Could I make an Aluminum panel like this?

[Keyblazer]

Love reading and learning here, so here is where I come for advice.

Working on the restoration and customization of an old Airstream Motor home...

Lots to do, but this is about where I am so far...


My issue is the "ugly" grey painted corner fairing panels front and rear between the bumpers and polished sheet metal.
They are ABS vacuum formed panels originally... and mine are brittle and cracked already, so need replacing.
They were NEVER good even from the factory... you can buy new panels... at $500 a corner.
I could, and have the skills to repair them, make them good, take a mold and replicate them in GRP myself.

But somewhere in my mind, I have an itch to make them in aluminum, and polish them out to match the body...


I have a good skill set, but not a ton of metalwork experience. I was a sculptor/pattern maker in a previous life. Wood, clay, plastic, and GRP is in my wheel house.

Have a new TIG welder(Eastwood 200), Plasma Cutter, a 30" combo shear/ slip roll, brake.
Planning to buy other tools like a shrinker/stretcher, bead roller, and English wheel etc.
Have hammer formed some small pieces, and have some metal fab skills.

Here are a couple of closer shots(not my rig, but the same... the grey paint shows the shape better)

Front.


Lower side view of shape.


I want to simplify this shape little... eliminate the recessed amber signals, and maybe even roll the panel behind the bumper to hide the edge.
Ignore the spoiler... I can make that later, and attach as separate part.

My first look leads me to first make a hammer form/eggcrate off the OUTSIDE of the original panel.

A 2 part panel, TIG'd later.
18/20g?

First piece would be cut along Line 2.
Upper part matched to body curve along line 1.
Rear edge profiled to wheel opening curve Line 3.
Line 2 edge would be hammer formed to part of radius


Other part of panel is defined in blue here... almost flat, with edges hammer formed into part radius to match other part.


Matched, and TIG welded together, and finished/polished.

Rear is similar, less complicated, but longer.


Opinion, crit, and advice welcome..

GO!

 

[Zrexxer]

I know that making the complex shapes and compound curves like that is not something that's in my skill set. But I'm looking forward to seeing you do it! Take lots of pictures!

 

[jhn9840]

This is going to be a very cool project. Keep us updated as you progress.

jhn9840
John


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[polydan]

I'm sure there will be a lot of advice on this board, but another to check out is
http://www.allmetalshaping.com/index.php.
There is some metal wizards on that forum also!!!

 

[Keyblazer]

Thanks...
At this time its more of a "Can I?", than anything else...

Making the panel in Aluminum is one thing... making it good enough to polish and look fantastic, is entirely another!

Part of the deal is that the original panels are over complex, and also have some horrible shape in them..
On the front one, I want to eliminate the marker lamps... they will be replaced with LED lamps in the headlamp and mirror housings.
On the rear, just visible in my first pic, there is a horrible sag in the lower rear fairing... you can see it a little in the maiden trip pic...


Its a design flaw and I can't stand it... it looks like its got a full diaper..
The lower bodywork is one constant curve... right thru the hose reel door then they changed the radius and flow within the rear wrap... it hangs down!
Moving the surface inboard and inside the bumper will give me more room to eliminate the saggy surface..

For info, the bumpers are hollow, with welded endcaps, so I could hide the ends within them..
Pic of inside of bumper end.

 

[Keyblazer]

Thanks Polydan... will do some reading there!

 

[rsanter]

Yes you can....with enough time and effort

Go to metal meet.com and see what those guys do.
You can even ask for someone there to make it for you

Bob

 

[Guster]

Have a look at Ron Covell's Youtube channel for some ideas and then www.covell.biz for his in-depth sheet metal work videos if you are interested. Another good source of training material and equipment is Baileigh's www.baileighindustrial.com and Lazze www.lazzemetalshaping.com. There are also a few on here like Robert's MP&C shop projects thread that you can learn a lot from.

Other than hammers, dollies and beater bags, shaping like this often require OA gas set, welding and planishing tools as well as an English wheel and jenny/swage which I would suggest for a 'bare metal' finish. Don't forget a significant amount of woodworking tools for making the forms for reproducing the panels. If done right you can reverse the form/pattern by taking it apart and flipping the profiles which not only saves a lot on materials but helps reproduce mirrored results. Alternative is to make mirrored profiles and do both panels at the same time.

In short, very possible! It will take some significant time, physical labour and a fairly steep learning curve if this is your first foray into sheet metal shaping.

 

[joe49]

Just a thought make the corners out of 3 or 4 pieces and rivet or bolt them. Would be smaller and more manageable to fab.

 

[Guster]

Just a thought make the corners out of 3 or 4 pieces and rivet or bolt them. Would be smaller and more manageable to fab.

That is pretty much how most complex body panels, fairings and tanks are built. Complex shapes broken down into their basic defining components and then assembled - usually through welding.

The more experienced fabricators also know where to put the seams between parts to reduce warping that requires additional work. That and knowing how quickly they can achieve a shape with tools on hand and how to do it without the material being pushed beyond its limits.

 

[Capt Chrysler]

Google Randy Ferguson or FaceBook search Ferguson Coachbuilding


Location Robinson, Illinois, United States

Randy Ferguson
Ferguson Coachbuilding
(618) 544-2972
www.metalmeet.com



Capt. Chrysler

 

[404]

If the goal is for these parts to fit well and look good, a FRP part coated with Spectra Chrome or equivalent system would get finished much sooner. If the goal is to learn how to hammer aluminum this is not an easy part to learn on.

Which is better, RVing with FRP chromed or staying at home beating Al sheet?

