DIY Si
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| posted on 4/9/06 at 10:53 PM |
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OOOHHHH, very shiny!
“Let your plans be dark and as impenetratable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
My new blog: http://spritecave.blogspot.co.uk/
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Liam
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| posted on 5/9/06 at 08:40 PM |
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Wow that's truly awesome!! If only i'd known about shrinking hammers before cutting lots of slots in my scuttle and rear panel bends!
I just assumed panel beating types used elven magic, voodoo and what not.
Does one of you bodywork wizards fancy doing my bonnet?? After how hard it was to just bend my scuttle, im scared to even attempt a bonnet in my
18swg NS4... would one of those english wheel things help?
Liam
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907
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| posted on 5/9/06 at 11:20 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Liam
Wow that's truly awesome!! If only i'd known about shrinking hammers before cutting lots of slots in my scuttle and rear panel bends! I
just assumed panel beating types used elven magic, voodoo and what not.
Does one of you bodywork wizards fancy doing my bonnet?? After how hard it was to just bend my scuttle, im scared to even attempt a bonnet in my
18swg NS4... would one of those english wheel things help?
Liam
Hi Liam,
By the look of your pics in your archive you are more than capable of making a bonnet.
Nice rear end. ( where have I heard that phrase before? )
When I did my scuttle the only way I could think of was to reduce the amount of metal to knock over the box section.
If I'd have had a shrinker then, I could have made it the full 25mm.
I've had a lot of advise from TrevD. Without his help I couldn't have done half of what I have.
The best bit of advise was not to be afraid of the metal.
Atb
Paul G
 
Rescued attachment shrinking-004s.jpg
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Liam
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| posted on 5/9/06 at 11:37 PM |
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Thanks Paul!
What grade of ally are you using out of interest? I was told i'd want NS4 half hard which is a 5xxx series alloy. I see that others use a 1xxx
series. I dunno if i've actually got the wrong stuff - it's 18swg but it's bitchin. The scuttle was hard enough to bend, the rear
panel needed some serious force, and i dread to think what it's gonna take to do the whole length of a bonnet!!
I can see the ratchet strap method not doing all that much, especially to the middle of the bonnet. Assuming i'm actually strong enough, I dont
like my chances of accuracy using my local lamp post. I guess it's a bend and trim afterwards job rather than being able to rely on the lining
paper template method i used for the other panels? Could i anneal the area to be bent?
Oh well we'll see... just need to stop procrastinating and jump in. If i mess up my sheet of ally i'll just buy some 20swg soft stuff
for attempt 2...
Cheers
Liam
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Liam
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| posted on 5/9/06 at 11:39 PM |
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P.S. What is that thing in the bottom pic? Another tool that creates impossible shapes from sheet metal?
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907
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| posted on 6/9/06 at 12:00 AM |
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I got the sheet from Aalco. They only stock the bog standard half hard stuff.
Anything else is order, and wait, and then wait a bit more.
You can anneal, soap mark one side, heat the other, but if you do you can end up too soft.
I'm told that the idea is to end up with a work hardened panel that is nice and stiff so it holds its shape.
A soft bonnet would tend to sag.
Bottom pic is the shrinker. Steel jaws grip and squeeze together. Crackin' tool.
Paul G
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Syd Bridge
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| posted on 6/9/06 at 09:27 AM |
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If you ever see an Eckold Metalwerker at auction, then grab it.
To see an artist at work with one of these machines is mesmerising.
They use them in boatbuilding a lot, on some fairly thick sheet and extrusions.
I watched a highly experinced operator make a 12" diameter ball (in two halves)out of 3/8" sheet, in about 20 mins! And that was for fun,
so that they could have there own 'falling ball', as in Times Square', at New Years Eve.
Cheers,
Syd.
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Maradona
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| posted on 6/9/06 at 05:12 PM |
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Nicejob
Nice Job, imposible is nothing
Cheers
Maradona
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907
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| posted on 6/9/06 at 09:12 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Syd Bridge
If you ever see an Eckold Metalwerker at auction, then grab it.
To see an artist at work with one of these machines is mesmerising.
They use them in boatbuilding a lot, on some fairly thick sheet and extrusions.
I watched a highly experinced operator make a 12" diameter ball (in two halves)out of 3/8" sheet, in about 20 mins! And that was for fun,
so that they could have there own 'falling ball', as in Times Square', at New Years Eve.
Cheers,
Syd.
Hi Syd
Can't find a pic of a metalwerker but I found an Eckold Powerhammer.....
Yes, Mmmm, opening bid £9750.
I got enough hassle from the missus this week for buying a foot pedal. (particle accelerator)
Paul G
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907
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| posted on 7/10/06 at 01:18 PM |
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Bit of an update
I've still got to polish it but at least its now fitted on the car.
Paul G
 
