Lexan Body Duplication

[FasterLouder]

I came across some very good step-by-step photos of a guy in Japan who made a mold for a Kyosho Javelin body and had some relica bodies made.
Unfortunately,all of the accompanied text was in Japanese,but it isn't too hard to get the jist of what he's doin'.
Check it out:

[FasterLouder]

And continued...

[FasterLouder]

Continued...

[FasterLouder]

Continued...

[Mr. ED]

It's a tomahawk body (the only lexan parts on a javelin are the driver figure and wing)
The site is Tanaka-sans, but I'm not sure who made the mold. I met him a couple times but he never mentioned making his own bodies. The procedure used in the pics was discussed in another threat not long ago. It's a bit over-complicated and in the end he had a body which was about 4mm shorter than original.
Search yahoo for babelfish and you can get a ROUGH translation for japanese and other language sites on the spot.

[FasterLouder]

Of course it's a Tomahawk body-Where is my brain?!
4mm shorter? What a bummer,after so much work.

[Mr. ED]

The goal was to have 'original' bodies for their runners, so the 4mm was no disaster.
I have met and ran my own cars with Tanaka-san and Aku. You can find the reports in the 'regional races' section of this forum.

[JK Racing]

why the 2 different molds (green & blue)? it appears he back moulded the shell (from the outside) then filled that mould with the "plaster" compound to create the "new" mould?

[Mr. ED]

why the 2 different molds (green & blue)? it appears he back moulded the shell (from the outside) then filled that mould with the "plaster" compound to create the "new" mould?

got no idea as I wrote higher up we never spoke about repro-ing bodies

[JK Racing]

I've been reading up on making moulds and other things to assist with this process. It appears this is what he had done. Was hoping someone who had created a mould this way could chime in.

I've found most all the materials needed to attempt this. I say attempt because I can assemble/build anything. But from "scratch" having to use a little artistic ability....I am a clod. I dont have a new body to attept this with, so some massaging of the mould will be needed to correct the areas that have been cut out. I may attempt it after the first of the year though.

[Mr. ED]

is this a procedure without need for a vacuum former: Like pressing of sheemetal (except you'd heat the plastic first) ?

[JK Racing]

No, I am still looking at vacu-moulding. I know someone mentioned blow-moulding in another thread though...interesting idea.