I'm Making My Own Carbon Fiber Hood - The Mold

[@chrstphrr]

Love that you show the successes and failures, instead of just leaving the warts and struggles on the cutting room floor.

[@DingDongDrift]

you have to, what's the point if everything is perfect.

[@ajhartmanaero]

Good video. Love that you called out the “carbon fiber” hood is actually fiberglass. One of my more watched videos was going over ways to tell if a part is just one layer of carbon backed with fiberglass. More people need to know that’s how a lot of companies make their parts and up sell them as a carbon fiber part.

[@DingDongDrift]

I see it so much i had to say something about it. Go to car shows and people say they have a carbon hood and it's solid black on the bottom and chopped fiberglass showing through the hood latch. That's not carbon bud.

[@ajhartmanaero]

@@DingDongDrift yup. They will eventually learn. Also, the lifting parts on your mold are called “alligatoring” where the gel coat isn’t fully cured, or under catalyzed and the follow up resin interacts with it in a weird way. The off gassing gelcoat curing produce styrene (that typical smell of fiberglass resin) which is heavier than air and an settle in low spots on the mold causing localized slow cure spots. I found that A fan lightly blowing across the mold surface helps, as well as using 2 mix cups, and waiting a bit longer to lay up the backing layers.

[@DingDongDrift]

Makes sense, I'll wait longer next time, and also do a thicker layer. Would 2 layers brushed on be better than one?

[@ajhartmanaero]

@@DingDongDrift I've heard of people doing 2 gel coats but I've personally never did it. I would always do one fairly thick layer. It might be worth doing a small test patch on something to see what works best for your materials. Granted they are all "tooling gelcoats" their exact chemical makeup differs just enough between manufacturers.

[@DingDongDrift]

The problem is it gels up too quickly. I guess i just gotta get better and faster at it

[@jayinmi3706]

Glad to see the clay didn't present a problem. I think just about every composite mold video I've watched (and there's been a lot) have used filletting wax. I'm also glad you went back at the end and explained what caused the gelcoat issues. It was little unclear when you put the "Don't do this" message on the screen as to exactly what caused the issue. Not sure if you're following any other composite YT channels, but Street Bandito/Industry Garage, Tofu Auto Works and Easy Composites, Ltd. have some great tutorial videos as well.

[@johnnaughton2364]

I'm about 2 years late... did you ever finish this? I was on deployment about 40 years ago and a helicopter lost a panel and it had complex shapes that we couldn't recreate from aluminum with the tools we had... All we had was polyester surfboard resin and cloth... I grabbed one of the existing panels off another plane that was being fixed for another issue... I did similar, removed all of the fasteners and covered the holes with high speed tape (self adhesive solid metal tape). I didn't have gel coat or mold release.... I greased the entire panel so the mold would release.... for structure on the back I got some rope and soaked it in resin, and glassed over it. The panel made it a for months until the end of the deployment(never got the replacement until we returned).. I know my experience wasn't carbon fiber, I'm just sharing because the same way that you had to figure out how to do this as you went along, I did. We gave that panel as a gift to Butter Fingers, who dropped the original overboard... You seem to enjoy figuring out stuff like this! Keep it up! You sharing the mistakes may help someone not make the same mistake!!

[@6shot9]

Thanks for taking the time to make these dude, working with carbon is something I’ve always wanted to get into so it’s cool to be able to learn that here

[@Mikefestiva]

Good video man! Those molds turned out pretty good, I’m sure you will be able to stiffen them up and smooth out the few spots that the gel coat bubbled. Your neck looked a lot better at the end of the video as well 🙂👍 Thanks for sharing!

[@DingDongDrift]

Thank you Mike! I'll definitely be able to stiffen it but idk if I'll be able to fix the thin gelcoat spots. We'll see, it's all a learning process

[@gkelly]

It honestly came out much better than I would have thought! Love seeing the process.

[@CRXk20a2]

Dude I’ve been trying to figure out the molding process and you did a really good job at explaining what others didn’t thankyou

[@DingDongDrift]

thank you! i'm hoping to have more successes this year with a few more molding projects

[@gavinoliver8074]

So happy I found your channel brother. Totally love the content.

[@watchingvideosyup]

Can you make a follow up video please?

