[Awl_TEQ]

Sorry George my official list is at home. Just to be sure, what exactly were you on the list for?

Did you get you're frame together yet?

And were you going to send me a sketch of the BBQ idea you had?

Kevin

[fjwagon]

Dam you got a good memory. I was thinking about getting the whole bed. I was going to get the short version but I may just put it back to original. I'll see if I can find something that resembles what I think I need. for the bbq.

[Awl_TEQ]

George

Another option might be to make a LWB style in a bobbed length to suit your chopped frame. How much did the PO chop off? Got a picture? 1000 words you know

Kevin

[Awl_TEQ]

Some work done today. Punched out all the 12ga parts:
- under floor crossmembers
- front corner angle
- front wall top rail
- front wall end channels
- side top rails

I'll bend them up during next week after our 10' press is back up and running.



And a big pile of side panels - some with and with out clearance light and headache rack holes. All current orders for full beds and just bed sides are in this pile. The one standing up has the good side facing away so don't mind the scratches - they aren't really scratches, the flash make the look more than they are. Shawn, my welder, will be welding on the wheel arches next Saturday so I will have to get them all bent and the dimples by the hooks pressed in by then.

[SouthBostonFJ]

Reminds me of the old model car kits.

[D'Animal]

I sure hope that your stamping/press is in a commercial shop and not home in your garage.


If it is in your garage,

[Awl_TEQ]

No, it's at work. It wouldn't fit in the garage

[merbesfield]

Did I miss the final cost for a complete long bed? Again, awesome work.

[Awl_TEQ]

No you didn't miss it - I haven't arrived at a number yet, I need to get one to a stage where the quality is self evident before I can accurately assess the time I need to put in. There will be more progress this week so stay tuned.

[45Kevin]

Hi Kevin,

While I had my seats out and the tranny hump removed this weekend, I noticed the floor on the driver's side is on it's way out. Will you be making any floor panels?

I'll have room for anything that needs to be shipped to Moab, for further distribution. A fully assembled box is not out of the question.

[Awl_TEQ]

I'm a bit busy right now, but I can fab something up in a month or so. We'll have to meet and figure out exactly what you need.

Kevin

[Awl_TEQ]

Originally Posted by 45Kevin

Hi Kevin,

While I had my seats out and the tranny hump removed this weekend, I noticed the floor on the driver's side is on it's way out. Will you be making any floor panels?

I'll have room for anything that needs to be shipped to Moab, for further distribution. A fully assembled box is not out of the question.

Actually, now that I think about it, I need to do my driver side floor as well so I'll definitely be making a panel. I think someone out east wanted one as well - I'll have to check my notes.

[Awl_TEQ]

Stayed late at work and programmed the break for the bed sides. Burned a whole 4x10' sheet of material just getting the bed level and tooling straight (it's a sheet metal thing). I formed up a sample part to take home and check against the bed for accuracy.

Here you can see how the rib is done without having the tooling to press it in all at once. The line running off the end of the rib is a butt joint that will be welded, as well as the rib end. I will weld this and all similar weld details on the parts I supply but the end user will need to smooth and fill as required when prepping for paint.

[Awl_TEQ]

Close, but not perfect. I need to reduce the height of the "hip" by about 0.150" and increase the radius a little. I left the machine all set up at work so I can go in early and tweak the program a little and form up all the sides.

[fjwagon]

By looking at the pics, looks like you been pretty busy. Nice work. Anyhow, the frame has been cut just past the rear spring perch. So it's like approximately 18" off the rear frame. I did a quick check yesterday. Sorry no pics.

Someone mentioned about needing a small section from under the seat inside the cab on the drive's side. The one I have has been poorly redone by the PO. If you can squeeze another project after doing the beds I'm all ears. Pm the details if you don't mind.

