The bumper is one of the most visible parts of a car, defining it appearance. Tuning enthusiasts can make or modify this design detail themselves, making their “swallow” individual and eye-catching. Almost everyone can do this kind of tuning, you just need skillful hands, knowledge, time and great desire. Brief information How to make a bumper with your own hands is given in this article.
Technology
Making a bumper from scratch requires skills in working with various materials, tools, experience. It is difficult to achieve absolute symmetry, minimal uniform gaps with other parts, and compliance with dimensions. A stumbling block may be ensuring fastening to standard places: high precision and placement of fasteners are required.
With the existing bumper from this car model, everything is greatly simplified. You can use factory fasteners and standard joints with the body, and change the shape, guided by your imagination.
We remove broken and unnecessary parts, add new parts and holes - everything is limited only by your desires and skills.
In factory conditions, the materials most often used are inexpensive, high-tech ABS plastic. Higher quality, but also more expensive, carbon and polyurethane are used on premium cars. You can make an excellent quality power bumper yourself at home using fiberglass.
The manufacturing technology of such a bumper is as follows:
- A sketch is drawn on paper.
- A mock-up of the bumper is being made.
- The model is covered with fiberglass.
- The workpiece is processed and installed on the car.
Materials for layout
Polystyrene foam and polyurethane foam, individually and together, are simple inexpensive material for making a model.
Thick sheets of foam plastic are glued together with “liquid nails” into a rectangular block slightly larger than the intended bumper. A sharp knife, a marker, skillful hands and several hours or days of work will lead to a life-size model of your future tuning.
Polyurethane foam is convenient to use when modifying an existing bumper. It must be protected before application. metal surfaces masking tape or penofol. 3-4 cylinders are needed for initial use, 2 more will be needed during operation. After application, when cured, press the foam with gloved hands for greater density. To prevent the foam from dripping, use cardboard and tape. Work with the model can begin after gaining strength in two days. We remove all excess with a knife, add foam if necessary; the work, as in the previous version, will last you for several days.
These two materials can be combined: bounding surfaces, vertical narrow ribs, small parts cut out of polystyrene foam, and fill the volume with polyurethane foam.
After covering the model with fiberglass, you will get a finished bumper, but if it needs to be replicated, then you need to make a matrix - a mold for making any number of parts. For a matrix, it is optimal to make a model from technical plasticine: it is malleable, easily takes the most complex shape, it is more convenient and faster to work with it, volumes in the right places can be easily removed and simply added.
Covering with fiberglass
To give strength to the product, it is necessary to cover it with fiberglass - impregnated polyester resin fiberglass fragments. To protect against the destructive effect of resin on foam, the material must be carefully treated with technical plasticine. It is recommended to glue models made of foam and polystyrene in several layers with masking tape and apply aluminum foil, so that later it would be easy to separate the model and the fiberglass blank.
For gluing you need sheets of fiberglass (glass mat), resin, hardener, scissors and a brush. You can work at temperatures from plus 15 to plus 30 degrees in a well-ventilated area. For the first layer, thinner and more flexible glass mat No. 300 is used. Gently moisten the surface with a brush, apply pieces of fiberglass cut into place, and additionally coat until completely saturated. In places of bends and joints, use thicker resin, prepare portions of 200–300 grams, do not allow air bubbles. The next coat can be applied after partial curing after 1-4 hours, depending on the temperature and amount of hardener used. A total of 3 to 5 layers are made, in the middle a thicker glass mat is used for strength (for example, No. 600), but this increases the weight.
When making a matrix using a model, plasticine must be treated three times with Teflon polish, before applying the first layer of fiberglass, apply resin with aluminum powder, and additionally make technological bends of 5 centimeters along the edges. To avoid geometry violations during solidification, it is advisable to use metal or wooden frame. After removing the matrix, the remaining plasticine is removed with a hairdryer and a rag.
To make the bumper itself, the matrix is lubricated with wax, the most important layer of polyester resin with aluminum powder is applied (necessarily without bubbles, this is the outer part of the future bumper, which determines the appearance), then a layer of fiberglass No. 300 and two layers No. 600.
Final processing
The edges of the workpiece are processed. Be careful not to get any fiberglass chips or dust on your skin or inhalation. If you modified the “original” bumper, then secure the workpiece to it with glue, screws, bolts, self-tapping screws, and additional fragments of fiberglass overlapped onto the base.
