Fun with Aluminum

[Horse]

SO -
For my Manufacturing Eng class this past few months I have been required to have some projects to turn in. One of these you saw with my license plate frame in the our cars look good thread. Here is another project in its roughed out stage. I had to proof the program so I did it, then before it got to finish pass I removed my part to check fitment.

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Horse/Images/Foggy.JPG

Its a bracket/grill for the MSP to mount my FET 85W Ion Fog lamps. It also replaces the stock grills but maintains the look, especially after I get them anodized black. Remember that this example is only 1/8" thick and only the roughed out prototype. The final version is yet to be cut out but is .25 inches thick and will be much closer to the stock look with way thinner webbing and screw holes for the attatching hardware.


Just an Idea of the fun things that I get to make for myself. Next up - Radio pocket guage panel (hopefully with a slight angle to the guages) and if I can get ahold of a welder I can be converting the Injen I just ordered into a heat shielded SRI.

But first - on to this project that needs to be done before May 5-
http://www.msprotege.com/members/Horse/BYU EVRT/DSCF0011.JPG
http://www.msprotege.com/members/Horse/BYU EVRT/DSCF0041.JPG

 

[jflo]

what is that ? and that's a cool looking bracket !

 

[Horse]

what is that ? and that's a cool looking bracket !

Its a GM EV1 drag race car- its powered by 130 Maxwell Industries 2500 Farad Capacitors. Yeah thats right - its 325,000 Farads. Problem is that the power only lasts about 20 sec- so it HAS to be a drag race car. With only the Caps instead of batteries last year it ran a 15.7 1/4. It hold the worlds record for modified electric production car 1/4. All that with an open diff and a direct drive ( no gears). We are installing a computer capacitor pack charge balancer, A two speed chain-drive "tranny", locked minispool, Lowered the car about 6 inches, and hopfully out of the box it will run high 14's and mid to low 13's with tuning and sprocket swaps.

PS - its computer shifted by an ABS wheel speed sensor on the driver rear wheel. At a certain frequency ( im not the brains in that area- trust me ) it tells the computer to switch the clutches. The beginning clutch is out of a Robert Yates (the UPS teamBTW) NASCAR Car and the overriding clutch is from a - well I dont remember- but the Yates clutch (bow) it a carbon multiplate clutch - FOR FREE!! ( i may have to actually like Dale now)

 

[jflo]

wow...crazy stuff ! that's a lot of power...don't electrocute yourself now

 

[wicked]

thats some trick s***.

 

[Jeph]

DUDE hoook a brother up, I need some intercooler brackets, should be REALLY easy

 

[Fakhelek]

...
Just an Idea of the fun things that I get to make for myself. Next up - Radio pocket guage panel (hopefully with a slight angle to the guages) and if I can get ahold of a welder I can be converting the Injen I just ordered into a heat shielded SRI.
...

This is a little off-topic, but maybe you can answer a question for me. I was thinking that it would be really cool to replace the silver painter dash panel surrounding the stereo, A/C knobs, etc with a brushed aluminum piece.

Is it possible to take the plastic piece to someone and have them fabricate a brushed aluminum replacement? If so, what would it take in terms of skill/money?

I know you can get pieces that glue on, but I don't see it being really that much more expensive for an aluminum piece. Of course I don't know if it takes special bending equipment.

Any help would be great.

 

[Horse]

This is a little off-topic, but maybe you can answer a question for me. I was thinking that it would be really cool to replace the silver painter dash panel surrounding the stereo, A/C knobs, etc with a brushed aluminum piece.

Is it possible to take the plastic piece to someone and have them fabricate a brushed aluminum replacement? If so, what would it take in terms of skill/money?

I know you can get pieces that glue on, but I don't see it being really that much more expensive for an aluminum piece. Of course I don't know if it takes special bending equipment.

Any help would be great.

Well - are you talking a full aluminum billit design for the whole center thingy? If so I would think that any shop with a CMM (coordinate measuring machine) and a good CAM (camputer aided manufacturing) Program should be able to crank you out one-
Just in case you are thinking the whole thing in alum - a billit that big to start machining on should be in the $80-100 range before the machine has even touched it.

