ZMotorsports Shop Projects 2.0

[zmotorsports]

Nice work on the Case repair Mike. Done a few of those myself just like that. More Oil Pans than Crankcases for me.

Congrats on the Pan Brake!!! DiAcro is the best in my opinion. Wise choice.

Thank you Pat. That was my take on the DiAcro as well after much research. Also thanks to some people on here that answered some of my questions over the years. I'm anxious to get it in my possession, build a stand and start using it and learn on it. I'm excited for the opportunities it just opened up for various projects.

Thanks for stopping by Pat.

 

[4 FN 27]

Thank you Pat. That was my take on the DiAcro as well after much research. Also thanks to some people on here that answered some of my questions over the years. I'm anxious to get it in my possession, build a stand and start using it and learn on it. I'm excited for the opportunities it just opened up for various projects.

Thanks for stopping by Pat.

Mike let me know if you need help in figuring Bend Deductions, Bend Allowances or Set-Backs...I have lots of Educational Forming Tools I send out to our customers mostly geared around Press Brakes. But the concepts can apply to Pan Brakes too.

I will need to sort out where to move the Bend Line. Been a long-long time since I used a Pan Brake. I am going to assume the Bend Line would be the theoretical start of the Radius???

I assume you will be looking to hold +/-.005 across multiple bends???

Like this part: +/-.010 between holes...

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike let me know if you need help in figuring Bend Deductions, Bend Allowances or Set-Backs...I have lots of Educational Forming Tools I send out to our customers mostly geared around Press Brakes. But the concepts can apply to Pan Brakes too.

I will need to sort out where to move the Bend Line. Been a long-long time since I used a Pan Brake. I am going to assume the Bend Line would be the theoretical start of the Radius???

I assume you will be looking to hold +/-.005 across multiple bends???

Like this part: +/-.010 between holes...

Holy **** Pat. I don't know if I'll be able to hold those tolerances or not, my guess is not.

Again, this is all a learning curve for me. I figured I would start out like I did with my tubing bender. Make some test bends and then use them to design the future bends based on needed radius and go from there.

 

[4 FN 27]

Holy **** Pat. I don't know if I'll be able to hold those tolerances or not, my guess is not.

Again, this is all a learning curve for me. I figured I would start out like I did with my tubing bender. Make some test bends and then use them to design the future bends based on needed radius and go from there.

Good plan Mike!!!

I would take 2 x 4 Coupons and scribe a line at 1.000 inch parallel to the 4 inch side and looking straight down at the edge of the tool align the scribe with the edge of the tool.

Make a 90° Bend and measure the length of the "Clamped" side first. Then add the other side and see how much is grew by subtracting the original flat size.

Now knowing the "Clamped" side Bend Line was at 1.000 inch you should be able to determine where the Bend would need to start if you wanted a 1.000 inch Outside to Outside (OS-OS).

Repeat again moving the Bend Line closer to the "Clamped" Edge by the amount determined. Measure again and you should be real close to a 1.000 OS_OS measurement.

You can double check the "Growth" by adding the 2 Flange Lengths and subtracting the overall flat length again.

My assumption would be the Growth will be close to @ 1/32 Inside Bend Radius:

.031 THK CRS = .059

.036 THK CRS = .062

.048 THK CRS = .080

.060 THK CRS = .095

Or @ 1/16 Inside Bend Radius:

.031 THK CRS = .072

.036 THK CRS = .075

.048 THK CRS = .093

.060 THK CRS = .108

The Growth will be the amount you want to subtract per bend from any flat layout out. The Growth is the Bend Deduction.

Not sure if the Inside Bend Radii will be effected by thickness and "springing" taking place in the Tooling/Brake??? There will be some deflection the thicker you go. How much is the question. I would be really interested in what the Material thickness effect is on the Inside Radius.

Once you get this all sorted out I am sure you can hold +/-.020 all day long. You definitely have the skill set and mechanically ability to make it happen.

 

[zmotorsports]

That is awesome information Pat.

That is exactly the kind of experimenting I was going to do to see where I needed to start my bends to achieve either inside or outside dimensions and hold them to some kind of consistency. Even though I won't be doing production work and will be doing one-off pieces I still want to be able to hold a certain dimension if I am trying to build say a 4" outside to outside box.

Thank you very much my friend.

