Project Belly Pan...

[Peter Balfour]

OK, I finally decided I better figure out how to make a belly pan for my BSA B50 race bike. I know we are all faced with this project, some bikes will be a snap and others are going to take some major fabrication. I was lucky to talk to Kim Anderson not long ago and he gave me the idea to use a wax mold sheet. This stuff is great, molds easily around things and easy to piece togther with a simple glue gun. Here are a few images of the forming process.

Here is a frontal view, I also used some structural form to make the dams.



I obviously have to wrap my exhaust as its does go through this area but should not be a problem as the wax gives some space around things. I hope to glass this thing up shortly and see how it turns out.

Peter

[Colin Duncan]

Hi Peter,
Looks good so far. Think I’m going to have too use a similar technique.
Could you please provide a little more info on the wax sheets?
Where you get it etc.

Thanks,
Colin

[Peter Balfour]

Using that wax sheeting is really the easiest way to get around compound curves. Kim got back to me and you can buy the stuff at:

http://compositescanada.com/

905-629-3178

Peter

[pacomotorstuff]

Ya, but you have to buy it a box at a time...
I've been using the stuff on and off for about 30 years now - its original use was in foundry pattern making, which I used to do years ago...
Comes in a lot of different thicknesses, with and without an adhesive backing. Fillets in different radii are available as well. I believe there are low and high temperature versions, depending on your use. I've always found it worked better with epoxy resins as the styrene solvent in polyester / vinylester resins sometimes softens the wax unacceptably.
If you aren't in the GTA and still want to try some, look for a foundry pattern makers supply house in your area - they should be able to get some.
Pat Cowan,
Pacomotorstuff

[Colin Duncan]

Thanks Gents.

[TimV]

Wax paper(steal it from the kitchen) works in a pinch too. Probably not as easy to use, but it works for me for the little bit of f/g'ing I do.

FWIW,

Tim

[Peter Balfour]

The wax sheeting is cheap and easy to form unlike foam or cardboard. I just glassed my pan this weekend and this stuff works like a charm!

Peter

[Peter Balfour]

The pan is now glassed with the wax sheeting removed. That big clump on the lift is what is left of the wax sheeting once removed.



The wax sheet leaves a very uniform shape. I used structural foam on the end dams which will need to be glassed on the inside. This was an easy process and I would recommend this method. Now, I just need to smooth things out a bit and shoot it with paint and we're good to go!

Peter

[Dave M]

Great tutorial Peter and the bellypan turned out quite good by the look of it.

[thelittleguy]

Didnt know you was a patternmaker Pat, I still am, though I have made more models than patterns these last few yrs.Used to make patterns for Hailey industries for dehavilland turbo props yrs ago.
Thats when my job was interesting.Bloody CNC!!!!!!!!!!
Steve

[pacomotorstuff]

Oh ya,
Worked at damned near anything to put myself through university (BSc Metallurgy and Materials Science). One of those odd things; I was renting some space in a shop to build dirt track fiberglass parts to keep me in school and riding at the same time (will I ever learn?).
There was still excess space, so a small time mould and pattern maker rented it (he was ex-GM St. Catherines). He saw me reverse engineer a side cover for my girlfriend's YJ60 and hired me on the spot. First job - with his help - was building the foundry patterns for a B&D industrial table saw. Ever since then, I've been able to think "inside out and backwards" as well or better than the next guy.
Haven't worked at it in a long time (ie., no one is paying me to do it), but I still make the odd master for funky stuff like finned valve covers for my Virago, special stuff for my bobber, etc etc. Haven't sent anything to the foundry in ages either.
Regards,
Pat