gahrajmahal
Well-known member
I use coat hanger or welding wire to test out my tubing path. Sometimes what looks like a good path won't work in a crowded engine compartment due to interference not immediately apparent . Nice work.
Fox Valley Fab: Shop Projects
- Thread starter yaidunno
- Start date
fnieto
Well-known member
Great thread and excellent work.
Funny you mention that, as I did use some welding rod to mock up the radiator tubes. It works well. Thanks for checking things out!
Thanks much Paco!
I haven't had much time out in the shop as of late. We are doing a bathroom remodel and trying to get some seat time on the sleds before all the snow melts. I did get a few hours last night though, and put all the components back on the frame. This will allow me to plumb the air and brake lines. I'm pretty tired of looking at all the rust, but I want to make sure I have all the details sorted out before the frame is coated.
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Tunajoe
Well-known member
Subscribed.....
Love your attention to detail.
Thanks for sharing
Love your attention to detail.
Thanks for sharing
Thank you Joe!
I figured I'd give this thread a quick update. There hasn't been a whole lot of fab work lately, but a few noteworthy projects none the less.
First up is a set of bushings and sleeves I spun up for a set of used long travel arms I picked up.
Next is a rather odd project. A friend of mine needed a set of progressively larger dominos for a work presentation. The larger 4 sizes will be made from sheet metal.
I had a boat trailer mast come in for some repairs as well. The bottom welds were cracking, and a new horizontal winch brace was needed. They had a little oops moment when loading the boat last season that caused the damage.
Next up was cleaning up the calipers and rotors on the grocery getter. It's just caliper paint, so cut me some slack!
This was in preparation for the new wheels and tires. Nothing worse than having some rusty calipers and rotors hanging out behind new goods.
Not shown is the new buffer and Menzerna polishes and paint sealant. It brings out a hell of a finish and a Teflon smooth surface. Also taking the time to clean all the black trim and apply Meguiars black magic.
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don long
Well-known member
Yaidunno.
I just found your new thread tonight and spent the time going over your projects.
After working on my 62 Vette I can identify with your feelings on the exaust and plumbing issues. I need to look at a couple of my fittings that won't stop leaking. Reading your thread may have helped me identify some of my issues.
I'll be checking in often for sure.
Thanks for the help
Don
I just found your new thread tonight and spent the time going over your projects.
After working on my 62 Vette I can identify with your feelings on the exaust and plumbing issues. I need to look at a couple of my fittings that won't stop leaking. Reading your thread may have helped me identify some of my issues.
I'll be checking in often for sure.
Thanks for the help
Don
Thanks for checking things out Don. I hope you have resolved your leaking fittings!
Thanks for following along, neighbor.
Some updates in the shop. Nothing major. I was able to get the domino project finished up. All the sheet metal pieces were cross broke to add strength and prevent oil canning. It worked out well.
I took on the project of some rust repair on a pair of doors. As expected, it has snowballed, though not out of control yet. To start, I made up a replacement panel for the bottom of the door.
Here it is tacked in place.
And this is mostly welded in.
The outside was originally to be re skinned on just the bottom 5-6". After getting things apart, and taking a closer look, it was apparent that a new skin from the body line down would be needed. There is a good amount of mud, dents, and holes in the panel that would need patch work fixes down the road. I determined that it would be best to fix it properly the first time. I will be ordering up a rubber band for my wheel to help form the curve by the body line.
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MP&C
Well-known member
Nice work on the door. You can also use a cross section of an inner tube for your upper wheel. I prefer the go-kart slick though...
Thanks Robert. I wish I had a spare inner tube from the garden tractor at home. I'll check the local farm supply store. Surely one can be made to work!
A go kart slick is certainly on my long term radar for the wheel. I'm guessing its even more effective than the rubber band trick.
MP&C
Well-known member
More give, better response. What size is your upper wheel? Axle size?
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Great job on the door repair. It is items like that I wish I had a pan break. Very nice and clean repair on that door bottom.
I've got a 8x3 wheel from Hoosier Profiles. It uses their standard axle in the quick adjust holder. I'd have to measure the axle. The tire seems to be easy to find. A proper wheel for it, not so much.
Great job on the door repair. It is items like that I wish I had a pan break. Very nice and clean repair on that door bottom.
Thanks much! The brake has been getting some good use lately.
MP&C
Well-known member
What I used on my fabricated machine, I think it had a couple washers added as spacers to keep it centered:
The Toro replacement part 68-8970 (of Chinese decent) wheel fits real nice, almost like it's supposed to be there.
The turf tire that came with the wheel and hub assy was swapped for a slick. The hub is a 3-1/4 wide with 3/4 shaft dia, roller bearings.
Partially inflated (deflated?), it kept the panel nice and flat lengthwise.
The Toro replacement part 68-8970 (of Chinese decent) wheel fits real nice, almost like it's supposed to be there.
The turf tire that came with the wheel and hub assy was swapped for a slick. The hub is a 3-1/4 wide with 3/4 shaft dia, roller bearings.
Partially inflated (deflated?), it kept the panel nice and flat lengthwise.
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That's great Robert! Thanks for posting that. Looking up the P/N, I see Oregon offers a direct replacement, but it actually comes with a slick tire. P/N on that is 72-335.
I will get the holder measured up tonight. If I could just buy a drop in setup for $57, that would seem to be the way to go!
I will get the holder measured up tonight. If I could just buy a drop in setup for $57, that would seem to be the way to go!
