I have cut the dash shape from an aluminium sheet and need to form a tube of 40 mm dia. for the bottom edge. Just after tips before I start.

I have some tube but too short to go the full length, can anyone think of a better way then just trying to hit it round the tube with small hammer, It will get covered later.

Adrian

[Edited on 25-4-09 by AdrianH]

When I helped Gav to do mine he clamped a pipe across the bottom edge and to a workbench. We then heated it with a blowtorch, put on some gloves and just bent it over by hand. It wasn't too hard. You'd have to get a longer piece of pipe though. We used 50mm.
I did one before by just trying to beat it round with a hammer and it wasn't anywhere near as good and I had loads of bruises on my fingers when i'd done!

yep - clamp on a tube then smack it round with rubber mallet.

photos say more than I can in words.

note the radius is a bit less then the 19 mm as this was done post SVA.
Rescued attachment DSC03202.JPG

and before you ask, the sheet is 2 mm aluminium.

the trurned over bits add to its rigidity otherwise it is a biut Mr Floppy.

For the corners, I made similar curved bits and PUI'ed them into place so the cruycer is continuous. The front was covered with PVC.
Rescued attachment DSC03203.JPG

Thanks for the tips, I have done a bit of clamping, bit of hammering and and a lot by hand but no heat, on my own so decided against that bit.

Results are as belowImage deleted by owner

Not perfect will will be also glued and covered with some vinal, whats'it. thing.Image deleted by owner

I formed a 1.2mm thick aluminium dash panel by making the required profile and radiused form in an 18mm thick sheet of MDF. I clamped the aluminium with another piece of board on top of it and tapped the aluminium onto the radiused form on the MDF. This gave the 19mm radius and allowed it to follow the shape I wanted, ie, not just a straight line that a steel tube would allow.

Does that have a 19mm radius or 19mm diameter Adrian? Can't quite tell and I made the mistake of the 19mm diameter once. Doh!

It was formed over a 40 mm diameter tube, so if anything it is larger then the requirement.

Need to put square hole in it for the clock module then cover it.
Wondering how to fasten it, guessing small diameter riv-nuts in the fibreglass and rounded head cap head screws on the dash. Need to check IVA regulations.

Adrian

[Edited on 25-4-09 by AdrianH]

Just an old tip, if you rub the ali with soap before you heat it up, when the soap goes black then the ali is at the right temperature to be worked.

Alan...

From IVA manual:
"7. The instrument panel lower edge within the “specified zone” must have a radius of curvature not less than 19mm or 5mm and covered with a non-rigid material."
So if you put a thin layer of foam, 2-3mm thick, under the vinyl you only need a 5mm radius