After fitting on the car and mechanical adjustment, you can proceed to standard cosmetic operations: puttying, sanding, priming, selecting paint in the desired color, painting with intermediate drying, applying a protective layer of varnish, final polishing.
Making your own bumper, although it requires experience and time, is quite possible. This is a good way to spend time in the garage, increase your self-esteem, and give your car an original look.
Not really
To make a bumper using polyurethane foam, you need to have skills in working with it and sculpting skills. After all, the part should turn out smooth and symmetrical. Sloppy flaws can ruin all your hard work
When creating a bumper, we will need polystyrene foam and polyurethane foam. Therefore, we take into account their physical qualities. The foam dissolves upon contact with polyester resin, which we will apply to the bumper later, if we do not protect it with technical plasticine. And polyurethane foam is aggressive towards metal, so when working with it, we hide everything metal under penofol. We remove the old bumper. Then we start designing a new one. From sheets of plywood or pieces of clapboard we install a kind of lower and upper side of the bumper. On paper we make sketches of what we want to get in the end: the shape of the bumper, the location of the air intakes, the side curves, the place for the foglights (if necessary).
The process of creating a bumper with your own hands is a complex and lengthy process. At the same time, the huge advantage of such a bumper over purchased ones is its cost. A well-made bumper after painting does not reveal itself in any way, but it gives the car uniqueness and pride to its owner.
Almost every car owner wants his car to stand out from others. The bumper is precisely the part through which you can change not only the appearance of the car, but also make it more exclusive and original.
In order to independently upgrade a car, you need to have some knowledge, which can be obtained in this article.
There are two ways to make a bumper unique:
- Create a bumper from scratch;
- Make tuning of an existing bumper;
In the first case, what you definitely cannot do without is experience, high precision and patience. In this case, it is necessary to adjust everything as precisely as possible in size and mounting location, without gaps or distortions.
The bumper mount also deserves special attention, since it is attached either to the original mount or to additional points located on the body. On the bumper it is necessary to accurately find a place that would correspond to the fastening in the metal of the car and place special flanges.
The second option is to embellish the bumper and add new elements to it (new shape, skirt, air intakes, new openings). In this case, the joints of the car body and fastenings remain factory.
You will not need the same amount of effort and money as with the first option.
What material can a bumper be made from?
Today, the most popular materials without any doubt can be called polystyrene foam and polyurethane foam. This is largely due to the availability, ease and relatively low cost of these materials. But to modernize a car bumper, the following steps are performed:
- With help suitable material a new form is created;
- The surface is properly prepared for the application of resin;
- Fiberglass and resin are applied (in several layers);
- Fiberglass is treated with putty and a new shape is created;
- A primer is applied to the treated surface;
- The modernized bumper is being painted;
Note! Some drivers who are planning to do their own bumper tuning have a question: how does polyurethane foam differ from polystyrene foam as components for a new bumper? Unlike foam plastic, polyurethane foam does not require dissolution with polyester resin.
Therefore, if polyurethane foam is used, the resin can be glued onto it directly, but if polystyrene foam is used, we cover it with technical plasticine.
DIY foam bumper
So, everyone who likes the foam bumper option needs to follow these steps:
- Using “liquid nails” we glue several sheets of foam plastic together;
- While the glue is drying, we draw a sketch of the foam, after which we take a knife and a marker in our hands and begin to make a bumper;
It is worth recognizing that with this option you also need to be patient, be precise and attentive, since in this case the work is quite troublesome and time-consuming.
After the sketch is ready, it is necessary to apply technical plasticine to the foam plastic (in the absence of plasticine, you can also apply putty in 2-3 layers). After complete drying, we treat it with small sandpaper, after which we apply resin and fiberglass.
Note! Instead of glass wool, you can also use newspaper, but in this case we also treat it with putty.
DIY foam bumper
I would like to immediately note that polyurethane foam can harm metal, and therefore we cover all metal particles with penofol. Apply the mounting foam slowly and carefully. But while the foam is drying, we are preparing a sketch of the modernized bumper on paper. Using a sharp knife, we cut out the bumper according to the project and sketch.
In addition to the above, there is another option self-made bumpers – bumper made of polystyrene and foam. The manufacturing process is similar to the previous two.
The size and shape of the bumper, depending on your fantasies, can be very different. The main thing is that the mount matches the factory one on the car.
