So... i am making a new fender, but it is taking a while to get strait. I just can not deal with the F'N tail light any more...so while the bike is torn apart i am going to glass my own tail light... I have a tail light section from a cut fender so i am going to make it on there and transfer it to the bike when done.
here is my plan:
I am going to pick up some clear epoxy from a craft store as well as some translucent red paint. I will then take one of the lenses from the lights in a drop ceiling, cut that about 1/4 in bigger than the stock hole in the fender. I will then cut 1/4 in strips and glue those to the edges of the lense i cut.

*my question is... what can i lay on my fender cut out so that the epoxy does not stick? i am thinking blue tape and sanding that off... what about some foil or wax paper?
but basicly the plan is to glue the lense to the inside of the fender, from there i will slowly pour in the epoxy and resin, after it has filled the tail light section i will add in some red translucent paint and use a tooth pick to slowly stir out all the bubbles. then just wait for it to dry...
after it is dry, i will sand the lense till it is perfectly smooth to the fender, this will be followed by buffing, going up in papers till i can have a glass smooth surface, then pop out the lense remove the tape/foil/wax paper... and pop it in the bike where it belongs.

I will use a small angle bracket to use the stock tail light bolt to support a LED light plate i will make. figur i may as well add turn sigs into the lense as well.

Reason i am posting now, before attempting... i wanted to see if any of you have any sugestions? i am jsut going to kind of wing it... it was explained to me how to pull this off a few month ago by this guy that did an amazing job, but i dont want the lense to be perminent, i want to be able to remove it so i can build it on the scrap fender and put the finished product on my bike.

let me know any tips!
do you guys think that the stuff they pour on bars (when pictures or bottle caps are under them) would be better?
i think this will be a cheap clean solution to flush mount tail lights

 

watch what you use for the clear... I found out fiberglass yellows with age.

 

What about aluminium tape, Joe?

 

that may work GREAT!!!! (alum tape) i am not going to use fiberglass... but do you think the yellow would be seen even with the candy red mixed in?

 

Joe if you are using epoxy you can use a thick mil plastic in between the epoxy and part. I did that alot when I glassed a boat and it wont stick and gives a nice smooth surface (less sanding). They actually sell real stuff called peel-ply but the thick plastic will work. Just make sure you use 2 part epoxy and not polyester resin. The poly will melt the plastic and leave a mess.

Just do a quick test to make sure.

 

AWESOME! now that is good advice... i am making my shopping list now... ha ha ha i am going to look crazy going into the craft store to buy all this crap!
will any kind of plastic sheeting work? what do you mean by thick plastic?

 

i have used a clear 2 part casting resin in the past.buffs to a glass like surface.get it at a hobby/craft store

 

Yeah plastic sheeting is what I ment, thick just so it lays flat and doesn't crinkle up. You probably have plenty of bags laying around from part boxes and stuff that would work.

 

Cant wait to see pics

 

come monday!