[@Carbodon69]

You apply only 1 hand of orange gelcoat ??? I think is a little or told me if im wrong

[@mlinecomposites1]

Good job For future info, make sure you run the gelcoat over the entire flange, you’ll never have regrets as to doing so 👍🏾

[@david929190]

I like your mention of carbon kevlar. This old Aussie guy I watch did panels for his autocross civic with carbon and kevlar for panels that have superior strength and weight.

[@myCarModsBestPrice]

its just a super sonik worldclass video to show the world . love the works sooo much and waiting to see the hood production from this mold . the great lovely jobs and thank you so much 🤩😍🥰😎

[@jig5859]

Never stop making these videos man love seeing the progress!

[@DingDongDrift]

Thank you!

[@charlesblithfield6182]

On CF bicycles there is usually a layer of fiberglass in the fork tube.

[@stevenc485]

Next time use chopped strand mat instead of woven glass for the mold. For the mold you just need to build thickness and nothing does that better than chopped strand mat. It's also cheaper than woven cloth.

[@OkenTV]

im really thankful someone is doing SC400 videos please keep up the good work you have helped me with my build a lot.

[@DingDongDrift]

Thank you very much, it means a lot

[@paddlefaster]

I'm working on making a kayak mold. Just pulled the plug last weekend and found lots of flaws I have to fill with thickened polyester resin. There's always going to be stuff to fill/ sand. Try using 3/4 Oz mat for your first layer or two. It takes a shape better, is cheaper and gives a smoother finish.

[@michaelmccurdy8694]

Did you ever make a second video of the carbon fiber hood? Did you ever sit down and put down on paper all the products and cost to do the mold making and carbon prices?

[@DingDongDrift]

no and no, but i'm not abandoning this project don't worry. i'll get back to it when i have more funds lol.

[@Caden-p8v]

He who wishes to secure the good of others, has already secured his own.

[@baileybutler7929]

Could you post a list of the materials you used for mold process and then carbon process

[@1MADZ]

Man .. my mom used to have a pearl white one with cream leather. I LOVED THAT CAR.💜

[@drrock5356]

Could have prevented most/all of the void issues by rolling the wet layup with a consolidation roller. Pushes the air pockets out, and shoves the tooling resin back into the voids and low spots. As you also noticed, both molds needed I-Beams. Cut and laminate some 2x4's across the tool for stiffness. I've even seen foam pipe insulation cut in half, and the "half moon" sections laid on the wet tool, and laminated over with glass. Still, great video, and great work diving into this complex and highly rewarding project!

[@jaymac8664]

TIP #3 pool noodles cut in half and then fiberglass on to back side of mold works great as stiffener cheap, flexible and light!

[@DingDongDrift]

Yep i bought a bunch lol

[@CleffersGarage]

To make it more rigid you can us a cut in half pool noodle or pipe insulation. That should conform a little easier than wood at least that's what i used for the mold i made. Awesome video love your car!

[@DingDongDrift]

There's no problem with the foam on the noodle reacting with the resin?

[@CleffersGarage]

No mine worked well. It don’t really stick to the foam so much as just allow for a nice arch for the fiberglass to cure in a half moon circle. One of the molds I used a piece of rounded drywall corner. If that makes since I don’t really know the name of it. If I could share pictures I would

[@CleffersGarage]

I sent an email with pictures to the email on your website

[@bcharabujawdeh9482]

wonderful and inspiring work

[@441rider]

Nice project good luck building the feather weight cage LOL! Lucky you did not bleed to death dude whoa! glass cf fibres can really embed.

[@Neilonabraham123]

Wax then mold release. Also 2 layers of gel coat

[@icanttype]

For a project this size you need multiple people. You need to have a plan on the layup and also how you're going to reinforce it. I like to use the cardboard tubes that the material comes on. Use a saw and cut it in half long ways then layup fiber over the half circle shape and it will add a ton of structure. I would also focus on starting with a perfect part to begin with. You will notice sanding and polishing gel coat is a nightmare. A big hood like that is a pretty ambitious composite project without much experience.

[@DingDongDrift]

It's how i do things, i just send it

[@icanttype]

@@DingDongDrift that doesn't work for composites as you might have realized. If not you'll just waste more money.

[@fernand.g]

When you said "don't do this", what did you mean to tell us not to do exactly?

[@PrabhatDayal]

What about the chassis, is that attainable in a carbon fiber/aluminum mix?

