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You're coming on good Paul. I'd say what you've encountered is just a chance to personalise, rather than a problem!
As far as wet weather is concerned, I drove through rain and a sleet storm in my old Spyder and I found a sponge or microfible cloth tucked behind the seats is invaluable for bailing out. And having a pair of flying goggles to hand just in case is also a good idea as hail stones REALLY hurt! But then again, it was a laugh! :) |
Even in the south of France they use the umbrella solution
http://cdn.cnet.com.au/story_media/3...nd-sport_5.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog....unveil_opt.jpg Yes, a golf umbrella is the best idea they could come up with for the Bugatti |
First of all, thanks for the feedback gentlemen, anything not covered below, I'll pick up in another post.
( As I have too many domestic chores to sort out today. :icon_sad: ) This is what remained of my thoughts on doors and other news from yesterday... Door Hinges: Mike's advice was to provide access to the hinges so they could be tightened up periodically if required. Initially, I intended to cut out sections of the inner door to expose the hinges bolted through the door. ( Please remember that these sketches are from the impressionist era, not tech drawings. :icon_wink: ) http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8012.jpg This was fine for the doors, but the bolts through the bodywork had the issue of the frame to deal with. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8000.jpg So I figured I would need quite a big access panel to get a spanner behind this framework. However, I removed all the fixings for the hinges yesterday and noticed a few differences. Not sure how they fit to a Mini, but there are 3 x 10mm nuts & 1 x slotted head bolt per hinge. ( I was planning to replace the original nuts with Nyloc ones. ) http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF7950.jpg So the question is whether I could use 4 x slotted head bolts (with thread lock) per hinge? http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF7952.jpg This would mean I would only need simple access "tubes" through both the body & doors. I would simply need to drill holes straight through the frame if any part of it is in the way. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8010.jpg If these bolts are not suitable, then I would need slightly bigger tubes to accommodate a 10mm bolt tool. I would look for a very thin T-Bar type tool as I only have a large socket set at the moment. Door Cut Out & Door Profile: There are two issues at play here, the first is connected to the doors (obviously). But the second, is wanting to more the body forward to fix the rear cockpit's "hump" pressure point. The bad news is the door cut out hits the frame, but the good news is the space "behind" the frame. I couldn't get a decent photo, so here is my hand in between the back of the frame & side of the body. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8009.jpg This means that I could retain the original line in the body shell that turns into the opening. But then cut out the rest & build a new step in the opening to go around the frame. This should allow the body shell to move forward & provide a better door closing "lip". Hopefully these basic drawings might make more sense that the words above... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8011.jpg Clearly there is a lot to do to create matching "ying & yang" profiles between the door & opening. I will need to think about the trailing edge of the door some more to take account of the latch required. Cutting Fibreglass: It looks like I need to either improve my jigsaw technique or get some heavy duty blades. Removing the two door opening "lips" yesterday broke 4 blades designed to cut metal. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF7998.jpg Spitfire Rear Section: I am now on a quest to follow DonnySoutherner's solution for the back of my car. This also raises the possibility of a small "cubby hole" for storage linked to my rear cockpit access panel. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/lh...=w1024-h768-no Spitfire Graveyard: They supplied the above section & I sent them some photos before I rang. I figured the phone conversation would be easier if I knew we were both talking about the same thing. Unfortunately, they had just been forced to clear their yard and didn't have anything I could use. :icon_sad: SpitBitz: I've not used this company before, but gave them a try after missing out at the Spitfire Graveyard. Again, I sent a photo ahead before giving them a ring and this worked out well as they can supply a section. However, I need to visit them to check the condition & agree the final cutting points. So that will be a job for next Saturday morning. :cool: Sorry for the flying visit, I'll be back either late tonight, or tomorrow evening, Paul. :) |
Previous Replies:
