NCFJ
Supporting Vendor
I was thinking the same thing, I am thinking you would have quite the following.
So I want an FJ 40 but... (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter metalshaper
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I was thinking the same thing, I am thinking you would have quite the following.
- Thread starter
- #42
Would there be much of a following when you can get the aluminum beds from aqua? I could make these from aluminum but I like steel, more rugged.
NCFJ
Supporting Vendor
I think, gauging on what I have seen above, that if you started producing repair panels and full off tubs, you'd be a busy guy.
I agree.
Have you thought about extending the rear tubs upward closer to the top rail? By doing this you could keep the truck lower and tuck the tires up better for a lower center of gravity.
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- #46
I like the tour of your shop: a Corvette, a Cobra, a mid-60s chevy truck, even the Jeep. Cool stuff.
That said, I get carpel tunnel just looking at the hammer work - amazing result - but wow that's a lot of hammer and dolly. Which leads me to my laugh - the comment about building them to sell, how many hours do you have start-to-finish in building the dies, and the pieces? I just built custom boxes for my FJ40 out of 14 ga hot roll, took 8 hours start to finish (including paint) - and I have a press brake (no carpel for me, lol). Even if I halved the normal shop rate to $50/hr plus material - I don't know many who are willing to spend $600 for a set of small boxes... it's a labor of love, and because of that I totally respect and admire what you're doing.
That said, I get carpel tunnel just looking at the hammer work - amazing result - but wow that's a lot of hammer and dolly. Which leads me to my laugh - the comment about building them to sell, how many hours do you have start-to-finish in building the dies, and the pieces? I just built custom boxes for my FJ40 out of 14 ga hot roll, took 8 hours start to finish (including paint) - and I have a press brake (no carpel for me, lol). Even if I halved the normal shop rate to $50/hr plus material - I don't know many who are willing to spend $600 for a set of small boxes... it's a labor of love, and because of that I totally respect and admire what you're doing.
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- #48
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- #50
nope, nothing so elaborate
Where those your first set of boxes? The first set always takes the longest.
The first time I did inner fenders it took me 8 hours to make the wood form and then form it and assemble them. The second time it only took me 2 hours.
Like others have said, you are a craftsman. I spent my life building cabinets, and installing them, being a woodbutcher. As such, I can come close to understanding your abilities. I am finding this thread fascinating. I like to see things made by hand!
Also, you are using MDF for templates. We used MDF for paint grade items because it was so easily worked, and if worked and sanded properly, never showed seams after painting. Everything looked completely seamless. My big question deals with the softness of MDF. Do you have problems with damage to the edges of your templates?
I'm impressed with your work!
Don
Also, you are using MDF for templates. We used MDF for paint grade items because it was so easily worked, and if worked and sanded properly, never showed seams after painting. Everything looked completely seamless. My big question deals with the softness of MDF. Do you have problems with damage to the edges of your templates?
I'm impressed with your work!
Don
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- #52
Yes, after 3-4 runs I have to replace the MDF. I have someone that can CNC cut the MDF for me so that makes it quick. If I make a part a bunch I'll either use a hard wood or I'll use aluminum.
calculations:
1 hour to buy the material, get supplies
2 hours to build the first boxes I didn't like (they I laid out, cut and formed)
2 hours to lay out, cut, bend and weld those boxes plus one extra box
3 hours to finish including prep, grinding, painting, adding accessories (locks).
thus the only bit I could save next time is the 2 hours of 1st fab.... add one problem with the welder or something else and I'm back to the same amount of time.
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- #54
It does take time to make things like this. I will just say this, I have great customers.
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- #55
So here is a small lesson for anyone wanting to replicate a piece. Get some painters tape, the low stick kind. Cover your part completely and then come back over it with reinforced tape. Here I used duck tape. However this isn't a good choice when doing hot rods because it can move some because the duck tape is flexible. Just keep that in mind. Once you have both layers trim the edges to you have "hard stops". The advantage of this method is it will actually keep the shape of the item.
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- #56
The next step is to slowly, and I mean slowing tape the tape off as one piece. For this part you will need some baby powder. As you peel the tape back dust it with baby powder so it nulls the sticky.
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- #57
Few more pictures
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- #58
Now I out this on my digitizer so I can make my sheet metal blank on the CNC. Boy does this speed things up, both the digitizer and the CNC.
Oh, here is to where the template REALLY gives you a bunch of information. If you can see the area where there are wrinkles in the bends, that tells you that area is going to have to be stretched when being form
Oh, here is to where the template REALLY gives you a bunch of information. If you can see the area where there are wrinkles in the bends, that tells you that area is going to have to be stretched when being form
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- #59
The next part is to make a wood buck to sandwich the metal in.
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- #60
So after some hammering and dolly work we have a finished piece.
That's all for today.
That's all for today.
