I was working alone today. I got more done then I figured I would but I kept busy in between Daytona 500 breaks!
I puttered around a bit before I got to work on the van. I went thru a box of old drill bits and sharpened and sorted around 30 of them. I also put new points on a couple of worn center punches. I chucked them in the lathe and ran a carbide over them to sweeten up the points.
I got the 1 1/2" aluminum tubing I ordered for the fuel filler. I trimmed off the 180 degree piece to make the fill neck and cut a hole intot the corner of the tank for it.
http://images14.fotki.com/v777/photo...MVC006F-vi.jpg
http://images56.fotki.com/v124/photo...MVC002F-vi.jpg
http://images12.fotki.com/v236/photo...MVC003F-vi.jpg
I did a bit of figuring to start making the tunnel pieces for the suspension notches. The bars come up thru the floor at about a 15 degree angle so I based my drawing on that.
The bottom edge of the cardboard is the floor. You can see the angle of the rear panel on the left and the flange is apparent at the back of the floor.
http://images15.fotki.com/v792/photo...MVC008F-vi.jpg
Mel and I figured a 4" wide tunnel should be plenty to clear the bars so, with this drawing and the knowledge that 1/2 the circumference of a 4" circle is 6.28", I sheared off a couiple strips of 20ga at 10" wide. That will give me a 2" deep "skirt" on either side to reach down to the floor.
This is one of the pieces with a centerline and two tangencies laid out for rolling.
http://images61.fotki.com/v52/photos...MVC007F-vi.jpg
Just getting the shape started on the 3 in 1.
http://images16.fotki.com/v258/photo...MVC009F-vi.jpg
After a few trips through the rolls I had a shape that was close. I use the tangent lines as a guide for the rolls. As I roll the steel back and forth I stay inside the tangent lines. This maintains a straight skirt on either side.
http://images16.fotki.com/v383/photo...MVC012F-vi.jpg
After the piece comes off the rolls I need to do a little "sweetening".
http://images43.fotki.com/v1505/phot...MVC013F-vi.jpg
Clamping the piece to the bench so I can hand bend it to straighten out the profile. That's a piece of 1 x 2 tubing clampes on the tin.
http://images108.fotki.com/v1623/pho...MVC015F-vi.jpg
Here you can see the profile is pretty darn close. This took about 15 minutes from layout to formed piece.
http://images20.fotki.com/v1588/phot...MVC014F-vi.jpg
Sweet!
http://images61.fotki.com/v53/photos...MVC016F-vi.jpg
Mocked up in van. Obviously this is a bit long....
http://images60.fotki.com/v367/photo...MVC020F-vi.jpg
http://images12.fotki.com/v531/photo...MVC001F-vi.jpg
I made another tunnel and got everything mocked up before I knocked off at 4 and went in to finish watching the 500...
http://images59.fotki.com/v255/photo...MVC011F-vi.jpg
http://images59.fotki.com/v684/photo...MVC012F-vi.jpg
Well, thanks for watching. I hope to get a bit more done during the week so I'll keep you updated.
Mark