Regards,
404

 

[M G Koehler]

If the goal is for these parts to fit well and look good, a FRP part coated with Spectra Chrome or equivalent system would get finished much sooner. If the goal is to learn how to hammer aluminum this is not an easy part to learn on.

Which is better, RVing with FRP chromed or staying at home beating Al sheet?

Regards,
404

I would agree... those shapes will be a lot of work plus aluminum welding
Remember when you are metal finishing to a polished form you can't use bondo to smooth it out - there's a reason the factory makes them out of fiberglass

My brother did some kind of chrome plated/paint on the fiberglass body on his monster truck

 

[E12-535iTurbo]

If you study this topic you will be able to do it:

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/70135/panels

The advantage of metal and a welder is that you can cut/weld/grind/reshape/polish without end.

 

[Wanna Ride]

Someone else mentioned SpectraChrome. And you said you used to be a mold maker.

Making these panels out of aluminum sheet isn't impossible, but it is going to be very time consuming and very tedious. My suggestion: make the parts from fibreglass, include all of the provisions for your lighting ideas, and have SpectraChrome applied. That stuff creates some really good looking results. Google them. They will look phenomenal, be durable, and most importantly... you'll have the molds to replace them if they get damaged. And repairs will be MUCH quicker and more efficient. I'm certain they will look fantastic, so please continue to share pics, regardless which method you decide.

 

[volleyball]

Instead of aluminum or fiberglass, why not make the parts in a nicer design in modern bumper cover material? They will get beat a lot and the aluminum will be hard to repair, the fiberglass looks like ****. You could make some nice molds with your skills and may be able to sell to others.

 

[404]

If you study this topic you will be able to do it:

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/70135/panels

The advantage of metal and a welder is that you can cut/weld/grind/reshape/polish without end.

You are exactly correct. The without end part especially.

 

[404]

Instead of aluminum or fiberglass, why not make the parts in a nicer design in modern bumper cover material? They will get beat a lot and the aluminum will be hard to repair, the fiberglass looks like ****. You could make some nice molds with your skills and may be able to sell to others.

If ugly ones are 400 per corner.... Wow what could be charged for nice ones..

 

[Todd.Brock]

Look up Nastyzen- Claude, I believe. He built and amazing truck bed/body from scratch last winter. It's an awesome read in aluminum. You may pick up some tips there. If not , you will be hella impressed with the build.

 

[APEowner]

That's going to be a time consuming project and remember, you're talking about making four parts not one. It's certainly doable and you'll learn a lot. Personally I'd enjoy making the first one. The second one would be work but rewarding. The third one would just be work and I'd probably drive around with the fourth one still in broken plastic forever.

Have you thought about carbon fiber? It would have the vintage look but it would have the same beautifu,l form following function, bare raw material look as the rest of the rig.

 

[joe49]

That is pretty much how most complex body panels, fairings and tanks are built. Complex shapes broken down into their basic defining components and then assembled - usually through welding.

The more experienced fabricators also know where to put the seams between parts to reduce warping that requires additional work. That and knowing how quickly they can achieve a shape with tools on hand and how to do it without the material being pushed beyond its limits.

I know that is how to make them. My thought is he is not skilled in making this fabrication. So making small pieces and connecting them with rivets or bolts would make it less difficult, rather then welding it into a large panel.

 

[Keyblazer]

To answer a few comments...

Of course GRP is the easy way to go... but there are times when easy is not as much fun...
Yes, chrome paint was on my list of options for that panel... I have used that before, altho I think a light silver, high flake metallic paint would "Pop" better for me..

Carbon fiber... nah... same work as above, and too modern for my taste on this rig.

I did look at making the panel riveted... but its the same amount of work as what I am asking advice for, and I the actual joints would make it look too busy... kinda Stream Punkish... and again, not in place on my view of the exterior, which I want smooth and sleek.

There will be custom touches with riveted pieces, but I am being selective...

I have got a plan to Steam Punk the interior a little, with rich earthtone leather and punched/riveted/brushed/polished aluminum highlights.

The exterior will have some brushed aluminum highlights because there are cast parts that will not polish as well as the sheet..
Here is what I am working on finishing today...
Headlamp casting.
I blasted it clean, and played with the idea of going "as cast"...


After trying it back in place, I made a decision after much thought.
Black Powdercoated, with brushed highlights..



The following picture, I came across a few years back... nobody knows who's rig this is, but the picture is titles "Christine", probably because it nearly killed the owner! LOL.
Beautiful tho... man that rig is straight.
Note, that the owner painted the plastic parts light silver to match in as best they could.



The plan is to polish all of the Aluminum bodywork that I can... the roof above the eyeline will be painted white to insulate and reflect heat... plus the idea of getting up there to polish it scares me a lot... height + slippery surfaces = Pain.

 

[Keyblazer]

Does anyone have an opinion about my proposed construction method?

 

[IndyGarage]

The best aluminum fabrication I've ever seen was this guy...

http://www.studiotimecapsule.com/home

Just take a look at some of the projects he has done and be prepared to spend and hour or two with your jaw hanging open. Doesn't have very good English, but who cares - he's an artist.

He's in southern California. He might be able to tell you how to get started or maybe have him do the fabrication and allow you to do the polishing.

 

[Keyblazer]

The best aluminum fabrication I've ever seen was this guy...

http://www.studiotimecapsule.com/home

Just take a look at some of the projects he has done and be prepared to spend and hour or two with your jaw hanging open. Doesn't have very good English, but who cares - he's an artist.

He's in southern California. He might be able to tell you how to get started or maybe have him do the fabrication and allow you to do the polishing.

Nice work... gives me hope.