Café Racer Koolstofvezel tank en zadelkuip

After completing a number of custom motorbike projects, Anthony wanted to build a Ducati Monster into a Cafe Racer and feature it on his YouTube channel - For The Bold. Part of the project involved designing and fabricating a new design tank and seat fairing unit to suit the look he was after.

First of all, the rough shape was cut using foam, which was then shaped and fettled until happy with the basic design. The foam pattern was coated in modelling clay to give a smooth and easily to shape surface. The idea being to take a splash mould to make a prototype part. Once the desired shape and finish was achieved, the flanges for making a split mould were templated in card, before being cut from polypropylene sheeting. The flanges were set up on the pattern and the pattern coated with PVA Release Agent.

The mould was then fabricated using the Uni-Mould Mould Making system as a split mould - first one half was laid up, then the flanges removed and the other half laid up. Once fully cured, the pattern was broken down and removed from the mould and the mould halves demoulded and split from each other. The mould was then trimmed and fettled ready for making the part.

The prototype part was then made using the mould and once demoulded, the long process of filling, sanding and fettling the shape could begin. Once the surface was perfectly smooth and to the exact desired shape, it was coated in Pattern Coat High Gloss then release coated ready to make the "production" mould. The Uni-Mould System was then used exactly as before to make a 2 part split mould for the finished part.

The part was laid up by hand, using 210g and 650g twill carbon fibre with the EL2 Laminating Epoxy. The part was then vacuum bagged to help consolidation as the part cured. Once cured, it could be demoulded and trimmed. Apart from repairing a few minor blemishes, the part was then ready to be test fitted to the bike in preparation for making the seat itself and the final painting and finishing.