RCCrawler Forums

racerx · 12-07-2005, 08:38 AM

Anyone here ever try there hand at vacuum forming a body, My uncle is getting ready to build a forming table and try to make a Jeepster Commando body using an old TONKA as the mold. What do ya think? Will it work? Is it a pain in the arse? Any info on the subject would be sweet! Thanks.

Mad Scientist · 12-07-2005, 08:46 AM

It's not too difficult - just be sure that whatever you are using as a form dosen't have any extreme undercuts, or you'll never get the shell off the form in one peice.

BrandO · 12-07-2005, 08:51 AM

You also need to make sure there are no openings. In other words all the windows and wheel wells need to be sealed off.

KSchweikert · 12-07-2005, 08:54 AM

What kind of Commando is it (regular Jeepster or Bullnose)? I've got a 73 Bullnose in the garage waiting for me to get the engine back in. If you have good luck making the body I might be interested in one just for the heck of it.

Kelly

racerx · 12-07-2005, 10:47 AM

The 1:1 he has is a 67 or 68 the Tonka version appears to be a newer model not sure about the year though. I knew we would have to cover any open areas and I was thinking if we mounted the mold to a flat board then it wouldn't get pulled under the bumper and get stuck. Also what should you put on the body as a "release compound"?

racerx · 12-07-2005, 10:57 AM

I just did a Google search and Tonka lit. says "based on 67 to 73" Commando. FYI...

KSchweikert · 12-07-2005, 11:15 AM

A bit of Jeep history here. Kaiser started building the Jeepster Commando in 67 and it continued unchanged until AMC purchased Jeep from Kaiser. AMC changed the front fenders and grill in 72 and dropped Jeepter from the name. These Commandos are commonly called Bullnoses because the front end is a bit "different". They actually look similar to early Broncos and Inernational Scouts. The Bullnose was only produced for 2 years. The Tonka Commandos that I found pictures of are the 67-71 version in case anyone cares.

Kelly

microgoat · 12-07-2005, 11:44 AM

for a release agent, try Stoner urethane spray. it's used in resin casting, and it's hella expensive (like $30 for a can) but nothing will stick to it. you can rinse it off with soap & water.

you could also try PAM if you wanna go cheap, but that might fawk it up. this is one instance where a Stoner actually gets something done.

72commando · 12-07-2005, 02:50 PM

just wanted to correct some info on the jeepesters and commandos. the kaiser jeepster commando was built from 66 to 71.5 and the amc commando was built from 71.5 to 73. the 68-71.5 jeepsters had larger turn signals on the front grill. also some of the 73 year jeeps had a mix of kaiser and amc body parts. oh ya i have a 72 sc2 commando and my dad has a 67 jeepster just so you dont think im crazy.

also might want to check out the build over at scale4x4rc.us the guy is building an xc commando from scratch.

let us know how the body works out

DISTURBIN' tha PEACE · 12-07-2005, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by microgoat

this is one instance where a Stoner actually gets something done.

Hey, I get stuff done too. It just takes awhile to get off my arse.

skipstr71 · 12-07-2005, 05:03 PM

I have never seen a body being formed but we have used vac tables and the set up at work a few times.. Concept is simple.. and I have even seen a 15 year old kid make a body online a few months ago.. I will find the thread if you want to see how he did it.. It was very crude.. he used him moms vacume at first, and when it blew up he used his dads shop vac.. LOL My point its that its easy.. and I am working on a mold of a 2nd generation toyota for my projects...

racerx · 12-07-2005, 09:34 PM

I'm with ya on the Yota!! I drive a 94 X-Tra cab myself and would love to have a lexan Toy body!!

racerx · 12-07-2005, 09:42 PM

Hey Skip, what are you using to build your mold? If it comes out good you better be prepared for the flood of P.M.s! LOL Alot of people want these.

skipstr71 · 12-07-2005, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by racerx

I'm with ya on the Yota!! I drive a 94 X-Tra cab myself and would love to have a lexan Toy body!!

Thats funny.. I have a 93' EXT cab that i am finishing up the SAS on.. Sick..!

Well I have got my clay artist buddy making me one out of clay. I know he can do it perfectly to the size I want (same scale as the HPI bronco body). and my old ladyies grandfather said he could do it out of wood.. as good as he is he had a few to many gin and tonics when were talking about it...

racerx · 12-07-2005, 10:13 PM

LMAO!! Yeah I got family members that can build, fix, or jump anything after enough beers!! Even got a cousin that thought he could take on the whole family at the dunes one night!! WAY to much Jose Quervo! LOL Anyway can't wait to see a new toy body.

racerx · 12-07-2005, 10:15 PM

I've been planning an SAS on mine for about 3 years now, Keep spending money on to much other crap!!

thaclodking · 12-08-2005, 02:31 AM

If you have any luck let us know. I have been trying to make some molds of existing bodies with no luck. Everything I have tried thus far has either shrunk or developed air bubbles. My ultimate goal would be an early Land Rover.