 

[Horse]

Hey, take a look at www.03msp.com - we do this as well. Just make sure you don't infringe on our G3 patent.

- Brian

(uhm)

Are you talking to me?

 

[Jeph]

Can you fab me some intercooler brackets in about a month or so?

 

[Horse]

Can you fab me some intercooler brackets in about a month or so?

pm me - ill see what I can do -

 

[Fakhelek]

Well - are you talking a full aluminum billit design for the whole center thingy? If so I would think that any shop with a CMM (coordinate measuring machine) and a good CAM (camputer aided manufacturing) Program should be able to crank you out one-
Just in case you are thinking the whole thing in alum - a billit that big to start machining on should be in the $80-100 range before the machine has even touched it.

I'm not sure what you mean by the whole center thingy. I am talking about the silver plastic piece in this. I would be surprised if it would take $80 worth of aluminum (or $300 to fabricate as another post suggests) for this.

P.S. What type of shop would have a CMM? I haven't noticed any retail metalworking shops in my area. I wouldn't know what to look for.

 

[Horse]

I'm not sure what you mean by the whole center thingy. I am talking about the silver plastic piece in this. I would be surprised if it would take $80 worth of aluminum (or $300 to fabricate as another post suggests) for this.

P.S. What type of shop would have a CMM? I haven't noticed any retail metalworking shops in my area. I wouldn't know what to look for.

Im at work right now so I cant see your pic -
I think that we may have a fundamental difference in what we are talking about - Ill have to check it later when I get home at 2AM!!

 

[t3ase]

(uhm)

Are you talking to me?

.....I can't believe he pulled the "infringe" statement. Wow. *goes in to disbelief*

 

[muohio]

I'm not sure what you mean by the whole center thingy. I am talking about the silver plastic piece in this. I would be surprised if it would take $80 worth of aluminum (or $300 to fabricate as another post suggests) for this.

P.S. What type of shop would have a CMM? I haven't noticed any retail metalworking shops in my area. I wouldn't know what to look for.

The block of aluminum to build that would have to 3" thick and like 16-18" long and 12" wide at least (just a guess). That would set you back $80 and the machines are expensive to use just for one piece.

My uncle does this kind of work out of his shop and I know the machine time is very expensive. I'm not that familiar with it, but he spent roughly $200k for just the machine.

 

[Horse]

The block of aluminum to build that would have to 3" thick and like 16-18" long and 12" wide at least (just a guess). That would set you back $80 and the machines are expensive to use just for one piece.

My uncle does this kind of work out of his shop and I know the machine time is very expensive. I'm not that familiar with it, but he spent roughly $200k for just the machine.

A block that big would set you back a lot more than $80 - more like $150

 

[yashooa]

.....I can't believe he pulled the "infringe" statement. Wow. *goes in to disbelief*

Yeah what an asshat! Like that flimsy thing he makes could compare to a billit design. (jerkit)

 

[Fakhelek]

The block of aluminum to build that would have to 3" thick and like 16-18" long and 12" wide at least (just a guess). That would set you back $80 and the machines are expensive to use just for one piece.

My uncle does this kind of work out of his shop and I know the machine time is very expensive. I'm not that familiar with it, but he spent roughly $200k for just the machine.

Did you look at the photo? How thick do you think I want the piece to be? I would think that a block about the dimensions of a soda can would be enough. I wouldn't expect to need to more than about 1/4 in thick and I don't think the fabricated piece would be more than 18"X12". The block you describe (3" thick) would be 12X as much volume. Maybe I am missing something.

 

[muohio]

A block that big would set you back a lot more than $80 - more like $150

I stand corrected. I just know that a block like that isn't cheap. Only other way would be to use a sheet of aluminum and bend it on an English wheel and a hammer.

 

[muohio]

Did you look at the photo? How thick do you think I want the piece to be? I would think that a block about the dimensions of a soda can would be enough. I wouldn't expect to need to more than about 1/4 in thick and I don't think the fabricated piece would be more than 18"X12". The block you describe (3" thick) would be 12X as much volume. Maybe I am missing something.

Are you talking about the entire plastic piece that has the HVAC controls and wraps all the way up to the vents or are you talking about the pocket cover?