[@nunuland69]

Awesome vid, got a lot of good tips and XP on what it takes to make such a big mold like that. Where did you get all the material you used? Thanks!

[@DingDongDrift]

Thanks man! I learned a lot as well, next project will be smaller lol. I got most of the gelcoat from fiberglass supply depot and everything else from composite envisions.

[@nunuland69]

@@DingDongDrift thanks for that info!! I need to make some front fenders for my 86, but having trouble finding a source for mats. All the places Ive looked are sold out for the moment.

[@felixkroeber1769]

What did you use to make a 3d scan? I'm making custom carbon parts and an affordable 3d scanning technique would be super helpful

[@DingDongDrift]

Scanner is in the description

[@mlinecomposites1]

The gelcoat had air pockets we call soft spots. Because of too much air when you laid it into the model. Next time use a brush that you can keep laying it down, not just putting it down once but keep brushing it into the model. Good try though

[@elmasloco822]

Is there a part 2?!?!?

[@DingDongDrift]

Not yet

[@PatsRC]

Now?

[@jaqthedragon6657]

bro this is one of the dopest projects ive ever seen. nice

[@DingDongDrift]

thank you, there's lots more carbon to come

[@KARR]

Dang dude that neck cut could have been way worse! You made me laugh a few times though! haha Cool project I love SC's! Have you driven a mk4 supra yet? (I have only rode in one) I have a buddy who has always been a SC guy. But now has a supra and swears the supra drives different despite them have the same suspension. He said that toyota made everything low in the car to get as much weight towards the bottom as possible. Even door panels latches are low in the car.

[@DingDongDrift]

I have not driven a mkiv supra, i could easily see them driving different simply because the supra wheel base is shorter, the bushings are stiffer, some control arms are different lengths.

[@KARR]

Oh I didn’t know that some arms were different lengths that’s interesting. Takahiro the owner of vertex replaced every bolt on his soarer drift car with titanium to make it lighter. Kinda cool but can’t be that much weight saving. But then again is saving weight in the right place suspension wise. I saw in some other vids you have FDF angle kit. Is is lighter or heavier than oem parts?

[@DingDongDrift]

@@KARR i never weighed it so I'm not sure

[@atruceforbruce5388]

I feel like doing something like this for my 2017 chevy tahoe considering there is no after market anything g for my car.

[@DingDongDrift]

That's why I'm doing it. Everything for this car is either ugly or cheap fiberglass

[@atruceforbruce5388]

@@DingDongDrift did you do any videos on making the hood with that mold and installing said new hood that you made? Doesn't seem to be many DIY videos on that, just like there isn't many on making molds.

[@DingDongDrift]

@@atruceforbruce5388 i haven't made it yet. It got a little expensive so I'm doing other stuff on the car and gonna try make some cheaper stuff first that i can maybe sell to fund this bigger stuff.

[@MrTrevorDidier]

I want to make a carbon fibre camper for my truck. Think that is possible? lolz Thinking sheets of foam to help with the shape.

[@DingDongDrift]

Anything is possible with enough money

[@yukonrott]

You can use filler on imperfections and spot prime...then send and buff...it'll be fine

[@DingDongDrift]

like body filler you mean? bondo?

[@DingDongDrift]

@@yukonrott thanks man i'll try that!

[@1967250s]

What happened with this?

[@ej0513]

Don’t bother with woven fiberglass at the beginning, you can go straight to csm since you’re using polyester. If you want to use a heavyweight woven fiberglass, look for a mock-Leno weave. I have to use epoxy on all my molds due to the smell and to build thickness fairly quickly look for that. Sometime Composite Envisions has it, but ACP in CA has it for sure. Great video btw, hope you can get those issues sorted.

[@hansdeutsch2602]

I think you should have removed the inner reinforcement beams from the underside of the hood after making the top half of the mold. You might reinforce the underside with unidirectional carbon fibre tape without using the shape of those beams on the underside.

[@Jkseller12]

You can’t undermix tooling gel coat that’s the reason it gatored on you, also you need a roller there’s way to much air in the sheets otherwise it’s a good effort.

[@alienfabrication89]

think you forgot the pvl release stuff

[@DingDongDrift]

No i didn't

[@Alex-vz2jz]

​@@DingDongDriftit's because you laid the fiberglass too soon right? I'm new to this and would like to make some fenders. The video did help so that was cool. Where the part 2 if you don't mind me asking.

