ABS Honeycomb taillight panel - SilverHorse Racing
7/18/05, 08:10 AM
#23
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Wow, good job! looking at it the only thing I notice is that the production piece won't be so "flat" across the bottom and top, but will be following the contour of the body a bit better. I know that's how the prototype looked in some of the shots, and that is one of the things we fixed for the production unit.
Thanks, keep them coming!
Thanks, keep them coming!
7/18/05, 03:17 PM
#24
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Just placed order on Ebay myself looking forward to the roll out. Keeping fingers crossed for early delivery. I currently have the black vinyl on my Legend Lime and it looks great , but the detail on your panel will be much more appealing.
8/13/05, 06:49 PM
#25
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I ordered mine yesterday. I have been trying to figure out how to make a honeycomb one of my own, since I am kinda handy that way. But now, I don't have to mess with it. September can't get here soon enough! Oh, can anybody photochop the panel onto my Redfire vert? Would love to see what it will look like. Thanks!
8/14/05, 07:04 AM
#27
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8/15/05, 04:46 PM
#29
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Everyone,
Just wanted to give an update regarding the panel progress. We have been busy with racing at Daytona (pictures up at our site), and lots of miserable afternoon weather, but I snapped off a few pictures of the second prototype, and they are attached below. You will see:
Check of contours, both externally and cutaway toward center
Check of lower trunk arc across bottom
Check of .250 radius corner above taillight
Drain hole (one of three) is visible in the corner
Check of angle that folllows taillight.
The last one is the only one we're still toying with, as we moved it 1.25 degrees, which appears to be too much in this prototype from the first one, so we're splitting the difference back, which should yield a perfect fit. We have a third (and I hope final) prototype in the works, and it should be ready next week for inspection. None of this is delaying us any, as we're still awaiting delivery of the custom mold bases, and it's better to be making these changes now than after machining of the plates begins.
Our mold is still on schedule to be delivered in the next week or so, at which point machining can begin on the insert plates. Machining should only take a few days once they get started, and then from there it goes to polishing, and then on to injection sampling. From there we can start production, and everyone (including us) can get our pieces!
Thanks to everyone who's either pre-ordered or shown interest in our first piece. I was commenting to my son about how cool it will be the first time we're driving around and see our piece on someone else's car! Everyone's enthusiasm makes our efforts worthwhile.
Just wanted to give an update regarding the panel progress. We have been busy with racing at Daytona (pictures up at our site), and lots of miserable afternoon weather, but I snapped off a few pictures of the second prototype, and they are attached below. You will see:
Check of contours, both externally and cutaway toward center
Check of lower trunk arc across bottom
Check of .250 radius corner above taillight
Drain hole (one of three) is visible in the corner
Check of angle that folllows taillight.
The last one is the only one we're still toying with, as we moved it 1.25 degrees, which appears to be too much in this prototype from the first one, so we're splitting the difference back, which should yield a perfect fit. We have a third (and I hope final) prototype in the works, and it should be ready next week for inspection. None of this is delaying us any, as we're still awaiting delivery of the custom mold bases, and it's better to be making these changes now than after machining of the plates begins.
Our mold is still on schedule to be delivered in the next week or so, at which point machining can begin on the insert plates. Machining should only take a few days once they get started, and then from there it goes to polishing, and then on to injection sampling. From there we can start production, and everyone (including us) can get our pieces!
Thanks to everyone who's either pre-ordered or shown interest in our first piece. I was commenting to my son about how cool it will be the first time we're driving around and see our piece on someone else's car! Everyone's enthusiasm makes our efforts worthwhile.
9/3/05, 07:24 PM
#31
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Thread Starter
We actually wanted to mold it in Argent as well as black, but were warned against it since silver plastic tends to "marble" in the molding process. We might be able to do it down the road, or alternatively, they can be painted, just like we did with the first prototype. (It was molded in white)
9/3/05, 08:07 PM
#32
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Thread Starter
We're getting closer!
