CraftsmanCollaborative
Well-known member
Picked up a new spray gun
Finished laying down the topcoat
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Jeep XJ Pop Top Camper Build
- Thread starter CraftsmanCollaborative
- Start date
Picked up a new spray gun
Finished laying down the topcoat
Follow (Instagram) --> @craftsmancollaborative
Subscribe (Youtube) --> @craftsmancollaborative
CraftsmanCollaborative
Well-known member
Wet sanded the whole plug. 400 -> 600-> 1200
Buffed with polishing compound
Body work on a few small dings/ripples that showed up
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CraftsmanCollaborative
Well-known member
In other news assembly/fab work is finished on a bending brake I had in the works.
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CraftsmanCollaborative
Well-known member
Wax on. Wax off.
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CraftsmanCollaborative
Well-known member
PVA Partall #10 layer with a 1.4 HVLP gun.
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CraftsmanCollaborative
Well-known member
Applying the Gelcoat had some major setbacks. First, trying to push that viscosity through a 2mm gun tip. Tried to keep laying down the remains of the cup and on the third coat it kicked in the gun. No good.
Peeling/Scraping/Scratching gooey gelcoat and PVA was a thorough mess. The exposed side is intended to not cure exposed to air (needs a backing of glass, or PVA/wax for repairs/topcoats) and as such the only thing I could manage to clear the mess was a pressure washer.
This took off lots of the finish and caused some damage on its own. Back track a couple weeks of body work/finishing.
Couldn’t recover so on to sanding back into primer, adding some putty and another ply of glass to the rear profile, and a new topcoat. Frustrating, but I’ve slowed down the whole detailing process to keep my cool and feel better about the finished plug.
Bought a simple 3.0mm Tip Gun (best option short of a $130 dump gun). Buying Vinyl Ester Tooling Gel for the mold layer. Quite the process.
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CraftsmanCollaborative
Well-known member
Figured out another problem in the mold-making prep. Turns out the shimmer wax I had coated with is a silicone product. No good to use with the PVA, which explained the fight I had there. Partall #2 Parting Wax will now be recoated over the entire plug before proceeding.
I also picked up a higher quality Orange VE Tooling Gelcoat for the mold surface. Might as well do it the best after all this time/work.
jeepdreamer
Expedition Leader
There was a guy around here with a screen name of jscherb. He did some amazing stuff with fiberglass Jeep tops. It may be worth trying to reach out to him and see if he has any advice? He seems very knowledgeable and good to talk to.
CraftsmanCollaborative
Well-known member
Found him on Jeep Forum: https://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f9...397729/index46.html#/topics/1397729?page=313
Look like he has a couple fiberglass Jeep concepts going. Interesting stuff
CraftsmanCollaborative
Well-known member
There's plenty of content out there for basic fiberglass instructionals... a key thing to keep in mind when starting is all the strength comes from the reinforcement (fiberglass mat, cloth) not the resin itself. As little resin as needed to "wet out" the fiber does the job.
Another fiberglass reference:
TheSamba "Werksberg" has been selling various homemade westy & VW parts for years. This listing is still up selling a set of remade westfalia molds, and some details on the westfalia factory originals as well. Check that out here!
Follow (Instagram) --> @craftsmancollaborative
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Another fiberglass reference:
TheSamba "Werksberg" has been selling various homemade westy & VW parts for years. This listing is still up selling a set of remade westfalia molds, and some details on the westfalia factory originals as well. Check that out here!
Follow (Instagram) --> @craftsmancollaborative
Subscribe (Youtube) --> @craftsmancollaborative
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CraftsmanCollaborative
Well-known member
I put together a new format setup on the website as well and the first post in the complete Jeep Poptop Builder Series. Click Here for that
CraftsmanCollaborative
Well-known member
@wjeeper Why's this look so familiar?
I'd like to know the origins of who made this shell. Custom? Never seen a van with that short of a roof.
Trying to remove a flip up/pop top on a new (to me) 91' XJ - Jeep Cherokee Forum
Modified XJ Cherokee Tech - Trying to remove a flip up/pop top on a new (to me) 91' XJ - Bought a new Cherokee that I am in love with, but it has a shell on the roof that flips up. I can't imagine what I would use it for and would prefer a nice rack up top. It has 2 hinges holding it on the...
www.cherokeeforum.com
I'd like to know the origins of who made this shell. Custom? Never seen a van with that short of a roof.