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Most car enthusiasts sooner or later think about how to improve the appearance of their iron friend. Car tuning is very popular today, and it is used for modernization technical characteristics engine or updating the car's exterior. Today we will make a bumper together with our own hands, since only a few can order such tuning from a studio.
Preparing the base
First of all, you need to choose a suitable frame. In most cases the best option will be the use of a standard car bumper. Even a bumper from another car will do. Take a closer look at cheap bumpers with various injuries, because they differ more at an affordable price. It is very rare for tuners to make a car bumper from scratch, as this is impractical.
Regardless of which bumper you choose, it should fit the car perfectly. On initial stage It is necessary to carry out basic repairs to the element (if necessary). Then various overlays are mounted on it, the choice and shape of which depends on your imagination.
Minor repairs and modernization of the standard bumper
As we mentioned above, in order to save money, you can buy a bumper that is not in perfect condition. Minor damage is not a serious problem. To repair the bumper, metal patches are used, which are mounted using small self-tapping screws. Installation of bumper elements must be done from the outside.
The next stage is the reinforcement of the bumper, for which a hardener and resin are used. The proportions depend on the air temperature, so carefully read the instructions for using the selected product. The resulting mixture must be applied to previously prepared pieces of 450 grade glass mat. They overlap inner part bumper It is advisable to apply a couple of layers of this material. Then you should wait a few hours for the mold to become hard and process it using sandpaper. Only after this can the screws be removed.
Fiberglass mat can be replaced with fiberglass.
After you have chosen the bumper yourself and restored it, you need to apply a small amount of putty. Then the bumper is tried on the car itself to make sure that the part fits in size.
Working on the bumper design
After fitting, you need to make various holes and grooves using a grinder. To create a variety of geometrically correct forms elements of plywood, as well as wooden blocks, are often used. The holes for it can be made using laminate.
In order for all these auxiliary elements did not stick to the fiberglass, it is necessary to use a special lubricant (or spray) Mold Release. It must be applied in a minimal layer. The product dries in about an hour. After separating all the bumper parts, you need to apply the required amount of automotive putty to the future matrix and wait until it dries.
After obtaining the desired shape of the bumper, it is necessary to putty it and cover it with a 1.5 mm layer of gravity spray. To apply it, it is recommended to use a special primer gun.
After about two hours, we sand the surface of the bumper using P100 sandpaper. Then we use finer-grain sandpaper (P240, P400, P600, P1500), having previously moistened the paper with water.
Then the future bumper must be covered with paper, which must first be moistened with PVA glue. This will ensure that the styrene grains are isolated from the putty. Otherwise it may happen chemical reaction. The next stage of making a car bumper with your own hands is creating a matrix.
Forming a matrix for a fiberglass bumper
To obtain a high-quality matrix, you need to think in advance about how you will remove the finished bumper, made by yourself, from the mold. The more complex it is, the more hassle it will be in the end.
To make planes that will become a support and to prevent cracks from appearing at the edges of the bumper, it is necessary to make special bends to allow the remaining fiberglass to escape. It is advisable to position these bends at right angles to the matrix mirror.
In order to avoid gluing the matrix to the bumper, it is necessary to use special separators. We apply this product, wait 20-30 minutes, and polish the model using a flannel rag. The procedure should be repeated three times.
Next, you need to make the base of the matrix, for which you use a matrix gel, which is applied with a brush or gun. Before using this product, it must be mixed with a hardener. In most cases, two layers are applied to achieve a coating thickness of 0.6-0.8 millimeters.
After this, several layers of fiberglass are applied, and you need to start with the coarser one. Experts note that the matrix should be twice as thick as a standard car bumper. This means that this figure should be approximately 6 mm.
Layers must be applied in the following order:
- 1 layer – fiberglass No. 100;
- 2nd layer – No. 225;
- 3-4 layers – No. 450;
- 5-6 layers – No. 600.
It is advisable to roll every couple of layers with a roller to avoid the appearance of air pockets. After applying every two layers, you need to wait about a day so that they have time to dry. After this, the surface of the model is cleaned with P40 sandpaper.
After applying the last two layers, wait about a day and disassemble the mold. It is recommended to tap the joints rubber mallet to make it easier to pull out the matrix. You can remove the remaining fiberglass with a grinder. Acetone is used to remove any remaining sanding dust from the interior.