The base has arrived, the third prototype fits correctly to the taillights, and we're ramping up for product launch. "800" numbers have been installed for customers to call us, and pictures, as usual, are below. What you are looking at is 2,000 Lbs. of steel and aluminum, and the large injection machine that the mold will be mounted to. We'll be getting pictures of the actual machining as it occurs, and will post them as they become available.
Thanks to everyone who's pre-ordered. The response has been really amazing. Anyone who hasn't pre-ordered yet, better get on the ball before pricing goes up to full retail !
The base has arrived, the third prototype fits correctly to the taillights, and we're ramping up for product launch. "800" numbers have been installed for customers to call us, and pictures, as usual, are below. What you are looking at is 2,000 Lbs. of steel and aluminum, and the large injection machine that the mold will be mounted to. We'll be getting pictures of the actual machining as it occurs, and will post them as they become available.
Thanks to everyone who's pre-ordered. The response has been really amazing. Anyone who hasn't pre-ordered yet, better get on the ball before pricing goes up to full retail !
9/5/05, 08:13 AM
#34
Legacy Tms Member
Thread Starter
Just a note to everyone who isn't on the pre-order list...
Due to the fact that we will not be able to ship our pre-production samples (they will not be perfect pieces, and therefore will be shredded), we are pushing our anticipated delivery to mid-October. We're sorry for the delay, but we have been shooting for September since May, and to be within a few weeks of that time frame we consider pretty good. So long as there are no problems with the mold machining, we should be fine.
I'm sorry for the delay, but as I promised, I don't get one until my customers get one! So I'm eager to get these in production as well.
Soon....we'll be there.
Due to the fact that we will not be able to ship our pre-production samples (they will not be perfect pieces, and therefore will be shredded), we are pushing our anticipated delivery to mid-October. We're sorry for the delay, but we have been shooting for September since May, and to be within a few weeks of that time frame we consider pretty good. So long as there are no problems with the mold machining, we should be fine.
I'm sorry for the delay, but as I promised, I don't get one until my customers get one! So I'm eager to get these in production as well.
Soon....we'll be there.
10/2/05, 09:47 PM
#35
Legacy Tms Member
Thread Starter
Update !!!
Anyone who's been following along with this knows we've been working on it for quite some time, but it's getting close! Below are pictures of what is referred to as the "core" side of the mold, the "cavity" is what is being machined in one picture, and that picture was taken back on Monday, so it should be just about done by now. We go for testing of actual pieces on Friday, and will report in as soon as we can with the results. Looks like we will make our October ship date as promised, so long as everything continues to go as planned.
Also, anyone who is reading this that is on the pre-order list but did not recieve your email update, let us know. A few email addresses were lost / have changed recently, and we had a nasty computer crash that made us refer back to hardcopies of the invoices to set up our email news again. The moral of the story... backup your data, and do it more than once a month!!!
Enough chat... check out the mold pictures!
Anyone who's been following along with this knows we've been working on it for quite some time, but it's getting close! Below are pictures of what is referred to as the "core" side of the mold, the "cavity" is what is being machined in one picture, and that picture was taken back on Monday, so it should be just about done by now. We go for testing of actual pieces on Friday, and will report in as soon as we can with the results. Looks like we will make our October ship date as promised, so long as everything continues to go as planned.
Also, anyone who is reading this that is on the pre-order list but did not recieve your email update, let us know. A few email addresses were lost / have changed recently, and we had a nasty computer crash that made us refer back to hardcopies of the invoices to set up our email news again. The moral of the story... backup your data, and do it more than once a month!!!
Enough chat... check out the mold pictures!
10/6/05, 11:09 PM
#39
Legacy Tms Member
Thread Starter
We're getting close!
The runoff sampling has been pushed from today (Friday) to Monday, based upon the need to spend a little extra time fitting the two plates together, but that isn't a big hurdle, and we'll get some test fitting of the preliminary runoff parts Monday before our car goes back to the dealer for the gas tank TSB and a driver's door handle...
Of course, you want pictures, we've got pictures! Attached are two of the mold cavity side, which is the outside of the part. You can clearly see the part taking form from just a few posts back where it was just a couple slabs of metal.
Over two miles of bubble wrap have arrived for packaging purposes, and the custom made boxes should be here next week.