[@kanaky-drift]

Hi great video huge I would like to know how to make a mold for my car in all that a big Big UP to you from France 🇨🇵 see you in the next video 👍👌💪😎🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@1edsel1]

Im impresed where are u getting supplies Im a shopper and am watching a video of a major yacht restoration and he buys from a place called Total Boat I also see amazon carries all this stuff just my thoughts

[@DingDongDrift]

definitely stay away from amazon. i've bought from total boat, fiberglast, and composite envisions.

[@TheInkhousecustoms]

Yo just subbed, as a KZbin creator and a car enthusiasts I love the work, keep it coming youtube and the process of building custom rides are apart of the joy we get. Keep it coming!!! 🤙🏽

[@baldcreations8044]

Good job mate its not easy mould making, to stiffen the moulds, I get foam pipe insulation cut it in half down its length and chop strand glass over that it's cheap and works really well. And I think some of your gel coat problems are it was to thin, and if not completely cured to tacky all over it wrinkles. Top work though, keep going.

[@DingDongDrift]

Thank you, i learned a lot from this, only gonna get better

[@jvlogs4317]

Where did you get all your supplies from

[@DingDongDrift]

Composite envisions

[@frankmelero5511]

Great Video. Where did you get the Flange Board? What Make and Material is it?

[@DingDongDrift]

Composite envisions, no idea of the composition

[@Andylies]

Hey ding dong what's the costs for all.

[@DingDongDrift]

Somewhere in the $700 region

[@Andylies]

@@DingDongDrift Thanks

[@garrettluluquisin5666]

Would carbon kevlar be as flexible as something like a plastic bumper? I was not expecting how gruesome that neck cut was gonna look 😮

[@DingDongDrift]

Carbon kevlar can be more flexible than plastic

[@bukakejack2985]

You should have use csm as your first layer. I bet you have a bunch of bubbles

[@DingDongDrift]

What's csm?

[@kool-aidsphuckery9596]

I'm curious where you got your kit for your mold. I've wanted to make door cards.

[@DingDongDrift]

No kit, just sourced materials

[@kool-aidsphuckery9596]

@@DingDongDrift ya I figured. You always seem to do all the research and not half ass things.

[@DingDongDrift]

I mean... Sometimes lol. Usually i just send it

[@kylejg85]

Is that an Audi A3 8V bumper on your shelf? Are you looking to get rid of it?

[@DingDongDrift]

No

[@metalwright]

Where do you think you end up, all in, on the price to produce a part of this size? Asking because I have a couple of parts I want to make, but not sure if it's worth the outlay... YET.. I'mma make 'em... Great video!

[@DingDongDrift]

I think I'm almost $1000 all in

[@aussietruckphotosandmodels8510]

I've been cruising round you channel for quite some time, It's great that your doing this and I'm not knocking your work . Looks like your tearing into this with great enthusiasm. But your making a few rooky mistakes that'll cost you in the long run if you're actually going to do the whole car. Been there done that, I don't do YT video's but I have build a few race cars over the decades.. I found a channel a few years ago called Bill's build a race, He's a fixed income pensioner that builds and races cars with zero budget. He's talks straight down the line, and is the king of back yard fiberglass and composite building. I suggest you watch a few of his videos before you spend to much more money... I don't follow his work to the letter but as a guide, it's like having a grumpy old uncle that actually knows which way is up....and it's really easy to follow what he's doing....Warning... there are loads of videos on his site, it's a bit like falling down the rabbit hole. Good luck with your build. I'm guessing that your initial purchase. release wax, gel coat, glass tissue, cloth etc was about $450. You should have got some PVA release and sprayed that on after the wax. Packaging type over the styrene would have gone a long way in helping. I guess you spent a farther $250 on the second lot of stuff. Shame that the gel coat is peeling of, that's a load of work getting that sorted out. All up I guess you spent about $800.... But top marks for giving it a go ( I do mean that, it's not a sarcastic remark )

[@Bratsoni]

That's why a carbon fiber mold would fix some of your issues. Less material and a more stiff mold

[@rcollas4795]

few timber or alloy braces will stiffen it up

[@guilhermecristofoli6802]

part 2?

[@josephpilmanphotography]

Where can I get all of this stuff?

[@PatsRC]

Have you even tried to use this mould?

