1:8 scratch deuce

youngtiger1 · February 25, 2015

All I can saw is....wow. I'm at the mercy of the manufactures if they produce kits in large scale than I can build them, but if not...I'm SOL. You are doing amazing, so keep it up

Mike

Ognib · February 25, 2015

Thanks, everyone.

Ben, I'm currently shopping for a small 110 V unit that has the features necessary for this type work.

bobthehobbyguy · February 25, 2015

Thanks for the info on the aluminum. Its great that you can weld. Looking forward to more updates.

Ognib · February 26, 2015

I've always had a thing for fabbed aluminum bodies.

So elegant & sexaaay in their raw state!

Edited February 26, 2015 by Ognib

Ognib · February 28, 2015

First attempt at forming on the buck.

Very crude. Much refinement needed in my technique & tools.

I lost control of one of the tucks in the shrink down towards the tip of the panel & let it fold over on itself, forming a hard crease.

I did find that the feature lines are easy to work into the aluminum.

Also shows me how muck too wide & not yet straight are the feature lines on the buck.

This is most exciting for me...

Ognib · February 28, 2015

I was able to recover the hard crimp that I caused last evening & continue practicing on this piece.

As I'm working it down on the buck, tucks are appearing.

The tucks are worked down in the bowls.

If I were to work them down on a flat surface, they would simply straighten out & return to their former shape.

When they are captured in the radius of the bowl, they have no place to go, other than to shrink, reduce in area, creating the tighter radius in the panel.

Edited February 28, 2015 by Ognib

bobthehobbyguy · February 28, 2015

Looks like a good start. Definitely will be following along.

Ognib · February 28, 2015

Switched from pins to screws to hold it. That helped a lot!

The metal is seated firmly on the buck in all areas.

O.K., I guess for first attempt.

The buck is not perfect yet & the panel can't be better than the buck.

But I learned a lot on this one.

Edited February 28, 2015 by Ognib

February 28, 2015

I would just like to point out the awesome work being done here! Bravo! I would also like to say that most TIG Welders in that range are not capable of aluminum. Aluminum has tenacious oxides that melt at extemely high temperatures that are higher than that of the aluminum. You will be melting the alumnium underneath and forming a hard later of oxide on the outside. You need high frequency, AC to blow through the oxide and form a good puddle. Not trying to be a downer, or a jerk, I just want to help.

Ognib · February 28, 2015

Ben, thanks, I appreciate the compliment.

Yes, hi-freq ac square wave inverter, with foot switch, pre & post gas flow etc.

Think I've made my choice.

http://www.eastwood.com/tig-welders-eastwood-tig-ac-dc-welder.html?reltype=3

Has all the features I'm looking for.

I've bought from them previously & had excellent results with quality & customer service.

I don't use credit cards, so have to save my lunch money for a few weeks to come up with the $$'s.

I have a friend who is a machinist & also aircraft cert on tig to coach me in the finer points of the art.

Here it is off the buck.

Save it for welding practice, later on.

Edited February 28, 2015 by Ognib

zaina · March 1, 2015

You sir are very talented!!! Just be very careful when welding that thin of aluminum. It won't take much heat before blowing out.

Codi · March 1, 2015

Wow Ray. If there is one "skill" I want to learn someday, it's panel beating like you're doing. As an acknowledged "newbie" to it, it's great to see how you're progressing and the lessons you're learning. I'll be sure to follow along as I'm sure they'll be MANY lessons I can learn when I pick up the hammer too. The efforts and results I've achieved to date can't compare to what you've achieved. Just fantastic!!! Cheers, Tim

Ognib · March 1, 2015

Thanks, everyone for looking & commenting.

Tim, we seem to be in reverse positions regarding our skills.

I've been admiring your machine work on the parts for your project.

Small mill & lathe are on my list of things I want to have & educate myself in their use for down the road on this build.

Codi · March 1, 2015

Thank you Ray. I did buy an assortment of new Fretz hammers, a leather sandbag and some other basic "beating" tools, but I'm NOT certainly ready to take on a project such as yours. Like you, I have the same admiration for those that have the skills to do what you're tackling. I'll have to take time to check out the links you've provided as well. That wheel you have is something that I would like to get as well when the time is right. It has to be a real handy tool and I'll be watching your results as you get to that phase. You're off to an excellent start. One question, have you frequently annealed the aluminum as you're working it or have you skipped that completely?

Cheers, Tim

Edited March 1, 2015 by Codi

Ognib · March 1, 2015

As you no doubt know from your own experience in your machine work, these type projects do not evolve over night.

I'm about 4 yrs in to this one at this point, what with probably a yrs worth of study & research before actually moving to hands on materials.

So your commitment to purchasing tools is a dynamic step towards a stated goal.

And, I'll tell you, it's veery cool when you see the metal moving & taking a desired shape under your hammer!

The small wheel is not mine, just a pic I found online, but perfect for what I'm doing.

The construction of one for my own use will be an, " after I get my welder project," & can be scaled to perfectly fit the size of my panels.

I was looking for the material to work harden & require annealing, but it never seemed to need it.

It felt as pliable at the end as the beginning.

The sheet came out of a K & S precision metals display at my local Ace hrdwre store.

I got on their web site & found that it is a 3003 alloy....H-1 if I recall correctly.

Edited March 1, 2015 by Ognib

Codi · March 1, 2015

Ray, thanks for the info....you'll note that i left out a very important word (now in bold) in my earlier post........and appreciate the very quick reply. I can appreciate all the planning you've done. Has to be rewarding to be underway and to make such quick progress. I know you'll keep us apprised to your progress, can't wait to see what you do next with it. Cheers, Tim

Ognib · March 1, 2015

A lazy sun afternoon.

Rough cut a plug to develop as a cowl buck.

Laid out lines for horizontal body templates.

Rocker panel into recessed wheel house, still being shaped.

Pulling a contour at various points for vertical templates & transferring to thin maple for fitting to plastic body.

Ognib · March 3, 2015

_{Roughed in the taper between the front & back of the cowl buck.}

_{It's a bit thick still, front to back, but will wait until I get the profiles cut on the cockpit side before trimming down to final dimension.}

_{One nice thing about a large project like this is that I have enough variety of tasks to accomplish for it's completion that I can always choose something fresh to work on from day to day}