Next, grind and polish the fiberglass bumper with your own hands, using emery cloth(P1000, P1500, P2000), which must be moistened with water in advance. At the final stage of processing, it is necessary to polish the sample using a felt wheel.
You can make sure that the bumper is made correctly by checking the matrix. There should be no damage, scratches or various irregularities on it.
To make the bumper itself, it is necessary to apply 5-7 layers of separator to the surface of the matrix. Then two layers of No. 450 fiberglass fabric and one layer of No. 600 material are applied.
After making the spatial model, we wait about a day for it to dry thoroughly. At the end, you need to try it on the car, apply a primer coat and paint the bumper after carefully selecting the shade. At the final stage, the bumper is installed on the car. To do this you can do metal fastenings U-shaped.
Now you know how to make a bumper with your own hands. We advise you not to sit still, but to start tuning your car!
Every car owner wants to see his car only with the best side and dreams of making it so that it really stands out from others. The bumper is exactly that part of the car that will not only change the appearance of the car, but will make it look exclusive and original, especially when you do the bumper tuning yourself.
To carry out an independent upgrade of your bumper, you need some knowledge that can be obtained by reading this article, as well as the work experience that you will gain over time in the process of creating a bumper.
There are 2 options by which you can get a truly unique bumper, which will be significantly different from the serial factory one:
- Make tuning of an existing bumper.
- Create a bumper from scratch.
If you start building a bumper from scratch, then you will really need experience, high precision, patience and a lot of time. Everything should be adjusted as accurately as possible in size and mounting location, without unnecessary gaps or distortions. Also Special attention You need to pay attention to securing the bumper, since it is attached to the original mount or additional points located on the body. Therefore, you need to accurately find a place on the bumper that will match the mount in the metal of the car and place special flanges.
The first option is much simpler and does not require as much effort and money as the second option. All you need is to decorate the bumper a little and add new elements to it (new shape, skirt, air intakes, new openings). The joints between the car body and the bumper remain factory, as do the fasteners.
The most popular materials for creating a bumper yourself
The most popular materials are without a doubt polystyrene foam and polyurethane foam. They are the most popular in terms of their availability, ease of use and price. The process of upgrading a car bumper is as follows:
- Using a suitable material, we create a new shape.
- We properly prepare the surface for applying the resin.
- We apply fiberglass and resin (several times).
- Treatment of fiberglass with putty and construction of a new form.
- Primer of the treated surface.
- Painting the modernized bumper.
The only question that may arise from a driver who has decided to do the bumper tuning with his own hands: what is the difference between polyurethane foam and polystyrene foam as components for a new bumper? Polyurethane foam does not require dissolution with polyester resin, unlike polystyrene foam. Therefore, when using polyurethane foam, resin can be directly glued onto it, and when using polystyrene foam, it is necessary to cover it with technical plasticine.
Foam bumper
So, everyone who doesn’t like polyurethane foam can stock up on polystyrene foam and begin the process of making a bumper. First you need to take several sheets of foam plastic (6-8) and glue them together using “liquid nails”. During the time it takes for the glue to dry, we draw a sketch of the bumper on paper. Then we take a marker and a knife in our hands and start making a bumper. You will need to have a lot of patience, be very precise and attentive, since this is a troublesome and time-consuming job.
After the sketch is ready, we apply technical plasticine to the foam plastic (if it is not available, you can use putty in 2-3 layers). After complete drying, sand with small sandpaper. Now you can apply the resin and fiberglass.
Anyone who does not have the opportunity to use glass wool can replace it with newspaper, but then it must be treated with putty.
Bumper with polyurethane foam
Let's start with the fact that polyurethane foam can harm metal, so it is necessary to cover all metal particles with penofol. We apply the mounting foam very carefully and slowly. While the foam dries, we prepare a sketch of the modernized bumper on paper. We take a sharp knife and cut out the bumper according to the project and sketch.
The main process is maintaining symmetry and gaps. After achieving the intended shape, we apply glass wool and resin to it. That's all, a little patience and time and your bumper is ready.
There is also another, third way to make a bumper with your own hands - a bumper made from foam plastic and foam. The manufacturing process is similar to the previous two.
The sizes and shapes of the bumpers can be anything - it’s your imagination. The main thing is that the mount matches the factory one on the car. Tuning a bumper with your own hands is a pleasant and useful thing, because you put your work, imagination and effort into it. Of course, you can go to a service station, but why waste extra money if you can do everything yourself and get an exclusive and attractive bumper.
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