Hi All, (again)


With a great deal of help from Trev D, both design wise, and in the "how to do it department",
I now have a wooden buck on which to build my nose cone.

Hopefully the shape will be a bit more pleasing to the eye, and after the four hour round trip
that Trev made to put me right I will be able to do him justice.
He is a top man and I am deeply in his debt.


So, ally bashing in the morning then.


Paul G
Rescued attachment Nose-number-2s.jpg

If the buck is anything to go by, it should look really cool ( yes I'm old ). Very shark's gob. Like it!
If TrevD is advising you won't go far wrong. His machine is awesome.
It's amazing what can be achieved with a hammer.

Looking good (as usual). Always good to see people doing something different and learning the 'proper' way of doing things.

After many hours of bending, stretching, shrinking, and general hammering and banging, I've now got a top piece.

Now where did I put that old slapper?



I kind of like the pointy front edge.

I've done the bottom so next job are the sides.

Next update in about a month. ( Who's idea was this? )

Paul G
Rescued attachment n-c-top-003s.jpg

i take my hat off to u mate, working on something like that is not only hard but so time consuming i would have gone mad. It looks great.

quote:

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Originally posted by Moorron
i take my hat off to u mate, working on something like that is not only hard but so time consuming i would have gone mad. It looks great.

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Hi Paul, Love the shape so far!! pointie bit looks excellent keep up the good work you've done the hard part enjoy the rest!!

all the best Trev

awesome!!! us lazy folks would do that from glass fibere

Now I AM impressed!

Can't wait to see the finished item...

David

I bow down to you Paul, that's fantastic. As other have said, the investment in time and patience is impressive, let alone the finished item.

Looking ahead, once you've finished prototyping will you be offering ally nose cones for sale to the rest of us (I don't want to know what they would cost )

quote:

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Originally posted by 02GF74
awesome!!! us lazy folks would do that from glass fibere

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hmmmm i nearly posted a link from metalmeet the other day asking if it was anyone on here. now i know

What colour are you going to paint it?

quote:

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Originally posted by Peteff
What colour are you going to paint it?

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Hi All,

Thanks for the encouragement. I need something to keep me going.


Nick. Don't even think about it.
At the speed I'm making this one it would be quicker to set an acorn and build your own dug out canoe.

Glass fibre? I couldn't do it. I'm rubbish with filler and paint.

Dave. I've been sussed. Good site is M/M.

Pete. Paint it? That's a point. I'll have to put something down on the V5.

How about Battleship Grey?


Cheers

Paul G

Hi Paul, Really pleased to see your post. The time with no news was quite worrying! I knew you'd crack it though.

The cost of the shrinker might have hurt but you will be amazed how useful it will be. Using my shrinker, I made a ledge for the bonnet to sit on by starting with a right angle fold.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l57/bonnett_2006/phoenix36002Medium.jpg

As an aside, what would be a realistic price for a handcrafted aluminium nosecone?

Looking forward to the next pics.

alb

John

quote:

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Originally posted by John Bonnett
Hi Paul, Really pleased to see your post. The time with no news was quite worrying! I knew you'd crack it though.

The cost of the shrinker might have hurt but you will be amazed how useful it will be. Using my shrinker, I made a ledge for the bonnet to sit on by starting with a right angle fold.
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l57/bonnett_2006/phoenix36002Medium.jpg

As an aside, what would be a realistic price for a handcrafted aluminium nosecone?

Looking forward to the next pics.

alb

John

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Another work of art from Mr 907!

My exhaust can is sat on the bookshelf in my bedroom.... too good for the car

Another piece of the jigsaw.

Just the top and bottom edge to trim.



I'm getting all excited now.

Paul G
Rescued attachment nose-cone-side-005s.jpg

Didn't Caterers or Lotus used to do one for something like £700? I'm sure I saw something in the dim and distant past.

Someone told me of one on eBay with a buy it now of £700 odd a while ago.

Apparently advertised as "fits Caterham or Locost"

I can't imagine it fitting both, well not properly anyway.

Paul G

Demon Theives used to advertise an alloy Cateringvan nose. IIRC it was £1500 plus the dreaded...

Thats shaping up very nicely Paul. Youl have to have another BBQ to show it off

I cant wait to see your car finished.

At the rate im going itl be sva'd before mine aswell.

[Edited on 4/9/06 by Danozeman]

Quality.

Thanks.

I've been at it all night.

I now have all four bits.

Ready to trim for welding

Paul G
Rescued attachment Nose-test-fit-003s.jpg

OOOHHHH, very shiny!

Wow that's truly awesome!! If only i'd known about shrinking hammers before cutting lots of slots in my scuttle and rear panel bends! I just assumed panel beating types used elven magic, voodoo and what not.

Does one of you bodywork wizards fancy doing my bonnet?? After how hard it was to just bend my scuttle, im scared to even attempt a bonnet in my 18swg NS4... would one of those english wheel things help?

Liam

quote:

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Originally posted by Liam
Wow that's truly awesome!! If only i'd known about shrinking hammers before cutting lots of slots in my scuttle and rear panel bends! I just assumed panel beating types used elven magic, voodoo and what not.

Does one of you bodywork wizards fancy doing my bonnet?? After how hard it was to just bend my scuttle, im scared to even attempt a bonnet in my 18swg NS4... would one of those english wheel things help?

Liam

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Rescued attachment shrinking-004s.jpg

Thanks Paul!

