Not all of it is good quality, I like Nasua brand, it sticks really well to plastic. Some brands are crap...Mark

 

I hate to be burdensom but you got any pictures?

And the JB was Just plain "plastic weld" stuff?

Many thanks,

 

I've used JBweld, normal cure rate, spread over that yellow mesh tape, that I've used on drywall seams, instead of that paper crap that is normally used. Sticky on one side, easy to work with.

 

I received the following from the 3D printing company:


We have done some evaluating of the project.

The issue of the parts for scanning is the shape and size. Large flat or long parts in general are challenging to scan as they are. We could be looking at 1-2 hours a part at the rate of $125/hr, as these would surely have to be worked on in CAD to clean them up.

Printing would be another cost as I said, and especially knowing the size, we would face a challenge with the printing as well. There are not printers that print accurately enough, and in durable materials that can accommodate your parts in a single piece. The max we can do at a decent resolution is 30 inches. We do have a larger printer (4x8 ft) but the resolution isn't good enough for a final product or a sand-able product for your car.

We may have other options but we are definitely looking at $1000-2000 to get parts scanned/CAD and printed.


This reply refers to 9 pieces of trim on a standard cab pickup. 2 - A pillar, 2 - top of door, 2 - Rear corners, 1 - Top of windshield, 1 - Top of rear window, and 1 - Bottom of rear window. While 3D printing may be an option, and likely feasible, for someone wanting to create and sell these, it is a bit out of my price range. However, I am positive that with more accurate information to the printing company the estimate would be more accurate from the printing company.



As for pictures here are a few. You can see why I don't do this for a living.

The first picture is of the old trim. There are 6 pieces of trim laying horizontal. No's 1 through 6 from the bottom up.

Pictures 2 and 3 are front and back of the finished joint between old pieces 3 and 4.

Picture 4 is the finished joint of repaired pieces 1 and 3 on the A pillar. In the old picture these two non-repaired ends happen to be adjacent to each other.

Picture 5 is the right side of old piece 3 after joining and what heat gun adjusting I could do. It looks better in the pickup than in the picture. The repair joint shown in picture 3 is shown here at the left screw


With the trim and the recovered headliner the old pickup looks good enough to take the wife for a cruise around the local burger joint.

Thank you,
BlueW250

 

Blue- that's a nice rig you got! Good looking stance! As far as your trim, about as good as mine, as I've done about the same fix remedy as you have.

One day, I'm gonna see if I can make it in 28 ga. Sheet metal. I used to have an old 1973 Apache tent trailer, the one with the hard sides that pop out side ways once the roof is cranked up. Could not get trim parts for that anywhere, so I had to copy the contours and I made them in the shop.
I think these trim pieces will be a bit of a challenge, though, due to the V bend in the middle of the one that goes above the windshield, plus having a radius

 

Thanks for the legwork on this. I have a NOS unit of the top of windshield trim piece (long). It is still in the original Mopar packaging and I'm storing it in a cool dark basement to try and preserve it. Using this OEM piece as a scanning template should obviate the need for any (expensive) CAD work before reproducing in a 3D printer. At some point, I hope the 8' printers will be able to print with decent resolution and I'll be able to get the piece reproduced at a decent price. (Or perhaps with improving technology some day it could even be printed in flexible aluminum?)

Note that in 1993 our cab interiors were available in three colors only -- light gray, tan, and red. But when I ordered this piece several years ago, it was available only in very dark gray with instructions to paint it the proper color.

 

For the right person, not me, I think the 3D option is very workable as a source for resale. The quote I received is "order of magnitude" at best, based on nothing but a concept and some rough dimensions. I will assume that after the CAD files are finished and paid for they would be the property of the client. So, depending on the final contract stipulations, for each subsequent piece the only expense could be printing costs. As with all ventures quantity is the key to reducing the unit cost. When I briefly searched the Web I found only one source that had these items listed, used, with a price.

Totaling up the pieces, a used set is about $400 plus shipping. (same item group as ball parked by 3D guy)

Per the website these were available in early 2017. Current availability and price would need to be verified.

So, if these prices are accurate, the technology exists for print quality as good as a used piece, and demand exists for the equivalent of 10 sets then, depending on print costs, an existing retail sales entity could make money.

Worth consideration for someone.

Thank you,
BlueW250

 

What about temporarily piecing the broke or cracked trim pieces back together and then spraying the trim piece with FlexSeal or bedliner spray? I would think this would hold the pieces together and possibly be stiff enough to hold its shape. Then you could paint the trim piece whatever color desired. I heard at one point that Rhino Liner was working on a contract for applying Rhino Liner to interior walls of structures to provide some protection from blasts and collapse due to the blast.

 

That stuff works awesome for non vehicle tasks! I installed a sink in my garage a ways back, and the old melamine wall backsplash had seen better days. Went to Home Depot and bought a couple cans of that truck bed spray on stuff, and used that to beautify the backsplash. Tough, won't chip, and withstands all the stuff I was in that sink.