Oxford - That which doesn't break you, makes you stronger. Well, at least I really hope so. :pray: SeaNick - Thanks for all the ideas & suggestions, there is certainly a lot to think about. Although as I follow your build next door, I think your fabrication skills are in a different league to mine. Andy - Cheers. WCA & Viatron - I intend to add some metal strengthening to the fibre glass where the hinges bolt through. Mr T - Initially the Cordite was going to be offered with doors as an option & I'd have gone without. But final production was a door only deal, although your idea of a driver only door has some merit. Dave - "Personalising it" is certainly one way to describe it! General Unfortunately, this will be a permanently open topped car, with all the problems that will bring. :icon_sad: I'm struggling with the doors, so there is no way I am going to be able to make a roof work! As Mister Towed often says, this is building a car, not assembling a kit. Although I wouldn't say no to some instructions and a few "Attach Part A to Part B" type jobs. :icon_wink: Right, I'm off back to my chores, Paul. :) |
Doors:
I'm still working my way through the various options suggested for sorting out my doors. I'll try to knock up a few more sketches over the weekend, as a cunning plan is slowly forming. In the meantime… Cordite Specific Wiring Diagrams: My new lighting arrangements (front & rear) will result in new wires being joined to the existing wiring loom. So I always intended to produce an update to my wiring diagram to show which wire was connected to what. After my first attempt at showing the lighting changes, I've decided to produce a number of wiring diagrams. One for just the lighting, one for running the engine & one for everything else left over after the first two. Initially, I wanted to show the wiring as it would be laid out in the car (bonnet, bulk head, dash board, etc.). However, that proved to be a lot harder to do in practise, so I stuck with a similar style to a Haynes Manual. I'd already modified the original wiring diagram to allow me to thin out the wiring loom last year… https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/By...w=w640-h480-no And this is what my first draft of the new lighting wiring diagram looks like… https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/46...w=w640-h480-no I used PowerPoint at work & have just been chipping away at it, a bit at a time, during my lunch hours. You may notice I am slightly better at using computers than I am at building cars! :rolleyes: I now need to cross-check this against the original wiring diagram to make sure I haven't missed anything. I've still got to agree the wires needed for the side repeaters, as they came without any wires attached. I'm recycling wires taken from the original loom, so the final colour will depend on the length of wire needed. :icon_wink: Welding Lesson: With a bit of luck, and a fair wind, my first welding lesson will now be on Monday, 4th February. :eusa_dance: I am taking the day off work which makes things easier for my mate and I’m really looking forward to it. Until next time, take care, Paul. :) |
I like your computer generated diagrams. That sort of thing would drive me over the edge, although I would love to be able to do it!
Re your welding lesson, if its outside and you are MIG or Tig welding then prey for no wind at all. For a sammio frame an Arc welder is perfect. 2.5mm rods at about 75 amps and you can weld come wind or rain, though it may get a bit tickly in the rain!:dizzy: Have fun and watch the flow...... |
Agree with Seanick about the arc welder - I bought my stick welder for less than £60 from Amazon, and it came with gauntlets and a face shield (albeit a fixed tint one that I quickly replaced with an arc activated type).
It worked a treat repairing my chassis and modifying my frame, it took a little getting used to but within an hour or so I was getting strong, deep welds. It was a bit trickier welding the thin stuff - there's a fine line between insufficient power so no arc and too much so you just blow holes in the job - but I was able to weld in my new floorpans after a bit of practice. Try one of these for welding on the cheap - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-6...9620314&sr=8-1 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-4...9620314&sr=8-2 Good luck, welding's not as hard as the experts make out so have fun. :) |
Whilst I agree that stick is Breyer for outdoors as it doesn't rely on a gas shield as mug and tig does I personally would recommend mig even if it means building a shelter sound you to stop the gas blowing away. Stick is fine for fairly heavy stuff but the right Mig will do that too and will really come into its own when you want to weld together things like small brackets. If you do gong then I can thoroughly recommend Rtech welding in Gloucester, I got both my mig and tig from them and there customer service is second to none and there machines are quality not just rebadged Chinese stuff rebranded.
Hth Mac |
I'd have loved one of these but my budget was a few quid light -
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kemppi-Kem...item35a98b7fb7 Hey, at least it's free postage and packing... |
Yes I'd love one of those, maybe even two so I have a spare, instead I went for one of these
http://www.r-techwelding.co.uk/Mig_W...R-Tech_IMIG160 |
I like arc welding but with DC, not AC. Smoother,and easier. So I bought one of theses second hand nearly ten years ago. It so light and portable. I would like a mig too for thin stuff......
http://www.fosterindustrial.co.uk/it...-240-volt.html |
Both look like great choices, but really worth ten to fifteen times the price of a basic mma rig? I suppose it depends how seriously you take your hobby engineering.
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Anyway, all tools tax deductable:icon_biggrin: |
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It is funny how you always need to consider the knock on impact of one job on another job further up the line.
