YAMAHA RD250 Cafe Oz
- Thread starter Clueless
- Start date
Cheers guys 
Got some supplies and made myself a front fender, I want the bike to look cool but be practical too so I'm going to use the same method to make a smallish rear fender.
Here is my attempt at a close fitting fender:
First I stretched some cheap cotton stretch sheets over the wheel, I paid $3.75 a meter for the material and got 3m, it only stretches in one direction, I found stretching it tought over the circumference was best. I'm going for an 8mm offset so I built up layers to achieve it strapping each layer in place with masking tape.
I then covered the stretch sheets with one layer of kitchen cling film/glad wrap to give a smooth shiny surface. Epoxy resin will not attack the cling film and simply peels away from it after curing. This part was probably the biggest PITA, gently using a heat gun shrinks the cling film tort.
I built up layers of woven fiber glass cloth to give a thickness of around 2.5mm it moves in all directions so it is very easy to use in this application. The last layer was surface tissue/Veil to try and give a smooth surface for painting.
The process is quite easy and actual laminating quick, I started by painting resin onto the cling film then draping the woven cloth over and wetting it out with the epoxy using a brush then a wire roller to get rid of any air bubbles. Waiting for the epoxy to go off was the most painfull part.
Got some supplies and made myself a front fender, I want the bike to look cool but be practical too so I'm going to use the same method to make a smallish rear fender.Here is my attempt at a close fitting fender:
First I stretched some cheap cotton stretch sheets over the wheel, I paid $3.75 a meter for the material and got 3m, it only stretches in one direction, I found stretching it tought over the circumference was best. I'm going for an 8mm offset so I built up layers to achieve it strapping each layer in place with masking tape.
I then covered the stretch sheets with one layer of kitchen cling film/glad wrap to give a smooth shiny surface. Epoxy resin will not attack the cling film and simply peels away from it after curing. This part was probably the biggest PITA, gently using a heat gun shrinks the cling film tort.
I built up layers of woven fiber glass cloth to give a thickness of around 2.5mm it moves in all directions so it is very easy to use in this application. The last layer was surface tissue/Veil to try and give a smooth surface for painting.
The process is quite easy and actual laminating quick, I started by painting resin onto the cling film then draping the woven cloth over and wetting it out with the epoxy using a brush then a wire roller to get rid of any air bubbles. Waiting for the epoxy to go off was the most painfull part.
Attachments
I then shaped and drilled it to fit, the surface needs some work and a coat of filler primer but Im happy with the result, hopefully it will sort of disappear once painted matte black.
I also got a key cut for the ignition, so I decided to see what it looks like relocated.
I also got a key cut for the ignition, so I decided to see what it looks like relocated.
Attachments
barnabasantioch
Active Member
Great looking build! I've been struggling with the route I wanted to go with my wheels... Polished vs. blacked out. I like what you did with the contrasting hoops/wires. Think I'm going to be jacking that idea...
JustinLonghorn
No Purple Hearts, No Blue Ribbons
Looks absolutely bad ass to me, sir.
valvesprung
Over 1,000 Posts
Amazing. Nothing better than a part made from scratch to fit perfectly...bravo good sir
FlyinRyan350
Been Around the Block
I can't wait to see those heads, those are gunna be trick. Are you worried about that rear fender flexing enough and rubbing the tire or is the piece pretty solid?