FallibleFlyer
Well-known member
Those are some clean patch panels, well done
Thank you Sir. Still learning as I go, but starting to get the hang of it.
Last night I welded up an airbox for a project car my dad is working on. Its been some time since I've welded aluminum, and I was reminded of how enjoyable it is. It makes me wish I had more AL projects in the shop.
I ended up going with a band on the English wheel. It should be here on Thursday. I currently have the carriage of the lathe taken apart for some long overdue cleaning and service work, so modifying the wheel/hub isn't in the cards right now. I'll get some photos of that in the next day or so.
I ended up going with a band on the English wheel. It should be here on Thursday. I currently have the carriage of the lathe taken apart for some long overdue cleaning and service work, so modifying the wheel/hub isn't in the cards right now. I'll get some photos of that in the next day or so.
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zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Great job on the airbox. I'm with you, I kinda enjoy welding on aluminum and working with it and wish I had more projects out of aluminum.
Stooge
Well-known member
Just found your thread, and am in awe! Phenomenal work everywhere, and that aluminum intake is a thing of art and beauty!
Definitely subscribed!
Definitely subscribed!
Thanks much Mike!
Thanks for checking things out and following along Stooge!
GLTHFJ60
Well-known member
What's up with the dual inlets on the airbox?
Looks awesome!
Looks awesome!
That I could not tell you. I wasn't involved in the design of it. Thanks for checking things out!
Here's the lathe project I've got going. I've made a handful of repairs so far, but did not document them fully. Sadly, I did not take any before photos, but the backside was covered in a tar so thick that it did not let the half nuts fully engage the thread shaft.
First up is the gear set that transfers power from the feed shaft to the carriage gears. If you look closely at the old key, you'll notice that there was only about .02-.03" of material left engaging the slot on the shaft!
I made up a new key, due to its odd shape and size. The key was inserted from the inside, then a mandrel was put in the bore to suspend the key tightly. From there, the top of the key is peened in place, and then carefully blended into the OD of the gear race.
The other significant repair needed was on the receiving gear. At some point in its life, somebody ran the power feed into something that did not move. This gear is both keyed, and held in place with a set screw that splits the shaft and the gear. Well, as you can imagine, both the key and setscrew were sheared. Oddly enough, the setscrew got wedged in place and still allowed it to function. Thankfully I was able to save both the shaft and the gear!
The last shot is of the naked lathe. Bearings, felt, and retaining rings will be arriving from McMaster tonight that will let me wrap this up and get it back in service.
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Thanks much.
I got the lathe put back together last night. I was pleasantly surprised with how smooth the carriage hand wheel is with the new bearings in place. While it was being worked on, it seemed appropriate to check and tighten the head stock bearings.
While it might be old, the mass and tightness of this lathe can still produce some very respectable finishes. This was a .05 face cut at 1000 RPM on 3" mild steel.
Once that was wrapped up, it was time to install the rubber band.
This is just a practice piece, so please bear with me. There were also some passes without the rubber on here, but it really formed quite well.
Straightness is certainly acceptable. Back to more rust/door repair tonight!
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Last night, with the help of the wife, I was able to roll out my first door skin. For being a rookie at this, it turned out quite well I think. The wheel worked just as planned, and really made this possible. Time was taken to mask and layout the exact areas that needed to be wheeled.
I will need to make a few further repairs where the tube framed mirrors bolted on, before I can install my skin. I'm up against some pretty significant mud work on that area on this door, as the area has been dented in badly. Thankfully the other door does not appear to have this much mud.
I will need to make a few further repairs where the tube framed mirrors bolted on, before I can install my skin. I'm up against some pretty significant mud work on that area on this door, as the area has been dented in badly. Thankfully the other door does not appear to have this much mud.
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Thanks BF!
I'm going to trim out the original door skins on the shear so he can hang them up. My guess is that he will have the doors re lettered again, so all is not lost!
MP&C
Well-known member
Nice job on the door skin, you'll have to take your wife out in the shop more often!
Haha, it would sure seem that way! She did a great job with keeping the tracking straight and supporting the panel.
travisn1
Well-known member
Not doing anything to the inside of the door?
The insides of the door and skins will certainly be coated before its put together. I wanted to get the upper patch panel in place and trimmed before prepping for the coating.
Stooge
Well-known member
the new repairs and door skins look absolutely beautiful!
and the old door repairs look really familiar!
and the old door repairs look really familiar!
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Fantastic work on the door skin.
Dirt_Racer41
Member
Wow. Looks great.
Thanks much guys. Hoping to make some more progress on the door tonight. Spent most of the weekend digging out of 1-1/2' of snow. Not exactly what I wanted to be doing!
I know, I know, more work on these damn doors. Well, this one is all wrapped up. The inside was sealed up with a rust primer, and the skin was scuffed and shot in just a regular primer. The body line seam welded up great and showed no signs of warping. Hemming went well, no real surprises. It took about 4 passes on each to get it drawn tight to the inner panel. The drains on the bottom came out exactly like the original, though I might bump them around a bit to give a straighter edge on the bottom.
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PurpleZj
Well-known member
Absolutely beautiful work. One day I hope to have the tools and know how to work sheet metal like that. Also i love the Fuel line work. I may have to borrow some ideas when I redo the lines on my foxbody
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tc-cad
Well-known member
Fox Valley can you mandrel Bend 304SS 2.5" dia into a 45 degree angle 6" or so leg on each side is ok? What is the price for two of these? I am in Mequon, WI.
Tom
414-530-6662 cell
Tom
414-530-6662 cell