 

[ttpete]

Thank you Pat. That was my take on the DiAcro as well after much research. Also thanks to some people on here that answered some of my questions over the years. I'm anxious to get it in my possession, build a stand and start using it and learn on it. I'm excited for the opportunities it just opened up for various projects.

Thanks for stopping by Pat.

Have you ever used a Di-Acro bender? We had a big #3 in the shop, and it would do everything if set up properly.

 

[zmotorsports]

Have you ever used a Di-Acro bender? We had a big #3 in the shop, and it would do everything if set up properly.

Not a DiAcro per se. But I've used other pan brakes before.

FYI, the DiAcro I'm referrning to is their 24" finger (pan) brake, not the #3 that you are referring to.

 

[joe49]

Kevin, sorry for the delayed response. The Formax product that I’ve been using is their green wheel wax/grease part # R-200. It is stated as wheel wax but has a bit higher melting point than their general purpose F-26. I feel it doesn’t clog as easily.

I use it mainly on rotary burrs when grinding aluminum but have also used it on my belt and disk sander with non-ferrous materials.

If you didn't know, you could just use the correct burrs for aluminum without lubes adding to contamination.

https://www.mcmaster.com/die-grinder-bits

 

[zmotorsports]

If you didn't know, you could just use the correct burrs for aluminum without lubes adding to contamination.

Agreed. However, like I mentioned that the aluminum burrs are much more aggressive and when trying to be a bit more delicate about it the less aggressive burrs do a better job. I have all sorts of burrs and they each serve a purpose so it wasn't a matter of not having the course burrs.

 

[ttpete]

Not a DiAcro per se. But I've used other pan brakes before.

FYI, the DiAcro I'm referring to is their 24" finger (pan) brake, not the #3 that you are referring to.

I remember wrong, it was a #4. These will bend anything if you have the right tooling.

https://www.diacro.com/product/model-4-bender/

 

[zmotorsports]

I remember wrong, it was a #4. These will bend anything if you have the right tooling.

https://www.diacro.com/product/model-4-bender/

That looks like a nice bender.

Here is the mode of finger brake thatl I bought but a much older model.
https://www.diacro.com/product/model-24-finger-brake/

 

[Opa]

mike, just wanted to thank you for your videos. i learn from many of them, such as the motorcycle casing repair. i didn't know about using lube with burrs on aluminum, so thanks. also, didn't know you could heat up the aluminum casing and make the plug cold....was wondering if the cold plug into the hot casing would cause problems (eg cracking), but apparently not a problem. thanks again.

 

[zmotorsports]

mike, just wanted to thank you for your videos. i learn from many of them, such as the motorcycle casing repair. i didn't know about using lube with burrs on aluminum, so thanks. also, didn't know you could heat up the aluminum casing and make the plug cold....was wondering if the cold plug into the hot casing would cause problems (eg cracking), but apparently not a problem. thanks again.

Thank you. I appreciate the comments and I appreciate you taking the time to watch my videos. I'm glad you enjoy them. I'll try to keep them coming.

 

[shortykorte]

Maybe something like my new toy.


Shorty Korte
Always remember quality in QST

Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[zmotorsports]

Shorty, that looks exactly like the one I just bought.

Have you had a chance to use yours yet? How do you like it?

 

[MP&C]

Mike, I've owned both the 12" and 24" in those box and pans, picked up at local school auctions. The good thing about Diacro is the quality, I never lost money on those when I sold to upgrade to a larger brake. I'd also suggest keeping your eye out on Racing Junk. That's where I picked up the first manual press brake for 250... a steal..

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike, I've owned both the 12" and 24" in those box and pans, picked up at local school auctions. The good thing about Diacro is the quality, I never lost money on those when I sold to upgrade to a larger brake. I'd also suggest keeping your eye out on Racing Junk. That's where I picked up the first manual press brake for 250... a steal..

Thanks for the information Robert. I hope not to need anything larger than this 24" but if I ever do decide to go larger I'll keep that in mind.

Thank you.

 

[zmotorsports]

Nothing real earth shattering took place in the shop over the weekend. The weather was so nice the wife and I were able to sit on the deck and relax as well as did a fair amount of grilling.

Yesterday I did go out into the shop for about an hour while we were waiting for our son and DIL.

I have wanted to find somewhere else to put my SAE and Metric HSS tap & die sets that were easier to access so I quickly fabricated a couple of risers for my machining toolbox that resides on the same cart as my surface plate.