Rescued attachment nose-s.gif
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 7/10/06 at 02:45 PM |
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Now that does look good!
(show off!  )
David
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John Bonnett
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| posted on 7/10/06 at 05:06 PM |
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Well done Paul, the nosecone looks magnificent and you can be justly proud of what you have achieved. A really professional job. The front mudguard
look good too, was this another job for the shrinker?
alb
John
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907
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| posted on 7/10/06 at 05:38 PM |
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Yup, the shrinker was involved John.
I have a ring of pipe.
The sheet is ratchet strapped around the pipe and the sheet edge tapped with a rubber hammer.
When the edge starts to ripple I run it through the shrinker.
I do this 4 times and then run it through the wheel to take out the lumps and bumps.
Wire the edge and then run longways through the wheel to give the centre of the sheet some curvature.
(They look a bit flat in the pic.)
There now ready for filing, sanding, then polishing.
I just wish they were a pair.
Cheers
Paul G
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 7/10/06 at 05:55 PM |
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Someones been very busy, amazing the amount of time you have when the computer goes bang? Looks good to me
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John Bonnett
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| posted on 8/10/06 at 08:33 AM |
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Hi Paul
A really neat way to make the mudguards. Do you have a swaging machine with tooling for wiring the edges?
alb
John
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907
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| posted on 8/10/06 at 02:03 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by John Bonnett
Hi Paul
A really neat way to make the mudguards. Do you have a swaging machine with tooling for wiring the edges?
alb
John
I have a swager on loan John. (top pic)
It's a job to use tooling that doesn't mark the outside of the sheet,
so I made the ones in pic 2.
Pic 3 shows the "pipe ring" jig.
Paul G
 
Rescued attachment swager-m-s.gif
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John Bonnett
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| posted on 8/10/06 at 03:39 PM |
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You are right about tooling marking the sheet but your wheels look ideal for the job. i've found that the tool used for door skinning is good
for closing around the wire. It is specially made to protect the outside of the door and works really well for mudguards etc. I got mine from Woolies.
I love your former, how on earth did you manage to bend the pipe to the correct radius? That's a work of art in itself. Would it be feasible to
have a double ring and do both sides of the mudguard at once?
I'm looking forward to seeing the rear mudguards. Should be a piece of cake after the nosecone.
Best wishes
John
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907
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| posted on 8/10/06 at 06:35 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by John Bonnett
You are right about tooling marking the sheet but your wheels look ideal for the job. i've found that the tool used for door skinning is good
for closing around the wire. It is specially made to protect the outside of the door and works really well for mudguards etc. I got mine from Woolies.
I love your former, how on earth did you manage to bend the pipe to the correct radius? That's a work of art in itself. Would it be feasible to
have a double ring and do both sides of the mudguard at once?
I'm looking forward to seeing the rear mudguards. Should be a piece of cake after the nosecone.
Best wishes
John
I used 3mm mag ally welding wire and held it in place by tapping with a hammer.
The bottom shaft on the swager slides horizontally and is locked in place with the tee screw,
so the gap can be opened up and the same top tool crushes the wire in place.
The rear arches will be slightly conical so by using a single pipe jig I can make any mud guard width,
including the conical rears.
That was the plan anyway.
As for the piece of cake, nothing seems to go like that.
Still, hopefully it will worth it one day.
Paul G
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 8/10/06 at 06:37 PM |
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Sorry Paul , forgot about the door skinning tool I mentioned at Donnington. Will try to find it tomorrow .
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wilkingj
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| posted on 8/10/06 at 10:20 PM |
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Read this with interest.. and Amazement.
Only thing I have over Paul is I am Fatter
And that shows.... Look in the Interior and Seating thread... Broke my seat after only 1900 miles on the road.
A truly Bat Fastard am I
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
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907
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| posted on 8/10/06 at 10:37 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
Sorry Paul , forgot about the door skinning tool I mentioned at Donnington. Will try to find it tomorrow .
Cheers mate,
Any excuse for a meet up and a pint.
Paul G
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Danozeman
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| posted on 17/10/06 at 06:08 PM |
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That nose cone looks superb mate.
I take my hat off to you..
Dan
Built the purple peril!! Let the modifications begin!!
http://www.eastangliankitcars.co.uk
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907
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| posted on 17/10/06 at 07:04 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Danozeman
That nose cone looks superb mate.
I take my hat off to you..
Thanks Dan,
but most of the credit belongs to Trev D.
(the one on the left)
Without his help and advice I could not have done it. He is the rock on which I lean.
I'm itching to buy a polisher now so I can finish it off.
atb
Paul G
 
Rescued attachment trev-and-me.jpg
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Danozeman
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| posted on 17/10/06 at 08:42 PM |
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Trevor is a top bloke and his car is excellent.
I wish i had half the skills you 2 do..
Dan
Built the purple peril!! Let the modifications begin!!
http://www.eastangliankitcars.co.uk
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