If anyone knows of anything that could be used for molds let me know. I have tried the self hardining clay but it distorts and shrinks as it cures.

racerx · 12-08-2005, 08:48 AM

Check out the "discountinued bodies" thread in General Crawler I think they had an abs plastic Rover body. Looked pretty good too! Anybody know what the big guys use? (proline, bolink, ect...)

KSchweikert · 12-08-2005, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 72commando

just wanted to correct some info on the jeepesters and commandos. the kaiser jeepster commando was built from 66 to 71.5 and the amc commando was built from 71.5 to 73. the 68-71.5 jeepsters had larger turn signals on the front grill.

That's right, I forgot about the turn signals. There were also some running changes to the steering (from Ross to Saginaw) and front springs pre 71.5. I'll admit to know more about the 72 and 73 models than the earlier ones. It's nice to know there's another Commando guy on here.
Kelly

skipstr71 · 12-08-2005, 02:41 PM

Talked with my bosses at work today and found out more for my body forming project and it may help you out.. First off you need a master mold.. There are a few opptions but I will be using the red/brown clay that that sell at any arts and crafts store.. This is just your first step in many steps.. You want this mold to be good so all the rest of your molds will be good also.. Now you have opptions as far as a female mold of this master.. Some opptions are RTV type silicone, fiberglass type or any other relasing (but shape holding) materials.. Then from there you can make another male mold using plaster type, other high temp resin jellys.. I am obviously not there so I dont have the names of what to use.. and there is so many different ways to form things and most of them would work at this point..

I will be trying two different ways.. One will be an actuall lexan body vacume formed over a male mold of my body, and also a fiberglass jelly resin (and cloth) in a female mold of my original male mold...

Either way, mark my words, I will have a 2nd generation toyota truck body within 60 days.. Now its a struggle debating if its gonna be an extended cab short bed, or a standard cab long bed... OH and is the bed gonna be bobbed...? there is just so many opptions here..

12-07-2005, 08:38 AM	#1
racerx I wanna be Dave Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: R.I.P. Chip Posts: 2,024	Body forming Anyone here ever try there hand at vacuum forming a body, My uncle is getting ready to build a forming table and try to make a Jeepster Commando body using an old TONKA as the mold. What do ya think? Will it work? Is it a pain in the arse? Any info on the subject would be sweet! Thanks.

12-07-2005, 11:15 AM	#7
KSchweikert Rock Stacker Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Columbia Posts: 62	A bit of Jeep history here. Kaiser started building the Jeepster Commando in 67 and it continued unchanged until AMC purchased Jeep from Kaiser. AMC changed the front fenders and grill in 72 and dropped Jeepter from the name. These Commandos are commonly called Bullnoses because the front end is a bit "different". They actually look similar to early Broncos and Inernational Scouts. The Bullnose was only produced for 2 years. The Tonka Commandos that I found pictures of are the 67-71 version in case anyone cares. Kelly Last edited by KSchweikert; 12-07-2005 at 11:20 AM.

12-07-2005, 08:46 AM	#2
Mad Scientist RCC Addict Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Saginaw Posts: 1,721	It's not too difficult - just be sure that whatever you are using as a form dosen't have any extreme undercuts, or you'll never get the shell off the form in one peice.

12-07-2005, 08:51 AM	#3
BrandO Rock Crawler Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Concord, NC Posts: 560	You also need to make sure there are no openings. In other words all the windows and wheel wells need to be sealed off.

12-07-2005, 08:54 AM	#4
KSchweikert Rock Stacker Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Columbia Posts: 62	What kind of Commando is it (regular Jeepster or Bullnose)? I've got a 73 Bullnose in the garage waiting for me to get the engine back in. If you have good luck making the body I might be interested in one just for the heck of it. Kelly

12-07-2005, 10:47 AM	#5
racerx I wanna be Dave Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: R.I.P. Chip Posts: 2,024	The 1:1 he has is a 67 or 68 the Tonka version appears to be a newer model not sure about the year though. I knew we would have to cover any open areas and I was thinking if we mounted the mold to a flat board then it wouldn't get pulled under the bumper and get stuck. Also what should you put on the body as a "release compound"?

