Thread: More about wind wings---Brian

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Okay, it appears that we are still running on the old server---at any rate I can't find my thread about wind wings.--Anyhoo---I received the windwings and straight arm mirrors from Speedway, (through Hortons Rod Shop here in Ontario). They look like very good quality peices, and I went over this morning to have the wind-wings trimmed down to the size I require (a bit off each end). These wind wings are made of 3/16" clear Lexan, and since I had never cut this stuff before, I wanted to have them cut by people who work with lexan everyday. I took them over to the local glass and mirror shop, expecting that they would cut them with something really hi-tech, like a laser or water jet cutter. Instead, out comes Gonzo, the village idiot, and cuts them with an old sabre saw. ARGHHH---if I'd known it was that easy, I'd have done it myself at home!!!! They only charged me $5.00, so it wasn't a major loss anyways----I'll know better next time.
I brought them home and filed the sawcut edges with a new fine flat file, then blocked them with some 600 grit paper. I am sure thaere must be something I can do to make them a little "clearer" at the sawcut edges, but right now I don't know what it is.
I just discovered the first caveat. The chrome brackets have extended locating shoulders around the bolt holes that fit into a hole in the Lexan.---Trouble is, that extended shoulder is 5/16" diameter, while the hole in the windwings is 1/4" diameter. A bit of carefull drill-press work and silent prayer , and the holes got enlarged in my garage without breaking anything. The picture shows one modified wind wing with the 5/16 holes I put in it, and the other (as supplied by Speedway, with the 1/4" holes in it.) Kinda dumb on their part, considering what paid for these things.
----More to follow---Brian

The wind wings are now installed. To anyone who considers doing this, use a 10-32 tap along with a 0.156 dia. tap drill to put threads into the sedan posts. There are 2 layers of thin sheet metal there, about 3/8" apart, one the outer painted surface, the other inside the post. I will also use some blue loctite on the screw threads when I am totally finished.
Screw-ups encountered??? Well, none, really---except as noted in the previous post, the holes in the lexan are too small and have to be drilled out larger. ---AND---I ordered clear lexan, not smoked, damn it!!! I cut them to size before removing the brown "stick-on" paper that they are covered with for protection, when you receive them.---Then when I peel the paper of---SURPRISE---they are smoked, not clear like I wanted, and now they are modified and can't be returned!!!
Not a really big deal, as my windshield has a light "smoked" tint to it anyways.

A close up shot--

Brian, you might try some jewelers rouge on the rough edges.

edges can be polished by successively sanding with finer grit sandpaper, or using a buffer and compound,To get a sharp edge with sandpaper, use a sanding block to keep the edge flat. If you want a rounded edge, use hand sanding. Using wet/dry sandpaper with water will give the best results.

Using a buffer can polish your edge very quickly. Either sand until smooth and then buff with blue compound, or buff first with red compound, then blue on a separate buffing wheel. Don’t allow the buffer to catch the edge of the material, it may get thrown.

Thanks Mike---I have an old buffing kit that I bought from Eastwood years ago---it has 4 different sticks of grit in what appears to be a hard wax base (the sticks are solid and are used to apply the grit to various polishing buffs.) I have Emery, Stainless, Tripoli, and White Rouge. I may try some white rouge on a loose cotton buff and see what the results are.
I use the kit for polishing all the bits and peices I have custom machined from stainless steel, and it really works great for that.

Originally posted by brianrupnow
Thanks Mike---I have an old buffing kit that I bought from Eastwood years ago--- I use the kit for polishing all the bits and peices I have custom machined from stainless steel, and it really works great for that.

Brian. I am interested to know about this kit you refer to. Sounds like the application I will be needing (later) for the cleanup and polishing of my Stude Stainless Grille assembly. Any particulars you may share as to Stainless work would be appreciated. The crevices and intricate configurations are a concern of my futue tasks.
. Thanks.

Hi Walt---Nice to hear from you. I bought the kit about 15 years ago, thru Eastwood, and it was a really great purchase. It included the 4 different grades of grit that I mention in the previous post, and three 6" diameter buffs, that mount on a standard bench grinder. The buffs come with different sized plastic hub bushings to accomodate whatever shaft size the grinder has. The coarsest buff is made from sisal, and is quite aggresive and is used with the emery grit for smoothing really rough stuff. The medium buff is a spiral sewn cotton, which is used with the less aggresive grits, and the third buff is a loose cotton buff, for the final polishing using the white rouge. The kit comes with an instruction booklet which tells what buff to use with what compound. This kit is for use on large peices that can be picked up and manually presented to the buff wheel mounted on the grinder. There are smaller buffs available for getting into small corners like on an aluminum wheel or an intake manifold, and they are generally driven by a flexible shaft which attach to the bench grinder, however I don't have that set-up.
My kit gives very satisfactory results, and the grit sticks (for lack of something better to call them) last a long time.

Will attempt a procurement of this kit. Bench grinder pads (as you state ) will work for manual feed. Shall attempt to conjure up smaller pads for a Dremel application in the hard to access areas.
Thanks
BTW enjoy views of your ride. Shows pride! Com'on Spring.