Thinking of building a console

[mattadams]

Not quite sure how it'll work yet, but I imagine a front center console to go in front of the bench seat where I can mount my CB, my Scangauge, my XM Commander, and possibly a GPS unit, as well as possibly my 6-disk CD changer. Wish I knew the first thing about fiberglassing! Might just make it out of wood and carpet it to match as best as I can. Man I wish it would warm up so I can play around! :)

[Walking Eagle]

This has been on my to do list years for years, but I've never got around to it. Same type of idea, something for the CB, scanner, gauges/controls for shocks, cd changer, controls for amps, etc. My plan was to do it out of wood and the same carpet used for box around subs.

[CNTRYCOWBOY]

Are you talking about something similar to this?
http://fordtruckworld.tenmagazines.com/gallery/DomsF150/301912.jpg


of course a little bit cleaner looking. if you need any help let me know.

[Glass]

I have one i made....but its simple, and doesnt have cb's or anything, but theres room for them. But i have a feeling youd be looking for something a little better looking than mine...lol

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/1/web/757000-757999/757315_9.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/1/web/757000-757999/757315_8.jpg

--John

[smoothengagement]

shut up glass, i was really impressed with yours. it looks really good!

[Glass]

:lol: LOL, it looks good in my truck, but might look out of place in matts..i cant remember how much room you have to work with Matt, but if theres a speaker box, already carpeted and everything, thats roughly the size of the area you want to dedicate to the console, that might be a decent platform to atleast get the layout of it all figured out. Who knows, just throwing an idea out. The carpeting is really cheap from like Pep Boys, they sell it in a few colors, and a few different size rolls...get the big roll if you decide to build one, or youll be running back to get more...(the small one looks like enough, but isnt). and get some thin 1/4" panel board, the kind that looks like the backside of the cork board (the hard side) and go to town.i built mine with a hacksaw (after i broke the only jigsaw blade i had).
Dom, i didnt see your console when we were at Pull n' Save, but i like it....now just to add some cupholders on the front for bee.....uhhh....soda.

--John

[mattadams]

Glass, that doesn't look bad but yeah, nto sure it'd look quite right in the truck, but its the same concept. Dom, kind of like that, but I will probably need it to go allt he way to the seat for the sake of how much crap I want to put in there. I'm going to start sketching out some designs, luckily at my parents place I've got a table saw, mitre saw, router table, etc. to work with as well as an air stapler, a variety of clamps, etc.

[Tray]

What do you want to know about 'glassing Matt?

It's a fairly simple process, it just takes a little patience while it dries.

A very easy thing to do would be to get some styrofoam and shape it how you want. Then you can easily cover that with fiberglass.

[dannan_w]

i would like to build one for my standard cab truck but i don't have a single clue on how to fiberglass. If someone knows how let me know. 8)

[crazy rob]

...gauges/controls for shocks... Jeff are you talking about the remote control for the rancho shocks? I was thinking of getting one for the bronco one year down the road.

[Walking Eagle]

Yes, Rob I am talking about for the adjustable in cab remote for the Rancho Shocks.

[Tray]

Dannan, what do you need to know?

Basically you have to go buy the resin and the hardener (similar to bondo), some fiberglass matt, a paintbrush, and some acetone. Also, you will want gloves for this. Trying to remove fiberglass from your skin is a very long painfull process. Also - it will not come out of clothing, so wear the proper work attire.

You then have to make some sort of frame for what you want to 'glass. I've used many different things, but just recently have found the wonders of styrofoam. You can slice, shave, sand, cut, bend, whatever you need to the styrofoam to get it the right shape. Even if you cut too big of a slice out, you can glue it back in place, and no harm done.

Then once you have the idea of what you want the outside to look like, you wrap some sort of material around the frame. I like to use old sweatshirts, as they seem to soak up a lot of resin, and require less matting later on.

You stretch this fabric as tight as you can in all directions, and secure it to the bottom/top/or whatever end will be open. This can be closed later if necessary just with another stretch across, and repeating the process.

Once it's secure, you mix up a batch of resin/hardener, and 'stab' it on with the paintbrush. You don't 'paint' it on, or it won't penetrate everywhere in the material. Once you have a good coating on, let it cure. Don't put too much on, or it will take a long time to cure, and risk bubbling. Should also be done in 65+ degree weather, or curing will not happen properly, and will run the risk of separation later on.

After the original layer is dry, you have a few options. If the outside is relatively smooth, and will be sufficient with some sanding later on, you are ready to remove the foam. If the outside needs more resin added to areas, mix it up, paint it on, and let it cure.

Once you have the foam out, you'll want to reinforce the mold. To do this, you'll use the fiberglass matt, torn into strips, and then dipped in some resin/hardener, making sure all areas of the strip are soaked, then placing along the inside of the mold. Try not to overlap on the first round, as bubbles will be likely, and overlapped strips have a tendency to slide as they are curing.

If you have a multi-sided project, this will most likely have to happen in different stages, as you don't want pieces of matt sliding/falling while curing.

When all is said and done, and you are happy with the thickness of your project, you can return to the outside to sand/bondo/paint etc... to your liking.

Keep in mind though, that this isn't something you will throw together in a night, like a wood project, but it takes multiple sessions, with curing between steps.

[rpenner54]

Don't you still have your old one?

That one was pretty cool.

LOL Building another box... :D

[Glass]

Styrofoam, and fiberglassin would probobally be best, because im just guessing you want something thats rounded as opposed to squared? Depending on how "far" into it you go, you can even make it look like its just a part of the interior, and have the accessories all 'hidden' under doors that when opened recess into the main bod of the console.., then when you open them up, blam, theres the CB...who knows. If you even wanted to have an impressive build up board on it, you could make one out of styrofoam, and to get a rough prototype, paper mache it..who kows, im sure aftermarket ones are sold, but it would be alot more fun to build one yourself, im sure.

--John

[CNTRYCOWBOY]

John- I took that out of my cab once I got my expedition console. Matt I have a few ideas for plans for you. I will try and draw them up on friday.

[dannan_w]

with all the time spent it would be better for me to just buy a premade one. i just wish i had $2,000 lyin' around to play with. 8)

[mattadams]

Ryan, you mean the one I built for my old truck with the gigantic police scanner? LOL. No I got rid of that one, and it wouldn't come close to holding all my stuff anyway :).
Dannan, I can't buy a pre-made one because all of my accessories are of various sizes and it pretty much has to be built custom for me.
Not sure I have the guts to try it in fiberglass, I figure I'll mess something up, though it would be cool to be able to print it to match the truck.
Tray, thanks for the write-up on how-to fiberglass, I never knew how it was done before. I'll toss some ideas around in my head...

[smoothengagement]

i think we should re write or move that to the How To's

[Walker2970]

there is allways bondo and 1/4" underlayment easy way to do it its paintable and easy to mold/ mix if ya need some help let me know I am currently un-employed so have lots of spare time lol


Jake

[Mind_Boggler]

I'm just tryin' to figure out an ingenious way to make one like that work without interfering with my shifter. That's one of the few downsides to a manual tranny.

[Tray]

Naw, it just requires some planning. If you measure the travel of the shifter, you can easily cut out part of the console to accommodate. And to make it look good, you can put a big boot on the console itself.