So sorting out my doors is now linked to the work required to get a better fit between the body shell & frame. And issues with the body shell fit are also linked to my dashboard, which in turn, is linked to my electrics… Dash Board Ideas: Previous 'mock up' work showed that the 'wrap around' dash would need a lot of work before it would fit nicely. :rolleyes: http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF7699.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF7701.jpg Despite this, my original plan was to mount most of my donor's original dials & gauges into this dash panel. Although I was considering mounting the choke level on a metal bracket to make it more solid to pull against. ( With similar considerations for fitting the hazard light switch and the trip milometer reset switch. ) So I'd knocked up another simple spread sheet to play around with some possible layouts (not to scale). http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8018.jpg This was all pretty standard stuff, although I did swap the choke lever to the right of the steering column. ( I found it a pain start trying to start the car with both ignition key & choke on the left side of the column. ) I'd also taken on board Mister Towed's tip about moving the light switch towards the middle of the car. But then Nike 55 put this photo on Mr T's build (relating to side mirrors) and I had a big re-think. http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9676d9ce.jpg I think this approach would be easier to build below the existing dash board "lip" in the body shell. Note: I mean the box section for the dials, etc. not the alloy finish (even though that does look great). I have also decided to add a simple battery cut off switch to the dash as part of my security measures. Although I plan to fit this on the passenger side of the dash to reduce the length of battery cable needed. http://www.pacermarine.co.uk/wp-cont...ERY-SWITCH.jpg But before I can mock up a 'life size' dash on cardboard, there are other inter-connected areas to deal with. I can't test fit the steering column (to arrange the dials around) until I modify the frame to accommodate it. And I can't modify the frame until I've learnt how to weld and had some time to practise. The final part of the dash puzzle is the position of the driver's seat, which in turn is linked to the floor pans. If I make the seat runners work, then the seat will be higher than if I have to bolt it straight to the floor. Pulling It All Together: I know the above reads like some sort of never ending jigsaw puzzle that just wont fit together properly. But I hope all of these long winded decisions will eventually make the final construction phase a bit easier. AndyP57 has put a lot of effort into soring out my missing / damaged parts, which will also be a big help. :cool: I abandoned any finishing deadlines a while back and that has actually taken a lot of pressure off me. After all, this is effectively my spare time hobby, not my full time job, working around family commitments. And that is before I start ranting & raving about my own dumb idea to build this outside & battle the weather. But a key stage of my build is now approaching when I will be in a position to start modifying the frame. I will post my framework "To Do" list separately, and thankfully they are all little jobs, just a lot of them. Until next time, take care, Paul. :) Replies: Gentlemen - Thanks for all the feedback and links, I work through then at the weekend. Unfortunately, I can't remember what sort of welder my mate has. :rolleyes: Hopefully I'll have a better idea of what I will be doing next week. |
Looks like you plan to fit the dash panel behind the tub lip, thats how I started out and the fit looked similar, however when I actually came to fit mine I ended up placing it in front of the tub and bolted it through the two parts with bonding paste sandwiched between them, its amazing how flexible the dash panel is and when tightened up with nuts and bolts it actually pulls into the contours of the tub, once set the bolts were removed and the whole thing remained rigid.
Maybe worth considering Pops |
SpitBitz
Made the 90 odd mile round trip to have a look at the back section of a Spitfire this morning. Most of the rear section is in good condition... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fP...Y=w640-h480-no The boot floor may have few issues, but not too bad... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...pse1e0122d.jpg The only really rotten section is on the driver's side. ( Where the seat belt was mounted & further round the inner arch too. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/sz...=w1151-h863-no The guy there was very friendly and helpful, but couldn't quote a price for delivery. And it was going to be just a fraction too big to fit in the back of my Mondeo estate. :icon_sad: So I have come back to have a think about whether to "take it or leave it". Rust Question: If I cut out the rusty section, could I simply repair it with a section of fibre glass? I was expecting to join the Spitfire inner wheel arch to the Cordite body shell with fibre glass. So this would simply be an extension of the general bonding & 'glassing of body to frame, etc. Cheers, Paul. :) Replies: Pops - Cheers, I've seen the progress on your dash, so I'll re-read that part of your build again. |
Evening Paul, nice to see a thread about building cars!
T fibreglassed his footwells, and they came out alright... |
Just taking a break while I sort out some lunch, so I'll be quick...