The 4” risers created enough space to easily store the two tap & die sets under the toolbox.

 

[Graham08]

The risers are a good idea. I need to do something like that to accommodate some of my various machining tools and their cases.

 

[zmotorsports]

The risers are a good idea. I need to do something like that to accommodate some of my various machining tools and their cases.

Thanks Graham. I was just trying to see where I had wasted space yet easily accessible. Bingo, I found it.

 

[MP&C]

Mike, I need your organizational skills for about a month...

 

[Rag Roc]

Nice use of space Mike. I have found toolbox risers are real handy for rollcab and workbench use as well. Nothing worse then being mid-project with parts, tools, measuring devices, etc in front of the box, and being unable to get the bottom drawer open.

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike, I need your organizational skills for about a month...

Thanks Robert. I have actually done a bit more in the new shop as I did in the old shop where it needed it more.

 

[zmotorsports]

Nice use of space Mike. I have found toolbox risers are real handy for rollcab and workbench use as well. Nothing worse then being mid-project with parts, tools, measuring devices, etc in front of the box, and being unable to get the bottom drawer open.

Thank you.

My problems was that when I needed to get to my pin gauges I would have to pull my tap & die sets out and usually set them on a workbench that then took up space on that workbench that could be used for something productive. Now I can get to my pin gauges easily when needed and/or get to either set of tap & dies without moving half the shop around.

 

[OutlawDrifter]

Thank you.

My problems was that when I needed to get to my pin gauges I would have to pull my tap & die sets out and usually set them on a workbench that then took up space on that workbench that could be used for something productive. Now I can get to my pin gauges easily when needed and/or get to either set of tap & dies without moving half the shop around.

I thought that was how it worked...?

Move non-required items to another location that is in the way, gaining the access required to tool/thing you are looking for, instantly losing the paper/tool/pen you had in your hand at the beginning of realizing you needed new tool/thing...repeat...

 

[zmotorsports]

I thought that was how it worked...?

Move non-required items to another location that is in the way, gaining the access required to tool/thing you are looking for, instantly losing the paper/tool/pen you had in your hand at the beginning of realizing you needed new tool/thing...repeat...

I guess that's what I'm trying to change Marc. Only took me about 30 years to figure that out though.

 

[shortykorte]

Shorty, that looks exactly like the one I just bought.



Have you had a chance to use yours yet? How do you like it?

So far, I’ve only used it once for a small simple project. Heavy little b@27$@4d but that’s a good thing. It’s not bolted down yet.
So far I like it and works as expected. Learning the adjustments. I will definitely print out Pat’s instructions on figuring out the bends.


Shorty Korte
Always remember quality in QST

Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[zmotorsports]

Thanks Shorty.

I’m going to build a stand and bolt it to the stand.

It’s definitely a heavy ******.

 

[zmotorsports]

Tonight’s project consisted of putting my right rear door of my Jeep back together before mowing the lawn.

Friday night the wife and I went and picked up groceries and the right rear door wouldn’t unlock.

Saturday morning I tore the panel off to diagnose and determined that the motor/servo in the door lock mechanism had failed.

I didn’t have the resistance spec’s but when I measured the circuit it was open so that’s definitely not correct. Being a motor I would think it would be relatively low resistance so I called my local dealership. They didn’t have one but said they could have one early Monday so rather than put everything back together I just left it apart and picked up the new locking mechanism today on my lunch hour. After work I reassembled it.

Original shows open.


New one displays 4.2 ohms.




Inner door panel installed.


Window lowered and clipped back into position.


For anyone who ever has to remove one of these inner panels, you have to cut the two vertical oval cutouts shown in the picture. They’re already scored so they cut fairly easy with a utility knife. Then grab a pick or I used a cotter pin tool.


It’s hard to see in the picture but just inside of each of the holes you just cut out, there is a clip in each you gently push inward on and it releases the glass. Then raise the glass up in the channel and tape it out of the way and finish removing the panel. Installation is just the opposite and let the window lock back into position.


Completed.

 

[customh]

You've blown my mind. My mobile workbench at work will be getting the same treatment so I can lose things under the slant front box.

