Console construction technique

[Simon B]

Can anyone give me a short lesson on how to build a small box to fit ontop of the console to contian instruments?

Plan is to make a removable unit from marine ply glass over it but then I dont know how to make it all shinny and flat and orange or white?

Saw Leeway composite do this a while back but I dont know any of the product names required for the stuff used.

[Hugh Jardon]

for glass fibre supplies search for cfs on the web

http://www.cfsnet.co.uk/acatalog/

you would need to make a mould to get the smooth finish and make it that way i suspect.

lots of experts on here who can help

[danny]

We have made several consoles and boxes last year from plywood layed up with fibre glass.
3x 400 gramms on the outside and 2x400 gramms on the inside.
Finished with two components epoxy and DD lack. Looks fantastic and is very strong.
Easy to do at home.

Making a big console right now and if you want I can give some pictures of what we have made so far.

[Srellom]

Originally Posted by Hugh Jardon

for glass fibre supplies search for cfs on the web

http://www.cfsnet.co.uk/acatalog/

you would need to make a mould to get the smooth finish and make it that way i suspect.

lots of experts on here who can help

CFS are up the road from us on St. Day downs, pikey country next to the tip.

[Nasher]

Simon

Try to take a look at last month and this months Practical Boat Owner, the technique of building a female mold from plywood/MDF to create a huge barge can be scaled down to create the box you're after.

Nasher

[Nemo]

Im Just doing the same thing to house my newly acuired plotter, the method i have been advised is as follows:

Using melamine board make the box size/shape you require. The inner side of the box being the smooth malamine and size of the outside of the box required.

then smooth plastercine or similar into the curners to make the nice smooth radius for the corners.

Wax the box, paint in your gel coat, then lay up your fiberglass.

Once this is done remove your melamine and job done!!! I Hope!!!

Wish me luck!!

[Rogue Wave]

depending on the size of the console box you could use a Tupperware type box to make a plug. Then work on that for a bit and make your proper mould.

The advantage is that the plug would be mostly pre finished

[Simon B]

Rogue,

I'd been thinking of something with some angles so a premade box for a plug may not be suitable. If I make a plug and then a mould from this, from which, the item can be made will I need to reinforce the item produced with ply or simply lay-up loads of glass layers?

Will also need to make a lip around the front to give instruments some protection possibly even a lid that can be on during storage.

[Mark Halliday]

Simon

CFS have these useful pages

http://www.cfsnet.co.uk/methods_applyinglaminate.html
and
http://www.cfsnet.co.uk/methods-mouldmaking.html
Hope they help.

[slimtim]

Danny, what is DD lack?

[danny]

Originally Posted by slimtim

Danny, what is DD lack?

It's a two component polyurethane coating wich is very strong and scratchprehensive.
Do i say that correct? scratchprehensive? Does not alow to scratch its surface.
You can easely polish it just like gelcoat.