picked up from the local Home Depot for a few dollars.
I drew a rough sketch of the shape and just started cutting.
I would cut and sand a little bit at a time until I got fairly close to the desired shape
Aerial shot from above to show the shape in relation to the bumper (NOTE: this is still the early stages of the lip so it is a little big)
At this point the foam board is still 2" thick. I aimed to have the lip only being 3/4" tall, not including the wings (which sit up on the bumper). Below shows the shape of the "wings."
Next up was to begin shaping the foam into what you see below. I used a steak knife and a block stander! NO JOKE! My mom was not happy about the loss of her knife. It came a long way from the foam board.
Another shot, this time of the middle section of the lip... Also picture is the knife I spoke of in the previous step.
After some finishing touches I was ready to get my hands dirty with some fiberglass. First thing I did was wrap the foam lip in packaging tap. The resin in the fiberglass does not stick to the tape and makes for an easier removal of the foam.
I made the foam lip a little smaller than what I wanted the final lip to be. This would accommodate the thickness of the fiberglass and resin. A few layers were laid until it was sturdy enough to be pulled from the foam.
and another shot.
This piece is to be used for determining final shape and size. I got myself a fancy dusk mask and start shaping the hell out of it. This would take much longer to sand than the foam.
Again I held it up to the bumper to check on the shape.
Skip a few weekends of sanding and we have what is pictured below.
I removed the black plastic pieces under the bumper so I could see how the lip would actually fit on the bumper.
Next up on the list:
-finish applying bondo and get final shape. This should resolve any defects in the fiberglass
-Start making the mold!!!
I am nearing the end of this project, but school has been taking a great deal of time from it. I wanted to be finished months ago.
As stated, I am still a little ways away from determining if I am going to produce it and sell it. Luckily I am not selfish, and am really doing this for the mazda community as a whole.
I will note that I am making this by myself, I am not a business and therefore will have a hard time competing with the prices of other lips on the market.
My plan is to make a mold of this lip, in which I will be able to poor urethane into it. Plastic is much more flexible than fiberglass and much easier to produce assuming the appropriate mold has been made. It is at this point that I will decide if I want to sell the lip and figure out a pricing schedule.
This lip will only fit 2010+ Mazdaspeed 3's, but when this lip is complete I will begin working on one to fit the 2010-2012 Mazda 3 and possibly the 2013's...
So lets begin...
I started with a big ass piece of foam. To be specific... it is high density foam insulation board (4'x8'x2") that I picked up from the local Home Depot for a few dollars.
I drew a rough sketch of the shape and just started cutting.
I would cut and sand a little bit at a time until I got fairly close to the desired shape
Aerial shot from above to show the shape in relation to the bumper (NOTE: this is still the early stages of the lip so it is a little big)
At this point the foam board is still 2" thick. I aimed to have the lip only being 3/4" tall, not including the wings (which sit up on the bumper). Below shows the shape of the "wings."
Next up was to begin shaping the foam into what you see below. I used a steak knife and a block stander! NO JOKE! My mom was not happy about the loss of her knife. It came a long way from the foam board.
Another shot, this time of the middle section of the lip... Also picture is the knife I spoke of in the previous step.
After some finishing touches I was ready to get my hands dirty with some fiberglass. First thing I did was wrap the foam lip in packaging tap. The resin in the fiberglass does not stick to the tape and makes for an easier removal of the foam.
I made the foam lip a little smaller than what I wanted the final lip to be. This would accommodate the thickness of the fiberglass and resin. A few layers were laid until it was sturdy enough to be pulled from the foam.
and another shot.
This piece is to be used for determining final shape and size. I got myself a fancy dusk mask and start shaping the hell out of it. This would take much longer to sand than the foam.
Again I held it up to the bumper to check on the shape.
Skip a few weekends of sanding and we have what is pictured below.
I removed the black plastic pieces under the bumper so I could see how the lip would actually fit on the bumper.
Next up on the list:
-finish applying bondo and get final shape. This should resolve any defects in the fiberglass
-Start making the mold!!!
I am nearing the end of this project, but school has been taking a great deal of time from it. I wanted to be finished months ago.
As stated, I am still a little ways away from determining if I am going to produce it and sell it. Luckily I am not selfish, and am really doing this for the mazda community as a whole.
I will note that I am making this by myself, I am not a business and therefore will have a hard time competing with the prices of other lips on the market.