Thread: 55 Wagon Progress

Tweet

Final update of the class, pictures from yesterday.

Wheeling door skin for a sport coupe:










Annealing copper wire to use as rivets:














Cover plate for military vehicle:





Paper pattern











Tuck shrinking on post dolly








Forming upper quarter reverse














Wheel opening bead detail added











Tipping flange with vise grips with jaws that have been smoothed...





Stretching





























Loading stumps for the journey to their new home..











This class has been a blast, Peter is a wealth of knowledge and experience, and we are honored to have him share and pass this on to others. Anxiously looking forward to next year!

Why would you want to lead load aluminum sheet metal? Interesting process but not sure what the benefit is? Metal illiterate I am!

For an aluminum vehicle it makes a good filler for any panel seams, etc, as the heat opens the pores and the lead becomes impregnated into the aluminum. The panel used had been "door dinged" by a ball peen hammer and the lead was to simulate a repair..

Ah now that makes sense, thanks!

Originally Posted by MP&C

For an aluminum vehicle it makes a good filler for any panel seams, etc, as the heat opens the pores and the lead becomes impregnated into the aluminum. The panel used had been "door dinged" by a ball peen hammer and the lead was to simulate a repair..

So if the back side were fully accessible you'd probably shrink it back into original form as much as possible, but if it's blind backed the lead is a good fix? Just wondering.
Also, thanks for the pictures of the stumps being used. I happen to have a big ol' Hickory down, and just might cut one or two chunks out for beater platforms.

Thanks for sharing. Very informative.

An aluminum car has the same panel "connection" challenges as the steel cars. For the most part, aluminum is less than "receptive" to such fillers in it's static state, but given heat, the pores in the metal will open up to impregnate the lead into the aluminum. So in this application, lead makes a good transition across panel joints, or for dent/ding repairs.

And the old becomes the new, again....

Finishing up the scooter fender..,





Marked for trimming...











Tipping wheel to set the side flange....











Profile comparison, front to rear...








.....and side to side...








about ready for shipping to AZ.....





.... and Kyle is dressing some welds and weld touch up to get the body ready for media blasting...








Hey. you can still walk in this place...

You guys do some amazing work with metal! Thanks for sharing!

And you make it look easy. I could probably learn to pound a rough shape, given time, instruction and the right tools, but I don't think I could convert it to a perfect replacement panel that looks better than the original!

What an amazing class, and projects! I would pay to just sit, and watch!
Rich

Thanks for the comments guys, the class was a blast!

Not much to show, still working on grinding welds and filling pin holes... A good testament to using Tig or O/A welding


Also welded up/shaved the upper firewall seam....








Lesson for this evening is to watch welding around stuff mounted JUST BEHIND the firewall!

Well, more welding, grinding, and then we decided to give the roof insulation removal a try. Picked a spot and dumped on some lacquer thinner, which softened it up nicely and then made a sticky mess. So we put the putty knives aside and tried the paint scrapers..... without solvents. Dry removal was definitely better...














Also got another shipment of shirts in from Bonehead Graphics...





and promised the owner a modified set of spot welder tips to tackle his own wagon roof repairs...

Are you selling the shirts to the general public, or are they your uniforms?