12-07-2005, 10:57 AM	#6
racerx I wanna be Dave Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: R.I.P. Chip Posts: 2,024	I just did a Google search and Tonka lit. says "based on 67 to 73" Commando. FYI...

12-07-2005, 11:44 AM	#8
microgoat I wanna be Dave Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 8,009	for a release agent, try Stoner urethane spray. it's used in resin casting, and it's hella expensive (like $30 for a can) but nothing will stick to it. you can rinse it off with soap & water. you could also try PAM if you wanna go cheap, but that might fawk it up. this is one instance where a Stoner actually gets something done.

12-07-2005, 02:50 PM	#9
72commando Newbie Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Boulder Posts: 4	just wanted to correct some info on the jeepesters and commandos. the kaiser jeepster commando was built from 66 to 71.5 and the amc commando was built from 71.5 to 73. the 68-71.5 jeepsters had larger turn signals on the front grill. also some of the 73 year jeeps had a mix of kaiser and amc body parts. oh ya i have a 72 sc2 commando and my dad has a 67 jeepster just so you dont think im crazy. also might want to check out the build over at scale4x4rc.us the guy is building an xc commando from scratch. let us know how the body works out

12-07-2005, 05:03 PM	#11
skipstr71 Rock Crawler Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: BAY AREA Posts: 557	I have never seen a body being formed but we have used vac tables and the set up at work a few times.. Concept is simple.. and I have even seen a 15 year old kid make a body online a few months ago.. I will find the thread if you want to see how he did it.. It was very crude.. he used him moms vacume at first, and when it blew up he used his dads shop vac.. LOL My point its that its easy.. and I am working on a mold of a 2nd generation toyota for my projects...

12-07-2005, 09:34 PM	#12
racerx I wanna be Dave Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: R.I.P. Chip Posts: 2,024	I'm with ya on the Yota!! I drive a 94 X-Tra cab myself and would love to have a lexan Toy body!!

12-07-2005, 09:42 PM	#13
racerx I wanna be Dave Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: R.I.P. Chip Posts: 2,024	Hey Skip, what are you using to build your mold? If it comes out good you better be prepared for the flood of P.M.s! LOL Alot of people want these.

Sponsored Links

12-07-2005, 10:13 PM	#15
racerx I wanna be Dave Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: R.I.P. Chip Posts: 2,024	LMAO!! Yeah I got family members that can build, fix, or jump anything after enough beers!! Even got a cousin that thought he could take on the whole family at the dunes one night!! WAY to much Jose Quervo! LOL Anyway can't wait to see a new toy body.

12-07-2005, 10:15 PM	#16
racerx I wanna be Dave Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: R.I.P. Chip Posts: 2,024	I've been planning an SAS on mine for about 3 years now, Keep spending money on to much other crap!!

12-08-2005, 02:31 AM	#17
thaclodking Rock Crawler Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: a place of settlement, activity, or residence. Posts: 842	If you have any luck let us know. I have been trying to make some molds of existing bodies with no luck. Everything I have tried thus far has either shrunk or developed air bubbles. My ultimate goal would be an early Land Rover. If anyone knows of anything that could be used for molds let me know. I have tried the self hardining clay but it distorts and shrinks as it cures.

12-08-2005, 08:48 AM	#18
racerx I wanna be Dave Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: R.I.P. Chip Posts: 2,024	Check out the "discountinued bodies" thread in General Crawler I think they had an abs plastic Rover body. Looked pretty good too! Anybody know what the big guys use? (proline, bolink, ect...)

12-08-2005, 02:41 PM	#20
skipstr71 Rock Crawler Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: BAY AREA Posts: 557	Talked with my bosses at work today and found out more for my body forming project and it may help you out.. First off you need a master mold.. There are a few opptions but I will be using the red/brown clay that that sell at any arts and crafts store.. This is just your first step in many steps.. You want this mold to be good so all the rest of your molds will be good also.. Now you have opptions as far as a female mold of this master.. Some opptions are RTV type silicone, fiberglass type or any other relasing (but shape holding) materials.. Then from there you can make another male mold using plaster type, other high temp resin jellys.. I am obviously not there so I dont have the names of what to use.. and there is so many different ways to form things and most of them would work at this point.. I will be trying two different ways.. One will be an actuall lexan body vacume formed over a male mold of my body, and also a fiberglass jelly resin (and cloth) in a female mold of my original male mold... Either way, mark my words, I will have a 2nd generation toyota truck body within 60 days.. Now its a struggle debating if its gonna be an extended cab short bed, or a standard cab long bed... OH and is the bed gonna be bobbed...? there is just so many opptions here..

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