First Welding Lesson: My best mate came around with his MIG welder and I've now had my first go at welding. :cool: I started just working along a metal sheet so see what it was all about... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8028.jpg Then had my first go at joining two pieces of box section together... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8029.jpg Some welds are certainly better that others, but it does seem a pretty solid join. Although you can see where I kept going beyond the T join on one side. :rolleyes: I guess it takes a while to get used to using one of these... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8032.jpg Excuse the dodgy self portrait, but my mate had left me to it by now. It is pretty blustery outside at the moment, but at least it isn't raining! The other thing I will bear in mind is this quote from the Ribble Frame Debate ... Quote:
And even then I will accept my limits and get some one else in if required. The good news is I am off work for a few days, so I will keep practising. Cheers, Paul. :) Replies: GaryH - It is pretty depressing to see build photos & notes being deleted. :icon_sad: |
stick with it, the ability to weld is probably the best skill you can develope whilst messing with cars. looking at you test t piece i would say you either need more gas flow or your working in a breezy location thats blowing the gas away. In addition the way your welds seem to sit on top of the piece would leave me to presume you need to try upping the power a bit as well.
HTh Mac |
grind it back hit it with a hammer if it falls off try again
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More Welding:
I wanted to practise making a section that I planned to use in the frame work. The steering column will foul the existing frame rail (which was modified on later kits.). So I will cut out a straight section & replace it with a "box" the column can pass through. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ZP...g=w480-h640-no I simply cut out some box section and gave it a go. My first attempt is the box on the left and my second attempt is on the right. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8037.jpg I was really pleased with my second attempt, which is shown after I ground down the welds. ( Sorry the close up photo is a blurred. ) http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8036.jpg There is more than enough room for the steering column to pass through. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5t...o=w480-h640-no I had a small mis-hap when I had a go at welding a nut to some metal to make it "captive". I'd picked up a Nyloc nut without noticing, although the small fire did catch my eye. :rolleyes: http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8039.jpg So lots of practise still required, but the weather forecast isn't looking too good. With that in mind, I turned my attention to a job I would be able do some of it indoors. Battery Box - Part 1: I'm building my "sunken" battery box out of exterior plywood, before sealing it in resin / fibreglass. It is based on DonnySoutherner's design, but modified to steal an idea I saw on the battery tray below… http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/.../batteryin.jpg https://www.europaspares.com/images/18406/3.jpg I intend to use a combination of "Chest D Handles" & a simple luggage strap to hold the battery in place. Similar to these items below, but I haven't decided on my final choice yet. http://i19.ebayimg.com/04/i/001/2f/09/ce2d_12.JPG http://i.ebayimg.com/t/SIGNAL-ORANGE...g5w~~60_35.JPG I used Power Point as my poor man's CAD system to draw up the basic idea for the box. ( Perhaps I would be better off sticking to my dodgy sketches! :rolleyes: ) http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8020.jpg I thought a plywood "lip" on the edge would give me something sturdy to mount the strap handles to. Although when I had another look at the bulk head, I decided this was a bit OTT for what I needed. So I will just mount the handles directly to the bulk head and re-inforce that area if required. The other thing I need to consider is a simple "drain pipe" to avoid water collecting in the box. This needs to go from the box & back out through the bulkhead, as the box is over the passenger foot well. So I will build some ridges in the base of the box for the battery to sit on, allowing water to drain freely. ( Final layout to be decided, but hopefully you get the general idea. ) http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8021.jpg I worked out the the sizes of ply I needed based on my battery and the bulk head space available. I also allowed enough space to replace my battery with a new one if required (no idea how old this one is). Then is was simply a case of marking up a "spare" section of plywood, before cutting out with my jigsaw. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ve...s=w640-h480-no Hopefully I will be able to assemble this tomorrow. Until then, take care, Paul. :) Replies: Viatron - Cheers Mac, yes it was a bit windy working outside today. In the end, I re-arranged things, so that my body was forming a wind break. CarNoob - I'll try the hammer test tomorrow. |
A little bit of tinkering this morning before I do some more welding practise this afternoon.
