Fun with Aluminum

[Horse]

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.

never used a wheel before - but I could hammer form it -
but either way takes quite a while and labor for that stuff aint cheap!

 

[Fakhelek]

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?

Yes, the silver part. I just measured it. It is less than 9"x13" and most of that is holes for the stereo, compartment, hvac controls, and vents. I can't see where I would need a piece 16"x12"x3" (unless I wanted the piece to be 3.5" thick!).

There's probably as much aluminum in a case or two of soda as it would take to make the thing. I don't remember having to pay an extra $20 a case for the cans.

 

[Little Beavis]

I could have the thing fab'd up if people are really interested in it. . .we could simply digitize the existing piece and mill it out, but it wouldn't be cheap. That's a lot of aluminum and it would take a lot more machining to have the back hollowed out so that it would not be heavy and so that the pieces bolted up. Probably not worth the cost, but it can be done. We make much more complicated pieces on a daily basis, but they cost several grand a pop. . .so this would be "easy" but still the first one would be expensive, after that, just milling them out is easy.

Sorry. . .back on topic. Looks very cool. Nice work, but yeah. . .no finishing pass there.

 

[Horse]

I could have the thing fab'd up if people are really interested in it. . .we could simply digitize the existing piece and mill it out, but it wouldn't be cheap. That's a lot of aluminum and it would take a lot more machining to have the back hollowed out so that it would not be heavy and so that the pieces bolted up. Probably not worth the cost, but it can be done. We make much more complicated pieces on a daily basis, but they cost several grand a pop. . .so this would be "easy" but still the first one would be expensive, after that, just milling them out is easy.

Sorry. . .back on topic. Looks very cool. Nice work, but yeah. . .no finishing pass there.

yeah - like I said - Its not really that hard - but it IS expensive.

about the size needed - the silver and the fake carbon are one piece - so you would have ot make the while thing - then you have to have extra to clamp on to and as far as thickness - you have to have enough to cover the whole radius -

 

[Fakhelek]

Thank you. That clears things up.

 

[muohio]

Thank you. That clears things up.

I guess that's what I was trying to say. You have to extract the piece from a block of aluminum so you have to think of it as, what is the smallest box the piece would fit into if you where to ship it. It would probably be easier to stamp something like that since a billet design really doesn't help unlike other car parts.

 

[Fakhelek]

I guess that's what I was trying to say. You have to extract the piece from a block of aluminum so you have to think of it as, what is the smallest box the piece would fit into if you where to ship it. It would probably be easier to stamp something like that since a billet design really doesn't help unlike other car parts.

Thanks for the info. One last thing: Any idea on how to have something like that stamped; who could do it and for how much? I'm hoping that that would be much cheaper.

 

[Fakhelek]

$30 beats hell out of $300! Is that the difference in price between steel and aluminum??? Or can it be done in aluminum for a reasonable amount. I was really hoping for brushed aluminum. Steel would be cool, but once it is painted it isn't a huge improvement over the painted plastic (IMHO).

It would be nice if we could get a group buy together depending on how aluminum would affect the cost and what the results with steel would look.

In fact, I think the piece is the same on a standard protege. If that's a fact then this can move to the appearance forum which would greatly increase the potential market.

Brian: Can you spec out a couple of options and post details? It's only fair to say that I am very picky about appearance items and I am also cheap. That said, if I see options that catch my eye I will pimp the hell out of the concept to bring my own cost down. :-D

 

[Fakhelek]

Hey, what happened to the posts from 03MSP-Brian??? I got email saying that he posted and now its not here. I didn't put him on my ignore list. WTF???

Just in case, here's the message he posted:
It will cost a total of $300.00 for 10 pieces (i.e. $30/each) and thereafter possibly cheaper. You name the material, we can get it figured out on our end.



Specifically, I will have to spend some time (how much, depends on the product) measuring, CAD, fitment, etc. Once I have the CAD file, I export it as a .dxf and sent it for quote to our laser fabricator. I generally know sizes of how they quote, etc. so I would say $30.00 is a VERY safe number per each.



What options would you like to see? I rather stick with "one option" and get it taken care of as I am donating my time and labor at this point.

I think it would be really cool to replace the piece with Brushed Aluminum. Anybody else interested?

 

[Horse]

(jacked)


Because its considered bad internet form to post in anothers thread about your products ect -
Im not a dick about those things but others are-


If he can get it done GREAT - lets get him on it -
I wont do it, mainly because I CANT - the place I use is for MY use and not for commercial-( its a legal issue)

 

[Fakhelek]

(jacked)


Because its considered bad internet form to post in anothers thread about your products ect -
Im not a dick about those things but others are-


If he can get it done GREAT - lets get him on it -
I wont do it, mainly because I CANT - the place I use is for MY use and not for commercial-( its a legal issue)

So his posts were removed? I guess he needs to start a thread then. I didn't realize that applied to authorized vendors.

If he does start a thread, can you please take a look? After the horror stories about purchases through this forum it would be nice to have a second, unbiased opinion. My worst fear is to lay out money for something and end up getting something that is technically what I asked for but looks like crap or is flimsy or something. I imagine that there is a wide range in the quality of workmanship on such parts.

 

[Horse]

So his posts were removed? I guess he needs to start a thread then. I didn't realize that applied to authorized vendors.

If he does start a thread, can you please take a look? After the horror stories about purchases through this forum it would be nice to have a second, unbiased opinion. My worst fear is to lay out money for something and end up getting something that is technically what I asked for but looks like crap or is flimsy or something. I imagine that there is a wide range in the quality of workmanship on such parts.

I think he deleted his posts - I didnt ask for them to be removed-

I would look at anything for sale-
the only thing - and im not knocking brian, is that by nature it is easier to cut flat things with a laser, if they have a pivoting headed laser - WOW! - COOL - but it will most likley be cut and then formed -

Sounds like a good idea to me - but its not the billit piece you originaly seemed to want - FYI

 

[Fakhelek]

I think he deleted his posts - I didnt ask for them to be removed-

I would look at anything for sale-
the only thing - and im not knocking brian, is that by nature it is easier to cut flat things with a laser, if they have a pivoting headed laser - WOW! - COOL - but it will most likley be cut and then formed -

Sounds like a good idea to me - but its not the billit piece you originaly seemed to want - FYI

I really don't know if I wanted a billit piece. I want a piece the same size and shape as the original, made of aluminum, with no seams or flaws, with a brushed surface. Does that require a billit piece?

 

[Horse]

I really don't know if I wanted a billit piece. I want a piece the same size and shape as the original, made of aluminum, with no seams or flaws, with a brushed surface. Does that require a billit piece?

Who knows - no one has tried it yet - mabey brian can do it? If he can - props!

 

[Familia323]

nice bracket Horse! Post pics when its all finished up.



*If someone made aluminum trim pieces they need to make the window control cover pieces and the shifter plate piece, and some pieces that go around the vents on the dash... thats what i want at least.

 

[t3ase]

Just to clear up confusion, *I* sent 03MSP-Brian a PM about some things, not Horse.

He considerately removed his posts regarding his own work. Please contact him or tell him to start a new thread about those pieces.

Word.