What grade of ally are you using out of interest? I was told i'd want NS4 half hard which is a 5xxx series alloy. I see that others use a 1xxx series. I dunno if i've actually got the wrong stuff - it's 18swg but it's bitchin. The scuttle was hard enough to bend, the rear panel needed some serious force, and i dread to think what it's gonna take to do the whole length of a bonnet!!

I can see the ratchet strap method not doing all that much, especially to the middle of the bonnet. Assuming i'm actually strong enough, I dont like my chances of accuracy using my local lamp post. I guess it's a bend and trim afterwards job rather than being able to rely on the lining paper template method i used for the other panels? Could i anneal the area to be bent?

Oh well we'll see... just need to stop procrastinating and jump in. If i mess up my sheet of ally i'll just buy some 20swg soft stuff for attempt 2...

Cheers

Liam

P.S. What is that thing in the bottom pic? Another tool that creates impossible shapes from sheet metal?

I got the sheet from Aalco. They only stock the bog standard half hard stuff.
Anything else is order, and wait, and then wait a bit more.

You can anneal, soap mark one side, heat the other, but if you do you can end up too soft.

I'm told that the idea is to end up with a work hardened panel that is nice and stiff so it holds its shape.
A soft bonnet would tend to sag.

Bottom pic is the shrinker. Steel jaws grip and squeeze together. Crackin' tool.

Paul G

If you ever see an Eckold Metalwerker at auction, then grab it.

To see an artist at work with one of these machines is mesmerising.

They use them in boatbuilding a lot, on some fairly thick sheet and extrusions.

I watched a highly experinced operator make a 12" diameter ball (in two halves)out of 3/8" sheet, in about 20 mins! And that was for fun, so that they could have there own 'falling ball', as in Times Square', at New Years Eve.

Cheers,
Syd.

Nice Job, imposible is nothing

Cheers
Maradona

quote:

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Originally posted by Syd Bridge
If you ever see an Eckold Metalwerker at auction, then grab it.

To see an artist at work with one of these machines is mesmerising.

They use them in boatbuilding a lot, on some fairly thick sheet and extrusions.

I watched a highly experinced operator make a 12" diameter ball (in two halves)out of 3/8" sheet, in about 20 mins! And that was for fun, so that they could have there own 'falling ball', as in Times Square', at New Years Eve.

Cheers,
Syd.

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I've still got to polish it but at least its now fitted on the car.

Paul G
Rescued attachment nose-s.gif

Now that does look good!

(show off! )

David

Well done Paul, the nosecone looks magnificent and you can be justly proud of what you have achieved. A really professional job. The front mudguard look good too, was this another job for the shrinker?
alb
John

Yup, the shrinker was involved John.

I have a ring of pipe.
The sheet is ratchet strapped around the pipe and the sheet edge tapped with a rubber hammer.
When the edge starts to ripple I run it through the shrinker.
I do this 4 times and then run it through the wheel to take out the lumps and bumps.
Wire the edge and then run longways through the wheel to give the centre of the sheet some curvature.
(They look a bit flat in the pic.)

There now ready for filing, sanding, then polishing.

I just wish they were a pair.

Cheers

Paul G

Someones been very busy, amazing the amount of time you have when the computer goes bang? Looks good to me

Hi Paul

A really neat way to make the mudguards. Do you have a swaging machine with tooling for wiring the edges?
alb
John

quote:

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Originally posted by John Bonnett
Hi Paul

A really neat way to make the mudguards. Do you have a swaging machine with tooling for wiring the edges?
alb
John

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Rescued attachment swager-m-s.gif

You are right about tooling marking the sheet but your wheels look ideal for the job. i've found that the tool used for door skinning is good for closing around the wire. It is specially made to protect the outside of the door and works really well for mudguards etc. I got mine from Woolies.

I love your former, how on earth did you manage to bend the pipe to the correct radius? That's a work of art in itself. Would it be feasible to have a double ring and do both sides of the mudguard at once?

I'm looking forward to seeing the rear mudguards. Should be a piece of cake after the nosecone.

Best wishes

John

quote:

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Originally posted by John Bonnett
You are right about tooling marking the sheet but your wheels look ideal for the job. i've found that the tool used for door skinning is good for closing around the wire. It is specially made to protect the outside of the door and works really well for mudguards etc. I got mine from Woolies.

I love your former, how on earth did you manage to bend the pipe to the correct radius? That's a work of art in itself. Would it be feasible to have a double ring and do both sides of the mudguard at once?

I'm looking forward to seeing the rear mudguards. Should be a piece of cake after the nosecone.

Best wishes

John

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Sorry Paul , forgot about the door skinning tool I mentioned at Donnington. Will try to find it tomorrow .

Read this with interest.. and Amazement.

Only thing I have over Paul is I am Fatter
And that shows.... Look in the Interior and Seating thread... Broke my seat after only 1900 miles on the road.

A truly Bat Fastard am I

quote:

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Originally posted by rusty nuts
Sorry Paul , forgot about the door skinning tool I mentioned at Donnington. Will try to find it tomorrow .

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That nose cone looks superb mate.

I take my hat off to you..

quote:

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Originally posted by Danozeman
That nose cone looks superb mate.

I take my hat off to you..

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Rescued attachment trev-and-me.jpg

Trevor is a top bloke and his car is excellent.

I wish i had half the skills you 2 do..