I figured it would be better if I could actually feel my fingers when operating power tools. :rolleyes: My drive is North facing, which means no sun gets to it in Winter and it is bloody cold out. Hump Head Rest: I wanted to make a template that I could send off to get a padded head rest made to fit. However, after two attempts, I am still not happy with what I have done so far... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8043.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8044.jpg Should the bottom line of the head rest be equidistant from the hump top like a semicircle? Or should it be at an angle in line with the slope in the body work either side of the hump? The fact the car is on a sloping drive & the edge of the body varies too doesn't help either. Flexible Fuel Line: I wanted to check the maximum length of fuel line I needed to order. So out came the string and I ran it along the top of the tank & down the side. I then left a bit of flexibility depending on where it will join the existing hard line. Then the distance between the two tags is the length of hose I need, simples. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8045.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8046.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8047.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8048.jpg New Earth Lead: While the string was out I had a look at where I might earth the battery. Again, I want to know roughly what length of new earth cable I need to order. I think the chassis where the front of the Cordite frame bolts to will be my new earth. Whilst the tape marks the spot, I could move the earth point to the outside a bit. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8049.jpg Previously, the engine earth strap joined the earth lead from the battery here... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF7001.jpg This also earthed another part of the loom that went back through the bulk head. So I might create a mounting point to connect the earth wires on the bulk head. Again, the tape just below the bulkhead ridge marks a possible mounting point... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8050.jpg Can I connect the engine earth strap directly to the new chassis earthing point? Battery Box - Part 2: I drilled some pilot holes along the edges of my plywood sections. I then used panel pins to form the box shape I wanted. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8051.jpg Note: This was a dumb idea, as the pins slit the ply layers in places. :rolleyes: So I've had to add a small corner "L" bracket to hold it in place on one side. I am not too worried, as the final strength will come from adding resin & fibre glass. But at least this will allow me to position the box in the bulk head & cut a hole. ( A job for either later today, or sometime tomorrow. ) Other Top Tip Don't let you finger get trapped between a lip on the battery & the edge of the plywood. :tape: I removed a section of skin just below my finger nail. :icon_sad: Right, well I have warmed up again, so back outside I go... Cheers, Paul. :) |
Hats off, or on, to you for working outside today Paul. With regard to your template I would make the bottom parraelle to the...cockpit coaming. Then the next price of trim will fit against it easily.
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You are braving this weather aren't you! There's always the option of a round cushion that can be placed to taste. In that way, there isn't the question of whether to line up with coaming or horizontal to ground.
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Yes that would be nice. Maybe a buttoned bar stool cushion would look good!:laugh:
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More Welding Practise:
I moved to the bottom of the garden in the vain hope that I'd have more shelter there. But there is no escaping the fact that it is windy and this is not helping me to weld at all. I will keep an eye out for arc welders on Ebay just in case, but I'll stick with the MIG for now. The first thing I did was weld the "T" section & my first attempt at a box from yesterday together. Then I cut another section of box section off & welded that to the other end of the box. Then I cut out a section of the steel sheet my mate supplied & welded that to the box. Note: No attempt made to line things up nicely, just wanted them to stick together. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8052.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8053.jpg I know it isn't great welding, but I am really happy that they are at least joined. But I know I can't get ahead of myself & my attempt at patching a panel showed this. :icon_sad: I took one of the strips of metal I'd previously removed from my hand brake panel. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF7559.jpg Then I cut two small squares out and tried to weld them back on top of the strip. Sorry the photos are not great, but here goes... This is one of the patches, I didn't try to do all sides. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8056.jpg The bottom edge I simply blew straight through the metal (note daylight in the holes). http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8054.jpg The left edge I missed completely as I still haven't got used to the mask. :rolleyes: http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8057.jpg But the top edge wasn't too bad for a first attempt. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8060.jpg Is this what the metal is supposed to look like on the other side of the weld? ( Again, sorry it is a bit blurred. ) http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8059.jpg So plenty of room for improvement before I start on the Cordite framework. Until next time, take care, Paul. :) Replies: SeaNick & AndyP57 - Thanks chaps I will have another go at the head rest template tomorrow. Although I can't imagine a "scatter cushion" staying in place for long at speed. :icon_wink: It is definitely wooly hat on weather at the moment and as I type this I still cant feel my toes! I was having "Little Matchstick Girl" visions of garages with wood burning stoves at the end. :icon_twisted: |
Theres Some Great Modern Art There... Might Pay For The Build!
Like Nick Said About The Welding, That Takes 26 Years. |
'Kudos' for being out there in this weather.
Any progress is progress. I certainly wouldn't be able to do much out there at the moment - a couple of skinned knuckles and I'd quit! |
i admire you sticking withit, in my opinion the key to a reasonable mig weld is as much the settings as the technique, you may be better spending some time on a single piece of scrap adjusting the power and wire feed and just doing simple runs until you get a nice straight bead with good penetration, little or no splatter and in the place you want it :-) once you have the settings sussed for the thickness of material your using then move on trying to weld 2 bits together.
