Hi. I have bought some cricket weave ally to put on the floor. Cutting to fit the bit under the seats is straightforward but the bit for the footwell is obviously an awkward shape. I have tried making a template out of paper and cardboard but was wondering if anyone had som more precise ideas? I was thinking about laying a plastic sheet and mking a mould with something. Any ideas?

can't think why paper/card wouldn't work?
don't see any benefit using any kind of plastic as a template.

I'd stick with card

Making templates with Card

This may be obvious to everyone, but it only dawned on me recently. Don't try to cut the template in one piece at first, as this gets very fiddly and you end up cutting just a bit off, just another bit off, until you go too far and ruin the piece. Rather make a partial template to fit say two sides/edges, and then make another piece to fit the other two sides/edges, that partially overlaps the first piece. Once the alignment is perfect tape the two pieces togther and you have a perfect templete. Fiddly shapes can be done by taping more pices on.

Cheers

Fred W B

Thanks guys

The best way to make a template is to cut a piece of card slightly smaller than the area it is to fit, hold it in place with a piece of tape then hold a small block of wood against the side of the footwell the plate is to fit, and mark the card on the inside of the block, do this all around the perimeter of the area, remove the template and place on top of the plate and reverse the procedure by holding the block on the line marked on the template and mark around the block on the outside edge onto the plate, cut the plate on the line and hey presto a perfect fir every time.

Black Cat "The best way to make a template is to cut a piece of card slightly smaller than the area it is to fit, hold it in place with a piece of tape then hold a small block of wood against the side of the footwell the plate is to fit, and mark the card on the inside of the block, do this all around the perimeter of the area, remove the template and place on top of the plate and reverse the procedure by holding the block on the line marked on the template and mark around the block on the outside edge onto the plate, cut the plate on the line and hey presto a perfect fit every time".

What a fantastic idea, thank you.

John

[Edited on 1/4/09 by John Bonnett]

A very old shipwright's technique...

Turn the chassis upside down, place plate on top then go around it with a marker or similar marking device