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I have several mtb, and its my intention to make some front mudguards for them, experimenting with shape and length.
I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for the plastic to use, and thickness/grade please.
Its my intention basically to cut out shapes from flat sheet as i cant really do anything more complex, and I'd like some recommendations that are a bit more stylish than my milk carton lashups!
Buy a Marsh Guard/Fender bender and use that as a template.
I did cut one out of an old race race number which lasted quite well but in the end just bought more of the above - for the price it's not worth the faff.
Pro tip - run them upside down and you don't have to look at the nasty graphics/branding.
Mate made one out of a cheap plastic folder. Works really well and the plastics tough and flexible.
I bought some cheap plasticard from eBay and made a copy of my Marsh Guard for the rear.
Word of advice 1mm thick is too thick. Go with 0.5 or 0.75mm
Tom KP
I made one from an old Muck Off spray bottle, its got the right curve.
Not sure on the best plastic but there are loads of templates on-line for the flimsy plastic type. I did read people were using plastic folders from staples.
Another ideas I have seen is using housing gutter pipe.
Ecover non-bio laundry liquid bottles. Just the right curve, more substantial than milk bottles, and on special offer at Waitrose!
Thanks guys, i will explore those options!
karlsbug - Member
I made one from an old Muck Off spray bottle, its got the right curve.
^This. I used an old 5l S***Shifter bottle, but any 5l plastic bottle - screen wash or sundry detergent types - will do.
Very proud of my UN-duro guard. TM
WH SMiths were doing 3 black folders for £2, enough to make 6 front mudguards. Here's mine, it's the same dimensions as as fender bender xl. Bit stiffer than fender bender but has done the trick so far.
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Paperchase sell polyboard in no end of colours.
plastic files work well - have some from work. if you're in newcastle you can grab one. also have a template image i can email you, print out full size and it works straight away
Hi Gazc,
I have emailed you! Thanks
Ian
Hope it's not going on a Santa Cruz
No SC for me, but it will be on my Cube and YT
plastic place mats cheap as chips and can get some funky designs
The plastic from folders is polypropylene - can be bought from Ebay in sheets too. Works very well for mudguards.
Begs the question how they have the nerve to charge £10 for one and who is stupid enough to pay it.
I've used spare bits of guttering & 2ltr coke bottles in the past, not necessarily at the same time 😉
As already said, Mucoff bottles work pretty well, just traced around a marshguard with a sharpie to make this one...
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I downloaded a PDF template, printed it off transferred it to a £1 tesco folder and cut that out, used a hole punch to make holes for cable ties.
Works perfectly and looks almost as professional as the paid for versions.
Email me at: unovolo at gmail dot com if you want a copy of the PDF template.
Polypropylene. I'm pretty sure it's what most of the bender fender ones are made from (specifically a product named ViPrint), and it's available down to 0.5mm thick sheets. It's strong and incredibly chemically resistant, packaging manufacturers tend to use it whenever they need a living hinge (e.g. the top of a tictac box).
Stationery binders can be a readily available source of small amounts, but when I've got it that way it's been 0.8 - 1mm thick and harder to work with. Try ebay maybe? 0.5mm is plenty strong enough if you can get it, and easy to cut with scissors.
As daft as it may sound, you could try cutting out templates from an old camping mat.
They're fairly pliable, cheap and waterproof.