As has already been said time is the key ive been welding for years and still struggle with some jobs. try welding a discovery boot floor in upside down with a piece of weld splatter dropping in your ear! |
Hi Paul, Viatron has a good point, that is get hold of some scrap and just keep practicing. To be honest I have always struggled with a MIG outside. You have to turn up the gas so much it gets really expensive. If I may say, on your thin metal welds when you prep the metal to get it clean, try to remove as little metal as possible. Try a sanding disc instead of a grinder.
When it comes to your frame I would use an ARc welder as the box has plenty of thickness, and you can weld in a gale of wind-well nearly. I took some pics of a join I did this afternoon on 1" box section. A bevel on the ends at 30deg, nearly through to the other side, and the millscale removed from the other piece... [IMG]http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/g...psf22e7975.jpg[/IMG] Then line them up.... [IMG]http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/g...psb64d0cb7.jpg[/IMG] Run a weld in the groove, leaving the black slag behind.... http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/g...ps175624f2.jpg Remove the slag and do the other edges..... [IMG]http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/g...ps9fc34ab5.jpg[/IMG] The great thing is if you gring out the joint first and lay a reasonable weld in there there is no grinding afterwards, as the weld finishes flush. [IMG]http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/g...psbf511119.jpg[/IMG] However I still left a hole! More practice required!! [IMG]http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/g...ps842b0f01.jpg[/IMG] Hope this helps a bit, N |
GaryH & Nike55 - Cheers, I want to keep little things ticking over if I can.
I know I need to wait for some decent weather to make significant progress. But hopefully by then I'll know what I want to do, rather than waste a sunny day "thinking". Viatron & SeaNick - Really appreciate the tips and those photos are great. :cool: I'm happy to learn from others and that is why this forum is so helpful. I think I will end up buying buy an ARC welder to go with my mate's MIG. I might also keep an eye out for some sort of breach "windbreak" to work inside. :rolleyes: http://www.restlessworld.com.au/site...windbreak2.jpg Well it is my last day off work today, but weather forecast is pretty grim.* Hopefully I will still get the chance to tick a few little jobs off the list. Cheers, Paul. :) * In the time it has taken me to write this, the wind & rain are now lashing down outside. :icon_sad: |
Good effort so far Paul. Practice makes perfect as they say, but I wouldn't get too hung up on acheiving perfect, flowing zig zag welds like Seanick's. That takes years of experience.
Pretty though they undeniably are, everything that needs welding on these cars ends up hidden, so only you'll know what lies beneath. Unless you're an absolute detail freak, so long as it's strong enough to hold the parts together and sealed from the elements, it'll do the job. I was a bit concerned about my newbie stick welds until I tried to remove a couple of seatbelt brackets I'd welded to the frame after a redesign - they were well and truly fixed in place to my surprise and delight. So, my advice would be to follow an expensive brand of training shoes for people to walk to the off-licence in's marketing slogan and Just Do It! :icon_razz: |
Rain stops play...
Whilst the heavy rain first thing this morning did stop, which allowed me to play outside for a bit. Unfortunately, it did return & once again, I had to quickly throw everything into the porch & cover the car. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8081.jpg But for once, I'm not really complaining as it gives me an excuse to thaw out indoors by my computer. No sign of the snow that other areas are experiencing, but it is still very cold out & too windy to weld. Still, I did make some progress while I was outside... Battery Box - Part 3: I have now decided that rather than reinforce my plywood box with fibreglass, I will use it as a mould. Then I can make the whole battery tray out of fibreglass, including a supporting "lip" around the top edge. But for now, it was time to make a "hole" in the bulk head to drop the battery box into. I remembered Simon (DonnySoutherner) saying he cut more of his bulk head than was required… http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/...eryboxrear.jpg Note - I will steal his idea of supporting the box through the frame when I am finished. So I offered my box up underneath the bulk head as there are frame & fibre glass areas to avoid. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8061.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8064.jpg This allowed me to draw a couple of guide lines below & drill some pilot hole though to align above. ( The first photo is taken underneath, so the bottom of the photo is behind the front of the bulk head. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8063.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8066.jpg Then it was a case of drilling bigger holes to allow room for my jigsaw to cut the hole out. This is bulkhead front edge & you can see how deep the fibre glass is due to the bulk head shape. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8073.jpg Once I offered the box back up to my initial hole, I knew there was still work to do in that corner. ( Note: The box was proving quite a useful place to store things! ) http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8067.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8068.jpg So I had to take quite a chunk out to let the box fit neatly, which will be repaired another day. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8074.jpg I just tacked on a couple of corner brackets to hold the box in place for now. The gaps all around were to allow for the addition width of fibre glass around the ply. No doubt, a bit of fine tuning will be required when the final box is finished. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8075.jpg Here is the view from below & you can see the limiting factors in that corner clearly. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8077.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8079.jpg Still some work to do before this job is complete, but another step in the right direction. And I am really pleased with my "Before" & "After" photos. :cool: http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF7056.jpg http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8080.jpg Note: The before was actually taken in July as there is definitely no sunshine today! OK, well I am still cold, so I might nip to B&Q to get the sanding disc SeaNick mentioned. As I might need my heated car seats to fully restore feeling in my "back end"! Cheers, Paul. :) Replies: Mister Towed - Thanks mate, it is reassuring that your seat belt brackets wouldn't budge. I was actually planning to re-read your thread on your welding experience for inspiration. |
Hi Paul, it's going really well I see. Nearly caught me up given my three months off with a broken leg. back at work now but living away from home temporarily, so still no car work. Hope to be back to it again soon. Might be following you by then.