Finally, THANKS! Your support throughout this process has made our "betting the farm" not such a fearful leap. Given the costs involved to produce this, without everyone's pre-orders, we'd really be worried at this point if we'd be living in a box soon...
We can't wait to start our next project, but one at a time, for now!
The runoff sampling has been pushed from today (Friday) to Monday, based upon the need to spend a little extra time fitting the two plates together, but that isn't a big hurdle, and we'll get some test fitting of the preliminary runoff parts Monday before our car goes back to the dealer for the gas tank TSB and a driver's door handle...
Of course, you want pictures, we've got pictures! Attached are two of the mold cavity side, which is the outside of the part. You can clearly see the part taking form from just a few posts back where it was just a couple slabs of metal.
Over two miles of bubble wrap have arrived for packaging purposes, and the custom made boxes should be here next week.
Finally, THANKS! Your support throughout this process has made our "betting the farm" not such a fearful leap. Given the costs involved to produce this, without everyone's pre-orders, we'd really be worried at this point if we'd be living in a box soon...
We can't wait to start our next project, but one at a time, for now!
10/10/05, 08:55 PM
#40
Legacy Tms Member
Thread Starter
As promised, a big update this week with a lot of good news. Attached are 9 pictures, covering a lot of information. First, if you ever wondered what two miles of bubble wrap look like, there’s a picture of it! Just for reference, the ceiling height in that picture is 16ft up, and each bundle is approximately 4.5 feet in diameter! Not pictured, but also here is our first shipment of 1000 custom made boxes.
As to the mold, we were at the mold shop today in Orlando, and the sampling run was made. The mold did very well, but the two pound “shot” came up short for the amount needed to properly fill out the mold, and hence, the pictures you see will show a hollow area on both sides of the parts that were run. This is exactly why we pushed delivery back a few weeks, so that we could work out these bugs and insure the product you receive is the one we want to ship. Also in one picture the length of the part appears too small. This is due to the polypropelene plastic used in sampling, rather than the one that will be used in the production pieces shrinking after ejection. All are normal things that go into plastic mold making, and none of it is a cause for concern. To solve the “shot” size problem, a larger injector has been ordered and should arrive by Thursday to re-sample the part. Also, the mold will be taken off the press for final polishing and sandblasting of surfaces, as well as cleanup of two “witness marks” left by machining that were not seen until after the plastic pieces were pulled off.
As a side note to any of our customers who are contemplating painting the piece a different color than the black it is molded, the answer from the mold shop is no problem. There will be no mold release used on the face of the part when it is running in production.
Finally, thanks as always to our preorder customers. We know that you are as anxious to receive your parts as we are to ship them, but we are definitely in the home-stretch now. With just a couple weeks more of patience, we’ll be able to be delivering to you what we promised. Thanks to everyone who’s waited, we appreciate your patience.
As to the mold, we were at the mold shop today in Orlando, and the sampling run was made. The mold did very well, but the two pound “shot” came up short for the amount needed to properly fill out the mold, and hence, the pictures you see will show a hollow area on both sides of the parts that were run. This is exactly why we pushed delivery back a few weeks, so that we could work out these bugs and insure the product you receive is the one we want to ship. Also in one picture the length of the part appears too small. This is due to the polypropelene plastic used in sampling, rather than the one that will be used in the production pieces shrinking after ejection. All are normal things that go into plastic mold making, and none of it is a cause for concern. To solve the “shot” size problem, a larger injector has been ordered and should arrive by Thursday to re-sample the part. Also, the mold will be taken off the press for final polishing and sandblasting of surfaces, as well as cleanup of two “witness marks” left by machining that were not seen until after the plastic pieces were pulled off.
As a side note to any of our customers who are contemplating painting the piece a different color than the black it is molded, the answer from the mold shop is no problem. There will be no mold release used on the face of the part when it is running in production.
Finally, thanks as always to our preorder customers. We know that you are as anxious to receive your parts as we are to ship them, but we are definitely in the home-stretch now. With just a couple weeks more of patience, we’ll be able to be delivering to you what we promised. Thanks to everyone who’s waited, we appreciate your patience.