Can someone please help explain on how to create a master mold so i can replicate this in case I crack my lip from daily driving?

I know I can easily take this to a shop to get it done, but it will cost a lot of money and I'd really like to learn this first hand on how the process works. I have an idea of how it works but I need confirmation from someone that has experience in replicating front lips.

Also I'm getting mixed up with the terminology when using the words "cast", "mold", "plug".

Do I use a plug to create a master mold?
Then from a master mold, I can create a production front lip?

Here's how I think it should work. Please correct me if I'm going at it the wrong way.

1) After I pry the lip from the OEM bumper, I sand it down smooth
2) use bondo/body filler to fill in gaps, create some finer details and make it even with more sanding
3) once i get the desired look, i use a polyurethane release agent or waxing compound, rub the entire lip
4) let the wax dry and then rub it off
5) layer the lip with gelcoat
6) layer the lip with resin
7) layer the lip with fiberglass
8) use a roller to air out the bubbles and even out the fiberglass
9) let it dry for a day
10) pull and pry out the production lip from the master mold? that's it?


Here's my setup. Originally I did the home depot front lip.





Here's the photo journal that I did. This is my first time doing this with very limited knowledge.

Day 1

Had some free time today to finally start on my custom front lip.

Tomorrow I plan to fiberglass it to the bumper to get better fitment.
Monday will be sanding and primer

Took about 2.5 hours to get this part done. (template, foam, masking)

Things needed:
cardboard to trace a template
styrofoam
sharpie
cutting knife
ruler
painters tape
resin
fiberglass
60 grit sandpaper
220 grit sandpaper
1200 grit sandpaper
dremel for trimming
wax or PVA
bondo/body filler


This is the shape that I'm trying to achieve

 

another 2 hours today.

i used simple green to clean up the OEM bumper and then masked it with painters tape. i then used a much stronger packaging tape on the OEM bumper to the lip and sprayed it with water base polyurethane to act as a releasing agent. this means i get to remove the fiberglass from the bumper easily when i pry the front lip.

i cut up an old tshirt into strips and wrapped the middle part of the lip. basically each stripped was stretched on the top and bottom to get that flat angle.

i brushed the tshirt in resin so it'll be hard tomorrow for fiberglassing. it was getting dark so i only had time to fiberglass the right side of the lip

i have a full day tomorrow for more fiberglassing.

 

another 2 hours today

its not the prettiest right now.

few lessons learned:
i need to figure out a better way to hold up the lip instead of using tape.

would be nice to have an air compressed staple gun to staple the tshirt strips

i need a better stand to hold up the bumper instead of a using a cardboard box.

learned that it wouldve been better to just wrap the entire lip in aluminum foil instead of painters tape.


anyways i just finished up fiberglassing the entire lip. it will take a full day to dry up.
i will sand down the lip using 60 grit sandpaper and then bondo/body filler to fill up uneven gaps. then use 220 grit sandpaper to smooth it. then use 1200 wet sanding paper for a glass finish.

time to find DIY articles on how to make a master mold.

 

all done drying. i will pry the lip tomorrow, trim the edges and i may need to add more fiberglass for more strength

i cant wait to sand this thing down.

as you can tell i eliminated the gap in the middle. i realize i can do other variations with this by making middle area more of a straight edge version and a rounded edge version.

right now i have the middle area as a pointed arrow to match the pointed OEM bumper and pointed grill

 

WOW. That is really, really impressive and I can already tell it's gonna look great

 

noice ****

 

Nice work so far....Very interested to see how it turns out!

 

looks good. very crafty.

 

Damn, that's gonna look nice, and it will be cool knowing you're the only one with that lip.

 

very cool, hopefully everything works out

 

ive got something similiar going with wide fenders, but youve got a lot more motivation and drive than i do. lol.

 

wow good luck. i bet its gonna look good.

 

in to see the outcome, i think its gonna look good

 

well loving the progress! That lip really smoothens out that funky lower bumper edge the TSX has going on.

i was bored so I photoshoped what I could of how the lip may look :]

 

nice work but man thats a brand new bumper! haha

 

wow i love all of the custom work on your car

 

wow the homedepot lip already looked suprisingly good
cant wait to see your finished product

 

Love the progress. Nicely done

 

thanks for the support!

i had about 1.5 hours today to pry the lip off and trimmed some of the excess fiberglass strands using a dremel.

there's definitely some uneven parts of the lip so i will be doing some bondo/body filler. this will make it easier for me to sand it down smooth. i still need to add some tabs using fiberglass for the middle area so i can use double sided tape when its done. also need to add more fiberglass in the inside of the lip.

 

thanks. yea thats the concep that im going for. hopefully the bondo layers will help out.

 

great work man.. that **** is going to be badass..

 

im going to ask my friend for help who specializes in designing/sculpting toy figures in styrofoam. hopefully he can pin point the areas that needs to be adjusted to make them symmetrical and smooth

here's another reference of the middle area of the lip im trying to achieve.

 

dam that is soo sick great idea and good luck...cant wait to see the finished product

 

looking forward to seeing it done

 

Thats tight man