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Ended up spending Wednesday afternoon doing domestic chores rather than continuing to work on the car.
Although I did get the chance to do one small job, that was thankfully indoors in the warmth... Cordite Specific Wiring Diagram: I cross checked my lighting circuit wiring diagram and thankfully it seems OK, apart from one thing I'd missed. I had forgotten that the headlight switch is also linked to the lights illuminating dashboard dials & gauges! :rolleyes: So I have modified my diagram accordingly & will re-print it here when I know wire colours for side repeaters. I've now started on the wiring diagram for running the engine (something I've already done in practise). Welding Update: I had an Amazon gift voucher which I have now used towards a basic auto-darkening welding helmet. :cool: This will hopefully allow me to see what I am doing before I start welding, which can only help. There will also be the added bonus of freeing up my left hand from holding the mask in place too. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...IL._AA300_.jpg I'll keep an eye on Ebay for a decent second hand ARC welder for a few weeks, before buying new if I have to. Depending on what the weather is doing, I will try to get some more practise in some time over the weekend. Cordite Frame Work Modifications: And I certainly need the practise as here is my current list of welding jobs: - Add a "box" to a vertical bulk head frame rail to allow the steering column to pass through. - Cut and reposition the three frame rails that meet at a point behind the top/front of dash board body work. - Fix seat belt mounting plates into position, adding additional bracing to frame work where required. - Extend framework under the dash to provide mounting points to attach the steering column to. - Match passenger foot well rails so floor pan will sit flush (currently one frame rail is lower than the other). - Rearrange driver's side footwell rails to allow the pedals to clear the floor pan when depressed fully. - Reposition front bulk head frame mounting plates to give better alignment with chassis mounting points. - Add brackets to frame to provide additional support for the battery box when fitted. - Raise the driver's side lower outside corner bulk head mounting point so that it sits inside the bulk head. * ( * Unless other frame modifications lower body shell sufficiently for this current problem to go away. ) But it is not all welding work, as I have a few simple drilling & cutting modification jobs to do too: - Drill 2 holes in frame to match original seat belt mounting points in Spitfire hand brake panel. - Drill 4 holes in Cordite's frame "spine" to allow additional bolting down through main Spitfire chassis rails. - Remove all traces of the original seat belt mounting plates. - Remove the body shell fixing bracket on the side of the pedal mounting plate. That just leaves a few other odd jobs I need to make a final decision on: - Add a vertical mounting plate to attach the accelerator pedal (might just re-inforce the fibre glass). - Add mounting plate below dash for choke lever (& maybe hazard light switch & milometer trip reset). Note: As always, this is a legacy of the Cordite frame design, which has been re-designed in the Ribble Navigator. Other Welding Work Required: - Weld bonnet hinge mounting brackets to front of chassis rails (after re-body inspection). - Weld the bracket used to pivot the handbrake mechanism back to the panel it broke off from. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF7549.jpg Until next time, take care, Paul. :) Replies: DonnySoutherner - Cheers Simon, but I think it will be a while yet before I start over taking you. |
Looks like you've got a busy morning's work to get through that list. What're you going to do in the afternoon? :)
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Another wash out weather wise yesterday & I was doing odd jobs round my mum's house too.
