I’m interested in making a custom grill for a 1st gen Camaro out of abs (i’m guessing) plastic. Do we have a machine (if so which one) that can handle a chunk of plastic stock roughly 6"x6"x43"?
Worst case scenario, I could do it in 2 mirrored pieces cutting the width in half and taking an inch or 2 out of the depth resulting in a piece of stock let’s say 4"x6"x22"… If no to the above, do we have anything that can handle this size?
Thank you in advance!
The CNC router can handle something that large in one go but you might have a hard time finding stock that large to work with (and bits long enough to make it work). The PolyPrinter 229 could do this if you broke it up into less than 9" inch lengths. The Haas mill could work too, maybe in two pieces.
From the hip: Multicam’s going to be your best bet. It’ll do 5’x?x10’.
Need the advanced class before you can be cleared for plastics. Might want to move this to “woodshop” if you want to pursue that, though, where the folks who do that are more likely to tread (it being a “wood” tool primarily).
EDIT: I gotta say, though I’d want to hone my skills in the metal shop to reproduce this:
I can completely understand wanting to craft a custom grill. Are you specifically wanting ABS or is that just the material that seems easiest to make the grill you want? I agree, I would work on metal shop and do it that way.
ABS seems like the most appropriate material to me considering the original is plastic and an aluminum blank that size would most likely be completely cost prohibitive. I think (could very easily be wrong) that even the grill on that '68 is plastic but with a chrom-ish type front face. I know they sell “billet” grills, but I’m going for something different - something I haven’t seen yet on a 1st gen. I’m trying to figure out feasibility right now - if this thought turns out to be too difficult I’ll go back to my original thought and start working on an active aero design. All that being said, I’m new to MS and getting frustrated already with how difficult it is to find info (admittedly I’m horrible at asking for help and working on that part) and the lack of class availability to get trained on something so I actually have a reason to come out to the location. I’m not sure that I’d say I’m skilled in metal or just tenacious but the shifter below I hand made from a brake rotor recently so I do intend to spend time in the metal shop (specifically for plasma cnc and to figure out tig welding aluminum) - is there anything in metals that you don’t first need training on? To be clear, I’m happy to take the classes - they’re just always full or not scheduled… Same thing for machining - I started the HAAS course, but it’s clear that will be a more long term deal. I have tons of different projects I want to do, but getting access is… meh, realize I just took a left turn somewhere and this post is not so much related to this thread - my bad.
Here - enjoy a pic of the first part I didn’t purchase for my 67 
Thanks guys, I appreciate your help!
The plasmacam and welding are the things which require training. MOST other things are “recommended” and/or “please don’t screw it up; ask if you’re uncertain”. I’m sure I’m overlooking something, or I would have used “the other things…”
Nice work!
And I wasn’t thinking “billet”. Those are easier and cheaper to buy. I was thinking more about welding, but maybe I’m way off base.
Nothing wrong with doing one in plastic/3Dprint, to prototype, at least, either.
I hope we’re able to bring you some joy on those things that brought you to Makerspace. It’s a cool place, where you can make more cool stuff (out of brake rotors, if you like) like that shifter. Very nice! I’d like to hear more about how it was done. 
All of the classes are handled by members like you, so yes it can be difficult to get a class when you need it. Sometimes it takes throwing a thread up on Talk like “When is the next CNC Router Class” as a head’s up to the teachers that there is interest in having another one. Sometimes it just takes finding out the teacher and they are willing to walk you through it one on one. Otherwise it’s just keeping an eye on the calendar and looking out over the next month or so to see what is showing up.
Back to the topic at hand. I like your work. I didn’t realize the grill was actually plastic. There’s always more than one way to skin a cat. Yes, you could CNC route ABS (once trained on machine and once you complete the advanced CNC class) but have you considered making a mold and pouring the plastic? ReynoldsAM is a Smooth On distributor a block or two away from the space. For something like a grill, I would suggest something like http://www.reynoldsam.com/product/smooth-cast-380/ you could create the negative mold a number of different ways, then pour up a grill. Just a thought…
That is an interesting thought and not something I had previously considered. I’ll definitely look into it - Thank you all for the advice both on and of topic!