Originally Posted by Awl_TEQ

George

Another option might be to make a LWB style in a bobbed length to suit your chopped frame. How much did the PO chop off? Got a picture? 1000 words you know

Kevin

[ehsankiani]

Originally Posted by Awl_TEQ

Some work done today. Punched out all the 12ga parts:
- under floor crossmembers
- front corner angle
- front wall top rail
- front wall end channels
- side top rails

I'll bend them up during next week after our 10' press is back up and running.
Attachment 314326
Attachment 314327

And a big pile of side panels - some with and with out clearance light and headache rack holes. All current orders for full beds and just bed sides are in this pile. The one standing up has the good side facing away so don't mind the scratches - they aren't really scratches, the flash make the look more than they are. Shawn, my welder, will be welding on the wheel arches next Saturday so I will have to get them all bent and the dimples by the hooks pressed in by then.
Attachment 314328

I wish we had something like this to cut pieces.. .. What machine is this exactly and whats the capacity?
Again.. Lovely, clean work..
Ehsan

[Awl_TEQ]

FJ - I took a quick look at my notes and sketches here at work (my bed is at home) and It looks like an 18" or so bobbed bed would look OK. The rear of the bed floor from the backside of the wheel hump to the tailgate is about 32". That means there would be approx. 14" of floor behind the wheel hump. For some perspective, the front section of floor is a little over 19" ahead of the hump.

Tub floor patches etc:

Anybody that would like me to try and make specific patch panels just post up a brief message. When I get to a point where I can fit some work in I'll review my thread and PM each of you for more info and to see if you're still needing anything. Should be within the next month for sure.

Kevin

[Awl_TEQ]

Originally Posted by ehsankiani

I wish we had something like this to cut pieces.. .. What machine is this exactly and whats the capacity?
Again.. Lovely, clean work..
Ehsan

ehsan,

It is a haudraulic CNC turret punch. 22 ton capacity. Think of a three hole paper punch with 26 different interchangable tools that can punch 1500 hits per minute and handle 1/4" steel (not at the same time). All controlled by computer, punching out any shape you can draw. Here is a link to the manufacturer of our machines. It's a poor man's laser, and a lot cheaper to run. I've been meaning to put a video on YouTube because it's hard for someone not in the manufacturing sector to visualize how it works.

Kevin

[miker]

Amazing! Very nice work and I like the way you did the end of the rib on the side panel. That should turn out very nice once welded and shaped. Wish I would have thought of that awhile ago for the parts I made for mine.

[Awl_TEQ]

Thanks mike, here are some pics from my early morning forming of the sides. I still have to form the flanges around the ends and bottoms, press in the dimples that straddle the hooks and of course weld on the arches. I'm gonna try another early morning tomorrow if I can get up on time.

[SouthBostonFJ]

Do I count 4 pieces there?

[Awl_TEQ]

Yes, 3 sets of 16ga sides and one set of special request 14ga.

[71FJ40]

Great work Kevin!
A video on youtube would be awesome - especially if you were punching out the 45 pieces!

[SouthBostonFJ]

Can I assume that once the programs for the individual pieces are set, all you need to do is feed the machine?

[Awl_TEQ]

yes, thats right. Only drawback is if your program is wrong you can make a lot of scrap real quick.

[Awl_TEQ]

Added the dimples this morning. These are on each side of each hook on the sides of the bed. The rear most hook only has one forward of the hook and the front hook has a smaller one ahead of the hook to clear the headache rack mounting bolts better.



This is how I made the dimples, a single station 30 ton manual punch.

[miker]

Kevin, you may have already discussed this but those dimples are not on my early (1964) 3-hinge long bed. It is just smooth metal besides the hooks.

[Awl_TEQ]

A closer look at the tool. This machine uses the same type of tools as the turret punch, just one at a time rather than 26. Normally it would punch right through the material but I didn't want a hole. I shortened the punch and used an oversized die to get the desired dimples (the machine has a fixed stroke). I can buy a tool for the turret that will do this but thats $500 I can spend on my 45, so I did it manually using tools I have on hand.

[Awl_TEQ]

Originally Posted by miker

Kevin, you may have already discussed this but those dimples are not on my early (1964) 3-hinge long bed. It is just smooth metal besides the hooks.

Excellent info mike. I've been gathering details on the production whims of Toyota over the years in my other thread, I'll add this as well.

[ehsankiani]

Great pictures.. .. Would love to see vdos as well..
Ehsan