More Welding Shopping: In addition to the auto-darkening welding helmet, I've picked up / ordered a few more bits... Some welding gloves... http://thumbs.ebaystatic.com/pict/30...95434040_1.jpg A book on welding (despite the title it was recommended as a good book for beginners)... http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg Some extra clamps... http://www.machinemart.co.uk/images/.../040212840.jpg And some more metal files.... http://www.machinemart.co.uk/images/.../040213080.jpg Metal Filing: I take SeaNick's point about nice welds (see his example posted above) reducing the filing required. But I wanted to tidy up one of the "boxes" I'd made the other day, just to see how long it would take. I'd already taken an angle grinder to the flat outside edges, but this wouldn't reach the inside edges. So I sat down with my new files and slowly, but surely, got rid of the excess metal on the welds... http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8088.jpg I know I could tidy this piece up some more, but this is really just part of my learning phase. So I gave it a quick coat of primer to see what difference that would make to it. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8089.jpg I know I have a long way to go, but this little piece does give me real hope. :cool: Next Steps: Well it is still raining this morning & snow is forecast for the afternoon. :rolleyes: But if I can take a few measurements, there is some more parts shopping I can do later on. Other indoor activities will also include working on my wiring diagrams. Plus I've another idea for shaping my front indicator mounting, but that does need me outside for a bit. Cheers, Paul. :) Replies: Mister Towed - Half a day's work my ar$e! :icon_wink: I did re-read your first attempts at welding and it is great to see how far you have come. :cool: |
Flap wheels in your angle grinder are your friend when learning to weld!
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There was no escaping the rubbish weather at the weekend, this was Monday morning...
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8090.jpg Welding Book: Whilst the weather has prevented me practising my welding, I've have been reading my "Farm Welding" book. I can highly recommend it for beginners as it uses lots of pictures to explain the techniques it is describing. :cool: Especially when it comes to what "good penetration" is supposed to look like on the other side of the weld. I'm now looking forward to putting some of the book's tips into practise and seeing what difference it makes. Brake Master Cylinder - A Final Decision: Much as though it pains me to abandon my Spitfire 1500 tandem master cylinder, it has to go. :icon_sad: The reality is there is just too much fabrication required to keep it & the work needed would look pig ugly too! So I am just waiting for the supplier of an upgraded "single line" master cylinder to get a delivery of push rods. This will allow me to sell my old master cylinder "whole" on Ebay, without providing him with an exchange part. This is the same part and supplier that Mister Towed used on his build: http://i.ebayimg.com/t/MASTER-CYLIND...u1mn!~~_12.JPG My donor came with a spare length of brake pipe which I will now use to join the new M/C with existing pipes. It just needs to reach a new three way joint where the existing tandem M/C pipes will be re-routed. ( Note: I posted some pictures of this joint the last time I was discussing my options a while back. ) If possible, I'll just bend the tandem pipes into their new position without removing their existing fittings. Which leads me nicely into another brake related mod I am planning to make… Brake & Clutch Pedal Mounting: Previously, DonnySoutherner removed the front sections of his Spitfire clutch & brake pedal mounts. This was due to the fact there wasn't a big enough gap between the pedal mounting plate & the bulk head. I've now decided to keep my pedal mounts "whole" & remodel my bulk head to accommodate them instead. Hopefully you can see the section from the original bulk head that all three pedals were mounted to here. ( Excuse the poor quality, I was taking a photo of a printed photo. ) http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8094.jpg I intend to cut out a strip from my fibreglass bulkhead equivalent to the red section highlighted above. Although I need to double check the pedal movement first, just in case this section needs to be deeper. Once the pedals are mounted to the Cordite framework, this will show how far this section will stick out. Then I will be able to build 4 "sides" from fibre glass to join the section I've cut out back to the bulk head. I will also cut out a section of the sheet metal my mate gave me to attach to the front face of fibre glass. This will provide additional support for the accelerator pedal without the need to modify the Cordite frame. Time for another Power Point sketch which I hope makes this easier to visualise (as always, not to scale)… http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...L/DSCF8093.jpg The sheet metal might end up inside this fibre glass bulk head "extension", but I'll worry about that later. Mounting the pedals will also help me understand the frame mods required to provide pedal clearance. I might have a go at that over the weekend if the weather holds. Cheers, Paul. :) Replies: DaveCymru - Cheers. |
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