lets get some iX mudflaps made. Who can help?

[AndrewBird]

It says the video is unavailable.

For removing bubbles near the surface, use a heat gun or torch are sweep it across the surface. The heat will cause the bubbles to pop.

Instead of using resin, why not use a castable rubber?

https://www.smooth-on.com/products/vytaflex-60/

Something like that, although intended for making a mold, would potentially work very well.

[ghatid]

All great in theory, but I have never noticed any significant decrease in bubbles by the long path, small stream method. What's been working for the silicone mold has been using an additive that lowers the viscosity. Funny enough, I even ran a sander next to the mold to remove bubbles. Didn't realize that was a thing that other people did. What worked for the second silicone mold (much fewer bubbles around the BMW) was that after pouring, I just ran a screwdriver around the corners of the letters.

Aigar suggested, and the flap did well, until it didn't. Watch the video for more. I may have gotten too excited with the hammer, but I'll try to see if there are other castable materials as other options to try. Unfortunately, this stuff I was using poured really well and I was surprised at how few voids there are now that it's opened up. It's also UV stable which seems to be a hard spec to find for these castable resins; probably would be great for this application other than the fact that the flaps are going to be brittle while in the snow.

Any feedback on my tests would be great. This material does get brittle when it gets cold (my fridge is set to 0F), but maybe the hammer was too extreme of a test.

https://youtu.be/Gs2t_HvNaHc

[rzerob]

Can you make a mold with something that can be molded? It is difficult to put into words but I was thinking if you made a mold with something that you could shape the way you wanted, like clay. Then you could make a mold of that perfected clay version.

[AndrewBird]

For removing bubbles, check out the technique used at 4:08 in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=274&v=WtodXHMDOP8

[The Dark Side of Will]

Here's the first version. I think I can get fewer bubbles in the next one, but probably there will be small imperfections on every set I make. I'm glad you guys are cool with figuring out the hardware yourselves.

In terms of materials, I have found something that is pretty hard (95 Shore A) and should be somewhat UV resistant. I want to beat up this version to make sure it won't get get ripped up when rocks hit it, but we can start with some photos.

https://imgur.com/a/c7H9SY5?

It's harder than the original, but it's still flexible so it should take rocks splashing against it. Anyone want to suggest some tests I can run in my garage or with basic tools? Like a drill powered mace or something?

Have you thought about trying a plastic welder to repair the crack in the original you're using as the pattern?

https://www.polyvance.com/Airless-Welders-1/5700HT/

[Aigar]

I‘m not sure how does your manufacturing process exactly look like, but a garage method would also be to put the mould on a vibrating surface (an electric sander) so that the bubbles could escape upwards.

Regarding testing I would like to see how acts when hit/scratced with a sharp stone, bent on room temperature and also to see how it bends when it‘s taken out of a freezer. Does it get brittle then or no...

Also when do you start the deliveries and don‘t tell me you won‘t ship to europe :)

Cheers!

[D.Martijn]

Yeah, you might be ale to remove the small air bubbles by first placing it first in a vacuum pot? Is there a way for air to escape from the mould when you pour it in?

[ghatid]

Here's the first version. I think I can get fewer bubbles in the next one, but probably there will be small imperfections on every set I make. I'm glad you guys are cool with figuring out the hardware yourselves.

In terms of materials, I have found something that is pretty hard (95 Shore A) and should be somewhat UV resistant. I want to beat up this version to make sure it won't get get ripped up when rocks hit it, but we can start with some photos.

https://imgur.com/a/c7H9SY5?

It's harder than the original, but it's still flexible so it should take rocks splashing against it. Anyone want to suggest some tests I can run in my garage or with basic tools? Like a drill powered mace or something?

[cscracker]

To answer your questions, I'm interested as long as they look good, they don't have to be perfect, they just shouldn't look ugly. Also, while OEM hardware would be awesome, I'm interested even without hardware. I'm reasonably handy and could figure out my own way if needed. And I'd be happy to buy at those prices.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Another thought - since this is just a side gig, making the brackets is probably very difficult and time consuming for you, slowing things down. But maybe we can just come up with some sort of template that people can download to make their own brackets?

Or maybe a 3d printable model? I have access to a printer and modeling software to build a prototype. i think a decent ABS plastic would actually hold up just fine.

Hell, they could be lasered out and bent up 100 at a time without much trouble... if we only had a design. Old boy in Germany welded a tapping block on, but that should really be a clip-nut instead.

[audiquattrot]

Alpina mudfaps? Do you have any pictures of these? Never heard of those before

[nando]

Another thought - since this is just a side gig, making the brackets is probably very difficult and time consuming for you, slowing things down. But maybe we can just come up with some sort of template that people can download to make their own brackets?

Or maybe a 3d printable model? I have access to a printer and modeling software to build a prototype. i think a decent ABS plastic would actually hold up just fine.

[kronus]

In my mind, a set is just the front flaps including all of the hardware.

Otherwise, you're right about all the pricing I was describing to set you guys up with an expectation:

$300-350 for front left flap, front right flap + mounting hardware similar to OEM
$150-200 for front left flap, front right flap + some jerry rigged method of attachment

From the looks of it, the rear flaps are hard to get now too, but I don't think I'd bother reproducing them unless the demand was big enough (and if I can do a good enough job with the ix flaps).

Even just looking at cost of materials, I don't think I would even break even selling 10 sets for $100 each pair of mudflap with no hardware. Different story if I sold 20, but I don't think there's that much demand, and it would take me forever to fill those orders.

For some context on demand, there was a set of iX flaps that was on craigslist for a total of 7 hours in the east bay last week. This is in a place that does not get snow and does not have a lot of iX's.

I'd be down for a set. In fact, if you don't have an iX available for trial fitting, I do ;)

[nando]

IMO, just make the flaps themselves, and people can figure out their own method for attachment - whether they want to buy an expensive exact replica of the original hardware, or do it cheap and dirty with whatever they have laying around.

Getting some bits of metal cut and bent is easy, anyone can do that with a hacksaw and a trip to the hardware store. The impossible part are the rubber flaps themselves.

Personally, I wouldn't care if they are not 100% perfect, as long as they look good on their own.

If our small community will only accept perfection, then it's never going to happen, or if it does whoever pulls it off will have spent so much money on it they will never make it back because nobody will be willing to spend $400 on a set of mudflaps for a 30 year old car.

Keep it simple and maybe this thread will finally amount to something. :)

[ghatid]

ghatid

Please explain this pricing. You mention half of $700. So $350 for a set? You also posted save $150 off the price with no hardware. So $200 for a set of just the flaps? And what is a set to you? Just the two ix specific front mud flaps? Or all four mud flaps?

In my mind, a set is just the front flaps including all of the hardware.

Otherwise, you're right about all the pricing I was describing to set you guys up with an expectation:

$300-350 for front left flap, front right flap + mounting hardware similar to OEM
$150-200 for front left flap, front right flap + some jerry rigged method of attachment

From the looks of it, the rear flaps are hard to get now too, but I don't think I'd bother reproducing them unless the demand was big enough (and if I can do a good enough job with the ix flaps).

Even just looking at cost of materials, I don't think I would even break even selling 10 sets for $100 each pair of mudflap with no hardware. Different story if I sold 20, but I don't think there's that much demand, and it would take me forever to fill those orders.