 

[C_F]

The clips to release the door glass is a really cool feature! I need to replace the window regulator soon, in my significant other's driver door on her '06 Expedition, and I'm kinda dreading it. It would be great if that one has nifty glass release tabs, to make life a tad easier...but I'm not holding my breath.
The regulator assembly takes up almost as much real estate as the door itself, with lots of plastic & cables, so I am NOT looking forward to the swap. I plan to pick a nice sunny day with no other distractions, to do the deed.

One thing I really love about these newer vehicles is how easily the inner door panels are removed...versus 60's & 70's vehicles. Many of them have only 2-3 fasteners to remove, then you just lift the thing out of a few slots & you are in the money! Really cool.

Maybe something like my new toy.

That looks just like the one I used umpteen-times in my high school metals class! Man, I loved that thing.

Like this part: +/-.010 between holes...

Good grief, that is an impressive bunch of stacks of bent **** (sheet) metal!
Lemme guess...special ordered hurricane ties with a certain amount of flex built in to make the roof into a aero-foil of sorts?

 

[zmotorsports]

You've blown my mind. My mobile workbench at work will be getting the same treatment so I can lose things under the slant front box.

Thanks Travis. I just don't know why I didn't do that little mod to my cart sooner. It's nice now to be able to just slide the tap & die set out when needed. Although I don't use my HSS tap & die sets as much as my old set that is in the toolbox drawers next to the lathe I still hated to have to move them every time I wanted to get either my Fireball magnetic blocks out or my pin gage sets.

Thanks for stopping by and checking things out Travis. Hope all is well with you and your family my friend.

 

[zmotorsports]

I also forgot to mention that my new to me DiAcro 24" finger brake arrived yesterday. My son stopped by the shop after work and he helped me lift it out of the truck and onto the motorcycle lift so we could play with heights to determine a good working height for the two of us. Next I will start to build a stand and then maybe I'll post up some pictures of it. I'm pleased with the unit so far and it appears to be in very nice condition, exactly what the guy told me it was and no BS from the seller.

 

[gorilla]

The factory stand for that Di Acro brake is 331/4" high, 15" deep and 38" wide.That machine is top heavy so if you want to put it on wheels you need to make the stand much deeper that the stock one. I had 4 of them in my shop at work no one complained about the height. We used them mostly to make tooling springs from thin 17-7 SST we could hold .005" repeatability no problem but you do need the back gage. It's worth the time to check out some of the special fingers that DI ACRO has available for that machine.

 

[zmotorsports]

I started on my stand for my DiAcro 24” finger brake tonight. I probably could have gotten more done on the stand but had an unexpected visitor as I was driving home. More on that topic later as it was kind of a cool story.

As I dug through my metal rack I was trying to come up with a design that would also use material that I had on hand. I think this should work.

Most of the material cut to length.


The 2” x 3” tubing will be the base and there will be two 2” square vertical tubes for the legs. 1.5” angle iron front to rear will be drilled to accept the 4.75” bolt pattern of the brake.


Drilling and tapping for the leveling feet.


These pieces will become the leveling feet.


Thanks for looking.

 

[larry4406]

Nice work as usual. I like that tapered tapping block aide/guide.

 

[zmotorsports]

The factory stand for that Di Acro brake is 331/4" high, 15" deep and 38" wide.That machine is top heavy so if you want to put it on wheels you need to make the stand much deeper that the stock one. I had 4 of them in my shop at work no one complained about the height. We used them mostly to make tooling springs from thin 17-7 SST we could hold .005" repeatability no problem but you do need the back gage. It's worth the time to check out some of the special fingers that DI ACRO has available for that machine.

Thanks.

It won't be on casters as it will be mounted on leveling feet.

Thanks for the spec's, mine will be close to those dimensions but not exact.

 

[zmotorsports]

Nice work as usual. I like that tapered tapping block aide/guide.

Thank you. The tap guide works well for keeping the threads going in true and square to the work.

Thanks for checking out the projects.

 

[lilscorpion]

Thank you. The tap guide works well for keeping the threads going in true and square to the work.



Thanks for checking out the projects.

Mike, maybe you’ve commented before but why don’t you power tap on your mill? By setting up your first part and then setting a stop on your vise, you could drill all holes, switch to a tap, and then re-insert all parts and power tap. Hand tapping holes that size isn’t difficult but power tapping parts like you showed above is effortless and perfect.

 

[mfg0772]

Mike - just curious why you chose to build a base rather than just legs with foot plates and leveling feet? Thanks.