[@Neilonabraham123]

For the inside of the hood your best bet was chopped strand mat.

[@robda7195]

I hate to tell you this after watching your video but you could have removed the majority of the skeleton from the inside of the hood/ bonnet leaving only what you needed for the hood struts / hinges / and done away with the bonnet catch and just gone with pins as the only reason car manufacturers add the skeleton is to strengthen the steel but carbon doesn't need the extra strength

[@Robthevillain]

Loved this. Glad I found you on IG

[@DingDongDrift]

IG is weird, no one wants to leave it. 2% of my views come from IG

[@fusiondensity3287]

Instead of the clay around the mould, painters caulk might work and be faster

[@DingDongDrift]

no because it dries and you can't manipulate it afterwards

[@povilaslondon]

so is there second part to this? :)

[@DingDongDrift]

Not yet, this was very expensive and I'll be practicing on some smaller stuff soon

[@povilaslondon]

@@DingDongDrift Ah feel your pain, do you know how much roughly you have spend on it already?

[@DingDongDrift]

@@povilaslondon i think it was over $700 lol

[@povilaslondon]

@@DingDongDrift wow thats really expensive :D I guess the most cost was resin?

[@DingDongDrift]

@@povilaslondon yea it was like 4 gallons of resin

[@justinguarino201]

There going to be an update on this?

[@DingDongDrift]

Yes, it's just expensive so I'm gonna do some smaller stuff and practice more then get back to the hood

[@justinguarino201]

@@DingDongDrift 😎

[@davidsmithers3353]

Next time use a roller for air in the glass, and fiberglass ribs on the mold before you pull it from the part

[@jaymac8664]

TIP #2. When using a brush super glue the base of the hairs next to the metal so it doesn’t shed into your project.

[@DingDongDrift]

Good idea!

[@Diligent_Tom]

23:53 #ROVENWOVING Can't wait to see more

[@brianwhedon8442]

It always bugged me that JZA80 Supras came with aluminum hoods and our cars came with steel. Considering in Japan, the Supra and Soarer were sold alongside eachother in the same price bracket to basically the same customers.

[@DingDongDrift]

Yea pretty wack

[@ClassifiedRecon]

Wowza

[@rafachojnacki3362]

Places where gel "come out" you were to fast with resin in so thin gelcoat

[@anthonyrivera5939]

Dude risked his life almost cut his jugular 😰

[@DingDongDrift]

Bro fr lol

[@kool-aidsphuckery9596]

Nevermind. I'm always so impatient. Composite Envisions

[@victordinev5229]

Oh man, i never realized that i can kill myself fairly easily with those molds it is scary if you think 😅😅😅 19:32

[@DingDongDrift]

Decapitation is possible 😂

[@jaymac8664]

TIP: The clay is oil based and softens with the body heat from your hands try it without gloves next time.

[@DingDongDrift]

I was using with bare hands but it was a pain to clean off so i started using gloves

[@CarbonWorkz23]

All what you said about the hood being dyed fiberglass you were wrong the only died fiberglass is colored carbon fiber which there is the carbon fiber in it with died fiberglass what if you have a all black carbon fiber hood then it is all carbon fiber maybe only one sheet on top of the fiberglass but there is no fiberglass in 2x2 twill black carbon fiber and. And a true carbon fiber hood where's the same as a fiberglass Hood because you have to add a lot of carbon fiber to make it stiff if you make it with a fiberglass core you can use less carbon fiber. Which that would be lighter than a full fiberglass or a full carbon fiber hood and it will be stronger. Since basically you'll be using half of what you would for a full carbon and a full fiberglass that is why a lot of carbon fiber hoods are fiberglass cord do you make them stiffer and stronger the carbon alone is more flexible then stiff

[@DingDongDrift]

Dude it's just a chopped glass hood with a single carbon layer. It's not a carbon fiber hood

[@justagamer182]

put some shoes on!

[@Carbodon69]

Hello

[@DAndrews-c3t]

Love it but omg 😮 wayyy to much fiberglass

[@pmd7771969]

Just use vinal wrap

[@GundamPS13]

….so uh….no carbon hood huh

[@DingDongDrift]

Eventually lol

[@pmd7771969]

People like carbon fiber but it breaks when hit like f glass

[@pmd7771969]

Too costly

[@pmd7771969]

Crap

[@pmd7771969]

Just awful