how to make emblems

General Composites Discussions Composites Talk
#1

some of the guys wanted to know how i make my custom emblems, like for a turboed vett. They never had any so they never made the fender or bumper emblems. So here is a step by step…No pics because iam a dumbass and did use a camera but some will follow next week.

  1. Find a font you like and draw or print it out on paper
  2. using a pin wheel (used in sewing and leather work, and custom painting see cheap tricks and special fx by craig fraiser) poke holes in the design
  3. use a pounce bag or chalk filled sock (marking chaulk bought form lowes for chaulk lines) powder the design onto mdf (use the thickness of wood you want the part to be. Sometimes i only want a 1/16 part so i use panelboard or what ever works)
  4. Cut out the design in mdf. If it will be multilayered like most car emblems are you will make the smaller one as the first layer and the lager as the next and so on and so forth.
  5. take the top layer and make a box around it with a bottom and all four sides. This is going to be your mold box
  6. staple or nail the mdf emblem on to a flat board that will span the width of the box. This is to suspend the part at the top of the box so that it wont fall into the molding material.
  7. spray the emblem with 2 layers of primer allowing the first layer to dry completely and then apply the second layer. This allows for the primer to soak in and seal the wood and then the second layer is a top coat. If you spray it correctly then you will not have to sand it down but it there are runs then sand and reprime until it looks exactly how you want it.
  8. apply a couple layers of wax to the part preping the same as you would any other mold
  9. Place teh perfect part on to the top of the box
  10. Mix up some Polytek 74 RTV liquid rubber and pour it into the box. if you are having problems with air bubbles just stick it in a bell jar or in a pressure pot for a quick stint.
  11. Allow to fully cureI usually wait 4 hrs. and pull the original out of the mold, and remove from the stick.
  12. Add the next layer to the emblem and glue it together. I use ca glue and accelorater, and prep with primer and wax again. be careful because if you spray more primer over the first layer then it will not fit back in the first layer mold.
  13. Build another box on top of the first mold box.
#2

this step is tricky because you have to the box the thickness of the second layer.
14. once you have all the layers molded you can start the fun part. Using Polytek easy flo 60 mix by the directions. add to the mix the dyes(bought from tapplastics.com) into the resin. I use a couple different cups for the different colors of resins.
15. Using the first layer mold pour in enough plastic to fill the cavitywithout going over. Then add the second layer and do the same with the next color and so on and so forth until the full stack of layer are placed uniformly on top of each other and poured. the resin kicks in about three minutes so a second set of hands is a plus for your first couple. After four hrs. pop out your part wet sand with 1000 grit paper.
16. Dry it off completely and use 3m emblem adhesive and stick it to the vehicle or where ever. They also make great business keychains.

As i said pics will be up soon and until then post q’s here.

#3

I’m really interested in seeing pics. We currently make emblems and badges like these:

http://www.perd.net/images/s2kbadge.jpg

http://www.perd.net/images/nismo.jpg

http://www.perd.net/images/trans.jpg

http://www.perd.net/images/super.jpg

They’re 3D domed decals. I’d like to see what how else these things can be made.

#4

pics please

#5

i will do a full pic tutorial this week. i just need somemore polytek. And those are like sign emblems and badages i am talking about the turbo badges and the 4x4 badges that are raised off the car metal on the fenders and sometimes found on the dash and in the hoods and grills. However i would like to see a tutorial of your badge making for that s2k one that is sweet.

#6

Wow your guys work is so intriguing on the possibilities one could do once they grasp working with composites.

SIMPLY AWESOME!

#7

cheers Krymis i kept geeting lost reading your post as i have no experince of what you are talking about but the bits i did understand made sense!!

thanks very much and i cant wait for the pics

Perfang also very nice work/pics cheers (i will go and hide in the jealous corner - still having problems making a part yet alone adding bits to it :x )

#8

pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics … please, just wanting to become your compition hahaa