Bumperetts

katsi · Post by **katsi** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 6:32 pm

I've been reading up on the bumperetts or bumper blocks and read up on past posts concerning them. Has their been any progress? It seems that some could be relativly easily manufactured from a template and a few peices of 2x4 glued together,cut, shapped, sanded to a nice finish, shellacked and finally painted black. Is thier any better out there AT A REASONABLE PRICE?

Still on the question, anyone know of any usable off the shelf nurf bars?

Also, Mark, where can one get ahold of one of those headers you use for your picture? At at what price?

azygoustoyou · Post by **azygoustoyou** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 10:10 pm

If you do them out of wood. Why not fiberglass over it. Then paint it. It would be stronger.
I haven't finished mine yet. Next year.

radiopilot · Post by **radiopilot** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 10:24 pm

Does anyone that has the original Arbarth bumperette know how to do a 'point-cloud' so that a duplicate can be modeled in CAD and a model sent to a prototype shop?

What is a 'point cloud' ? Think of the Star Trek replicator in reverse, the expensive ones use a laser system to generate the points in 3D space, the less costly ones use a pen stylus that picks points in various positions on the original to generate the 3D points. You then connect the dots in 3D space to generate the surfaces needed to make the mold.

Anyone?

Nick

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 10:32 pm

the header in my avatar is the unit I sell. Info and pricing is on my website at http://www.allisonsautomotive.com.
We've got a mockup bumperette with a mold. The tricky part is attaching it so it has some strength and the bolts are hidden.

katsi · Post by **katsi** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 2:36 pm

katsi wrote:If you do them out of wood. Why not fiberglass over it. Then paint it. It would be stronger.
I haven't finished mine yet. Next year.

I don't know how fiberglass over wood would make the wood any stronger. Besides, going back to my surfboard days, glassing over something that square is going to be a pain in the ass. Too much sanding. If I did it I think I would make them out of balsa wood. Easy to work with and light. Besides, any impact hitting the front end with the bumperetts on is going to bend the crap out of everything even if they are made of hardened steel with steel shafts connecting directly to the frame. Just not enough coverage to protect the car no matter what they are made out of.

They seem to be strictly for looks.

Mark, everytime I try to link on the "More Info" section concerning the headers, I get an error.

I do really like them though. Nice work.

radiopilot · Post by **radiopilot** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 3:19 pm

We've got a mockup bumperette with a mold. The tricky part is attaching it so it has some strength and the bolts are hidden.

Mark, I remember some time back you mentioned getting these made in fiberglass or something to that effect, what about carbon fiber based? I don't think fiberglassing these bumperettes are the way to go unless you like repairing these each time someone bumps into you in the parking lot. They would need at least 1/2" high impact rubber all around to keep them looking decent over the years.

Nick

fiasco · Post by **fiasco** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 6:52 pm

katsi wrote:Mark, everytime I try to link on the "More Info" section concerning the headers, I get an error. I do really like them though. Nice work.

The link has been fixed. Clicking "More Info" for the headers will now take you to the Products page where you will find more info.

-- se

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 9:16 pm

I didn't ever think the fiberglass bumper blocks were anything except ornamental and designed to keep the local police happy

MNspiderman · Post by **MNspiderman** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 11:00 pm

Being in the wood industry my entire life so far. you can fiberglass over wood but eventually it will crack because the wood is going to pull moisture out of the air and expand. especially if you live anywhere it might rain. Or live in an area with humidity. You could do wood, plastic, solid polyurethane or anything of this nature, then I would really consider dipping it several times in "tool dip" for that nice rubber look that you would expect to see. Also "tool dip" comes in many colors now. FYI, its that stuff you would dip your tool handles into so they become rubber coated. Very durable too.

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 11:41 pm

if you're going to use fiberglass, why have them stuffed with wood? In my mind, a slight bump would guarantee body damage. If it's just fiberglass, a slight bump would break the bumper block. Sort of a crumple zone. Any real accident is going to do damage anyway.

radiopilot · Post by **radiopilot** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 9:42 am

So Cal Mark wrote:...tricky part is attaching it so it has some strength and the bolts are hidden.

Mark... could you send me a sketch of what it is you are trying to do... maybe I can help you somehow, I've done similar with PEEK carbon reinforced plastics for some of my government clients, hence the reason for the 3D model.

Nick

radiopilot · Post by **radiopilot** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 9:52 am

So Cal Mark wrote:if you're going to use fiberglass, why have them stuffed with wood? In my mind, a slight bump would guarantee body damage. If it's just fiberglass, a slight bump would break the bumper block. Sort of a crumple zone. Any real accident is going to do damage anyway.

Mark... if the bumperette (rubber, not fiberglass) is attached to the slightly compressed bumper shock absorber, why would there be damage to the vehicle if a car backed up into it? Wouldn't it be the same if they backed up into the existing tube bumpers, the compression would be in the shock absorber?

Not much crumple zone in a 1/8" fiberglass if that is the thickness... may as well be a fragile glass bumper... what would be needed is high density PEEK fiber reinforced material with 1/2 inch of rubber encased all around with a metal bracket imbedded into the PEEK which would hold the bolts that attach to the slightly compressed shock absorber... quite simple.

Nick

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 10:42 am

we aren't planning to use the shock, that makes the block protrude from the body and looks funky. The plan to make them from fiberglass is to keep the cost reasonable. Sure we could have blocks made from compressable material but how many can we sell if they cost in the hundreds?

radiopilot · Post by **radiopilot** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:02 am

So Cal Mark wrote:we aren't planning to use the shock, that makes the block protrude from the body and looks funky.

Mark... I guess you misunderstood... the shock absorber would be compressed some to allow the bumperette to be almost flush with the body like the original Arbarth bumpers, maybe with a slight gap to prevent collapsing of the body or a new absorber using a pipe/rod could be made to reduce the protrusion? I'm sure someone has done this before...

The cost of PEEK would be comparable to laying up fiberglass maybe even a lot less... a mold would be needed of course for the PEEK but that could be made using 3D SLA rapid prototyping... I think you'll sell hundreds maybe thousands Mark if you made them... not sure I would buy fiberglass ones though.

http://performanceplastics.com/index.shtml

Just one of many places these could be made...

Nick

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