Hey! it worked, (thank you Paul)
Redratbike, you would either have to start cutting from the edge of the work, or have a hole the right diameter to fit the cutting head into I suppose?
Cutter dimensions
Redratbike:
Landmannnnnnn:
(and anyone else interested)
Here are the head measurements of my new toy which may help you decide if it's any use to you personally:
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This morning
I used my new toy in anger for the first time today!
I made four stainless brackets, two for the rear of the bonnet, and two for the rear of the boot-lid.
It is so I can adjust each corner individually, and so get the best fit possible.
I had intended to fibre-paste them in, but in the end, it was easier to use rivets.
When my new cutter realised what I was making, it got quite excited, jumping around in it's box, and all manner of things!
I made the brackets from 2mm thick stainless, it did not really need to be that thick, but I wanted to test the cutter out a bit.
It did not let me down, it showed off and just romped through it with no problem at all.
Unbelievably, this took most of the day. At this rate, the biuld won't be finished anywhere near soon!!
The whole thing is taking longer than I had imagined, but if I keep at it, I will get it all done.
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Bonnet
Yet more work on the bonnet, having strived so hard to get a good successful fit at the rear, I noticed the passengers side bonnet sat lower than the wing it was supposed to match.
Had to be a filler job, I used a bit of plastic to stop the overlapping filler sealing the bonnet up, and whacked it on. it now needs sanding down.
A job for another day.
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Hi Paul,
Thanks for the video!
The bonnet was dirty and dusty, so I wiped it off, then in the area I wanted filler to adhere, I ran the grinder around. Just enough to rough it up so it would give good adhesion.
In places I went through the gelcoat, but that wouldn't really matter as long as the filler sticks.
On this build I have learned to rough everything up, including (and especially) aluminium, or the filler/fibre paste will not stick correctly.
If you don't rough the alloy, the filler or whatever, sticks to the thin film of oxidation which sits on the alloy surface, and it looks like it's on well, but if you tap it with a hammer it comes clean off! I learnt the hard way.
Hope I'm not teaching you to suck eggs, but you did ask!
All these "light-weight" cars we are building, are probably dragging
god knows how much filler around with them!!
I suppose most of it ends up as dust on the floor in actual fact, where would we be without it?
I guess before filler we would have been "leading" all the low spots!
What a pain. I did some of that on my Mk11 Jag years ago.
Thursday
Today I drove the beast out of the tent into the sunshine.
Time to sort the bonnet out, again.
I sanded and filled, sanded and filled, sanded and filled, until it almost did my head in, then, dropped the bonnet and it cracked at the back end I had spent so much time doing.
You could hear the swearing two miles away!
I sorted it out for the fourth time, and hoped it was the last.
Eventually I got the bonnet in primer and put it back on the car.
Then the magical moment arrived when I realised it was time to cut out the windscreen glass for the final preparation to begin.
So I cut it out, and was pleasantly surprised to find no rust in a British-made steel windscreen, which was 54 years old,and had sat in a farmers field for around 25 years, in all weathers! Wow! That must be a first.
Here are some pictures.
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Thanks Ox, I think as the Towed said, it will "suddenly" come together soon, and be almost done. I can't wait!
It seems to have dragged on for ages, but I have only been at it seven months, so I suppose that's not too bad.
Bloody hell Ox!
You've made me doubt my end date now!
I wanted it done for Stoneleigh, now I'm looking at Goodwood 24th June thinking, " Damn! I'll miss that too"
Yes Paul, I think you are right, it will be finished when its finished!
Like you say, just keep plugging away, and one day, there will be no more to do!
Always wise words from the Towed!!
Bovine assailant indeed! Ha ha ha ha ha !
Windscreen
Today I took off the screen and finally moved into the "end game" phase!
I enjoyed the work for a change, because I know with the windscreen at least, I am almost done.
I put what I hope is the last of the filler on it, and will leave it til tomorrow to really harden well.
I am looking into having the screen surround chromed, as per the XKSS,
and have rung several chroming companies, but as soon as I mention "filler"
they cannot do it.
I have rung several companies who advertise that they are able to chrome plastics and the like, but as yet, no one has a tank large enough for my screen to fit into.
They only do "small" things.
I am being forced into looking at companies that advertise the "chrome painting service".
I have discarded the idea of having it "chrome wrapped" as with the soft top going on and off a lot, it would not last very long.
If anyone out there knows a company that can chrome a steel windscreen surround about 4 feet X 1.5 feet ( which is painted, and has filler present)
I would be overjoyed to share your secret!!
Alternatively, if anyone has had stuff "chrome painted" successfully, I would love to hear from you too.
pics of the end game:
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Surely there must be someone out there who has had something on their car chromed, or chrome painted?
If so please get in touch, I'd love to hear from you.
Mr T, thanks for that, I will follow it up.
Jag TVR, The filler is only hiding the welding, so it wouldn't really matter if it had hairline cracks. Also, the screen surround is so slim, by the time the rubber is in place, there is only a strip either side which shows on the inside, and that will be painted black most likely, or covered in red leather.
As I said, I have discounted chrome wrap, as it would strip off too easily when the soft top went on and off a few times.
I have spoken to the companies that are able to chrome plastic, and they first spray the object to be chromed with an electricly
conductive paint, usually copper-based, then it is chromed, as the chrome will adhere to that coating, as, if you like, the chrome is "fooled" into thinking it is in fact metal.
The main problem is that my screen is too large to fit in their tanks, (so they tell me)
Its beginning to look like a chrome paint job I fear.......
Thanks for that Paul, yes you are right there, I have taken so much trouble to get a lot of the things right, and to have a screen the same colour as the body would be (for me) a huge no-no.
Even if I have to paint it myself, it HAS to be silver coloured.
Of course chrome would be ideal, but that looks to be not on the cards for me, Boo-Hoo. :-)
Sunday
Paul and Landmannnn, thanks for your input I'll take a look in that area.
WCA, I HAVE to assume you are taking the piss, surely you would not have left yourself so wide open?? You are really asking for it, but I won't go there! :-)
The plastic strips look really nice on your car, I think they suit it well, it was made for them, well done.
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Monday morning
Four days ago, when I finished filling and sanding the bonnet, afterwards I looked at it and was reasonably pleased that I had a better fit than before, and it that was "acceptable" to me.
Today I had a re-think, and came up with the fact that after all the "attention to detail" stuff I have done so far, a "reasonable fit" and a "better fit than before" was really not what I wanted at all.
I wanted a perfect fit, and four hours later, after much more filling ,sanding and messing around I have it.
Now I am genuinely happy with a clear conscience!
I did not take any pictures as they would have looked exactly like the ones I posted before.
I now look like a dusty miller, who's been working in a busy flour-mill for a month without a shower.
Except that unlike Dusty, I'm going to have one now.
I feel a bit mean not posting any pictures, so here is one to be getting on with, I stripped and rubbed down the boot lid, while waiting for the filler to harden, and then put it in primer ready for the big day, here is a pic:
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Pictures
A primered boot lid is pretty boring stuff, so here is a better picture
to fire up the imagination:
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No, not really Gary, it's just one of many pictures I have that I work from. :-)
Monday afternoon
I got the chainsaw out and hacked up some wood for the winter this afternoon, as I usually stock up in the good weather.
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