Findlay234
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| posted on 30/6/03 at 09:32 AM |
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Amount of ali?
How many sheets of 8x4 semi hard ali have people needed to complete a locost? What thickness used as well.
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kingr
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| posted on 30/6/03 at 10:08 AM |
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I think the last time this came up the consensus was 3 or 4 sheets, I've got 3 sheets (thanks Dave A!) and will need one more for bonnet and
possible a few other bits and bobs. Out of the three, I got side panels, tranny tunnel, 2 floor sections (open bottom of tranny tunnel) rear interior,
rear exterior and front of engine bay. I've got a cutting plan if you're interested, but you'll probably want slightly different
bits, and they're not too difficult to make anyway.
Kingr
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 30/6/03 at 10:17 AM |
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my unstandard car looks like its gonna use 4 sheets - which is what I bought. I recon a std car will go just a bit annoyingly over 3 sheets.
I bought 2mm sheets, which can be bent ok with heat treatment, but things would be easier with summat like 1.6mm. I have seen someone post that down
at 1.2mm it dents too easy.
atb
steve
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kingr
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| posted on 30/6/03 at 10:31 AM |
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I believe 18 gauge is the prescribed thickness, 16 gauge sounds a bit tricky to bend.
Kingr
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 30/6/03 at 10:37 AM |
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I used 1.6mm for everything except the rear panel. No real problems, but I did have access to a very big bending press for the sides!
DJ
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 30/6/03 at 12:01 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by kingr
I believe 18 gauge is the prescribed thickness, 16 gauge sounds a bit tricky to bend.
Kingr
I bent 2.0mm without too much problem. I have also been able to form flanges around openings - even continuous round ones - by using heat
treatment.
Get a bar of soap, and a blow torch. The soap is a temperature indicator.
Rub soap along the line you want to fold. Heat with a blow torch until the soap goes brown/black. (It washes off afterwards - a bit like - soap 
).
Allow to cool.
The alu will now be really easy to bend - even at 2mm thickness.
This goes for 3003 grade alu.
atb
steve
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 30/6/03 at 12:02 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
I used 1.6mm for everything except the rear panel. No real problems, but I did have access to a very big bending press for the sides!
DJ
Do I remeber that you had problems with your rear panel cos you had the wrong grade alu - or am I wrong, or you have your rosey glasses on today?
atb
steve
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 30/6/03 at 12:09 PM |
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It was a combination of wrong grade (too hard), and trying to work too much metal round the curve.
As it is, I cut away most of the top at the curves so that it was relatively easy to shape to the chassis tube. Not ideal, but I'm happy with
the result - it'll be covered by the soft 'boot lid' anyway.
I probably could have used 1.6mm as long as it was a softer grade - but a friend gave me a sheet of 1.2mm!
DJ
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paulbeyer
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| posted on 30/6/03 at 12:19 PM |
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Get a bar of soap, and a blow torch. The soap is a temperature indicator.
Rub soap along the line you want to fold. Heat with a blow torch until the soap goes brown/black. (It washes off afterwards - a bit like - soap
).
Allow to cool.
The alu will now be really easy to bend -
Steve will a small hand held blow torch do the job? The sort used for DIY plumbing.
7 out of 10 people suffer with hemorrhoids. Does that mean the other 3 enjoy them?
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 30/6/03 at 12:38 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by paulbeyer
Get a bar of soap, and a blow torch. The soap is a temperature indicator.
Been there, done that... doesn't help when you're trying to get some intractable sheet ali into a place it doesn't want to go to!
Seriously, I did anneal it (often), but ended up with too many folds to beat around without making a horrible mess.
David
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 30/6/03 at 02:22 PM |
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Yes it will. thats what I used. Usually they are about 2kw power. You can get torches on a hose from machine mart that are about 50 quid, run off a
big bottle, and do 7kw!
You will find that the hand helds do quite well until the can gets about half empty, then it gets slow. However, you should get at least an hour of
good use. Also depends on if you are heating an edge, or the centre of a sheet.
I would say it takes about 20-30 secs or so to move an inch on the panel - not exactly GT but not too painful.
I managed to make a flanged 'trapeziodal' opening on a flat panel of the rear of my car (morgan type sloped) with a 20mm flange using just
a blow torch, two sheets of wood forming a 'sandwitch' of the alu with the hole I wanted, a block of plastic, and a hammer.
The method makes the flanges at the top and bottom of the sides - like in the engine compartment - easy.
Alu bends OK in small lengths - but not when 1 metre or so long......the heat treatment helps a lot.
Dont worry if you see the sheet move a bit when heated - it comes back to normal flat when cooled.
Just worry if it melts onto the floor! using a hand held torch prevents this fairly well as its not overpowered.
atb
steve
quote:
Originally posted by paulbeyer
Get a bar of soap, and a blow torch. The soap is a temperature indicator.
Rub soap along the line you want to fold. Heat with a blow torch until the soap goes brown/black. (It washes off afterwards - a bit like - soap
).
Allow to cool.
The alu will now be really easy to bend -
Steve will a small hand held blow torch do the job? The sort used for DIY plumbing.
[Edited on 30/6/03 by stephen_gusterson]
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paulbeyer
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| posted on 30/6/03 at 10:53 PM |
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Thanks Steve, I'll give it a go on some scrap I have lying around.
7 out of 10 people suffer with hemorrhoids. Does that mean the other 3 enjoy them?
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Findlay234
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| posted on 2/7/03 at 11:03 AM |
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What about MK's 1mm thick ali.......... too thin??? its an ok price, thats all.
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timf
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| posted on 2/7/03 at 01:42 PM |
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1mm ali can be used but you have to be carefull about the bending of it
the best way to form it over the rails is to use a leather faced slapper ( no comments Please)
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