Re: mark42....can you please help?
I see! The pics are great. <br /><br />That boot can have a mold made from it. You would use the softest polyurathane molding compound because its easier to get a odd shapped piece out of a soft mold.<br /><br />The boot would be prepared by cleaning, then a thin coating of cooking spray, or wd40 to act as a release agent. Then set it in a small container, like a square tupperware bowl, with the side in the lower picture facing the bottom of the container. Be sure to put release agent on the bowl too. If possable, run a couple of screws through the two mounting holes right through the tupperware into the work bench. <br /><br />The purpose of screwing it down is to have the flat side pulled tight against the bottom of the container, because you want to keep mold compound from leaking under it. The bottom of the container becomes the top of the finished mold. Even if some does leak under it, you can cut it off later.<br /><br />Next pour the mold compound into the bowl covering it completely at least an inch, two would be better. After 24 hours the mold compound is hard, but squishy, so you can work the piece out even though the mold has "cut in" around some irregular shapes of the boot.<br /><br />Now you have a mold. You can fill it with polyester resin and chopped glass for a hard guard, or look at some of the other casting products available if you want something more like hard rubber.<br /><br />This site has the mold making polyurathane compound:<br />
Life Cast <br /><br />I used the medium hardness for my molds, and it might work for your boot too, but I'm sure the soft will work, but it cost about $12 more for the 2 qt kit. Two quarts (1 part A mix, 1 part B mix) will be more than enough to make a mold for that boot.<br /><br />Then decide what sort of material you want to cast in it. There are latex rubber compounds and other rubbers and plastics you can use. You will have to do some research at the mold/cast websites to find out what fits your needs. <br /><br />I got a perfect mold the first time. Just follow their directions for both mixing AND pouring (pour from a 18" height a nice thin slow pour stream - lets the bubbles excape from stirring) <br /><br />Hope this helped!<br /><br />Mark.<br /><br />EDIT:<br /><br />I edited because I re-read you post and now realize its for a restoration. So I changed the post accordingly. I would offer to make the mold for you, but between the mailing costs of the original (if its the only one, you don't want to lose it) back and forth, and I would have to order more mold compound, you are better off doing it yourself. It's easy. And you can see from the pieces I made, the mold compound picks up every little detail in the original, scratches and all. So if you want to make like-new pieces, spend some time cleaning up the original. Sand and polish to get a like new surface before taking the mold. If it is not really going to be raced, and just used for fun, casting the piece in polyester resin and painting black (or maybe that dipping rubber goo) will look good.
