When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I'm refinishing the trunk lid on my 87 Delta 88 and have this keyhole cover which is in pretty bad shape. Functionally it's perfect, just looks bad. I look for a replacement online and what is out there is about as bad shape and priced sky high. Right now I'm thinking along the line of getting a piece of plexiglas and making one. I've made a lot of stuff before but haven't worked with plexiglas in almost 50 years.
You might try talking to Fusick Automotive .
They are THE major manufacturer of Oldsmobile reproduction parts .
They may be interested , if there is enough demand to offset tooling and production costs .
A lot would depend on how many other years and models of Olds use this same keyhole cover .
Last edited by Charlie Jones; October 14th, 2020 at 08:38 PM.
My first attempt failed. The emblem isn't just painted on the back side, there is a shape to it. I attempted to make a form and heated a piece of plexiglas near to the point of melting and pressed it on the form. It wasn't enough. It might have worked if I had a steel form for both side that was heated too in order to press the design but I'm ill-equipped to make a steel form.
I ordered some casting resin to make another attempt. Will see what happens.
Have you considered 3D printing? You may be able to find a local company that could scan your piece and 3D print a replica. I have absolutely no idea what it would cost, though.
Have you considered 3D printing? You may be able to find a local company that could scan your piece and 3D print a replica. I have absolutely no idea what it would cost, though.
Well, it's an idea. Not sure how it would work on this but the 3D company would know. The area that is red on the emblem should be perfectly clear. This was one of the issues with pressing the plastic onto a wooden mold. It picked up the wood grain in the process.
Maybe if I had them made I could offset the cost by having a hundred of them made and sell them. Anyway right now I have supplies ordered to try casting them.
Getting close. The one on the right is what I made next to the original.
made a mold of the original by covering the original with silicone caulk. Then I poured some casting resin into the mold. Overall it went pretty good but I think I didn't mix the casting resin very good and it didn't harden well. It was suppose to harden in two days and this one had 4 and still a little rubbery. I also found the mold had a few tiny bubbles in it that made a defects in the cast so I think if I make another mold and get the casting right I will be in business. At least the bad cast will give me something to play with figuring out how to paint it.
if you can fabricate or have access to a vacuum container, they are sometimes used to draw air out of the resin while it dries.
a commercial one is simple but may not be worth the $ for a one off I think you could make something and just apply vac w a hand held pump.
i searched google and found lots of examples of diy vacuum mold chambers.
if you can fabricate or have access to a vacuum container, they are sometimes used to draw air out of the resin while it dries.
a commercial one is simple but may not be worth the $ for a one off I think you could make something and just apply vac w a hand held pump.
i searched google and found lots of examples of diy vacuum mold chambers.
I had more problems with the mold than the resin. It was my first try with the resin and I don't think I stirred it long enough is why it didn't completely harden. The mold I used GE Silicone Caulk to make it and it seemed a bit thick for that application. I don't think I got it worked into the original well enough to eliminate the bubbles in it. What I did was coated the original with a thin coat of paste wax and laid it on a piece of wax paper. Then I worked the caulk all over it. I let that dry for three days and removed the original. Then it was just a matter of pouring the resin in. Didn't have to use a release wax or anything.
I started another mold today and worked the silicone longer to see if I could get a better coating this time.
In cleaning the original, I've discovered the red in it isn't paint, it's a dye or some kind of stain glass paint. It's transparent. Then the back side is painted with a chrome paint.
October 14th, 2020, 07:29 PM
