Curved Metal Fabrication and Welding Blog

Tell us your ongoing tales and experiences with your French car here. Post pictures of your car here as well.
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Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur
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Curved Metal Fabrication and Welding Blog

Unread post by Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur »

just on the off-chance really.
Anyone got any 'improvement' on my plan to fabricate a new one of these, circled

Best I can think at the mo is....
replicate the curve in plasticine
cut a piece of wood to shape
cut metal with one slit near the bottom
Use that as a 'former' to batter a flat piece of 0.8mm sheet into a replacement.

Sounds and no doubt will be longwinded.

Any better suggestions?
Easy job for an Engineering shop if I can find one bothered to take on something so small?

405 OS Cill, tail end, less than delighted to check my parts stash and realise that this is defo NOT ready to fit!
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20180705_201448 Parts.jpg
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Gibbo2286
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Re: Curved Metal Fabrication

Unread post by Gibbo2286 »

Easier to buy a new pattern panel from somewhere like my supplier.

http://middletonpanelsandpaint.co.uk/ca ... ls/404320
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white exec
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Re: Curved Metal Fabrication

Unread post by white exec »

If you're going to shape some steel yourself, cast some hard-mix concrete to the original metal, and use that to form the copy. As a precaution, make two - quick enough to do.
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Re: Curved Metal Fabrication

Unread post by Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur »

thanks Gibbo, can't imagine I'll successfully source one of these tho'

Do like the concrete suggestion Chris, I'm thinking that maybe if I make it ultra hard, say a 1:1 mix; it'll have the best poss chance of holding up. Rivet on some thin 0.6 metal to give the former some 'depth' and use a bit of er indoors Baking Paper to ensure the metal and concrete part company after its set.

Might be interesting to do a blog of progress.

45degrees when I got in the car earlier! not fun driving home.
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Re: Curved Metal Fabrication

Unread post by Gibbo2286 »

Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new. (Albert Einstein)
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Re: Curved Metal Fabrication

Unread post by Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur »

thanks again Gibbo, appreciate you going to the trouble.

Fingers crossed for the concrete idea !
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Re: Curved Metal Fabrication

Unread post by white exec »

Looking forward to the next episode, and details as you go on.
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Re: Curved Metal Fabrication

Unread post by Gibbo2286 »

I've seen cars with that mixture in the sill. :-D
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Re: Curved Metal Fabrication

Unread post by white exec »

Better than the bathroom-quality sponge that BL put into the sills and rear wheel arches of 1100/1300.
I kid you not. :shock:
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Re: Curved Metal Fabrication

Unread post by Gibbo2286 »

I had a police sergeant come to me and ask me to look over a Lancia he was thinking of buying, it was in sparkling condition but I noticed what looked like paper poking out from a hole in the inside sill, I pulled on it and kept pulling until I had the full symphony of sheet music that was behind the filler.
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Re: Curved Metal Fabrication

Unread post by Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur »

its out and looking good.

Gonna give it another day in the sun to harden then see if it'll fulfil its role. Plan to prep the metal later today for bending tomorrow.

So hot today that I struggled to keep the windows wet long enough to squeegee and chamois them!
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Re: Curved Metal Fabrication

Unread post by Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur »

turned out really well and the concrete mould is pretty much undamaged, so thanks again Chris.

Drilled & plugged it then screwed the metal to it with some big washers too.

Haven't bothered with the bend as yet, for the sake of the 10mins that'll take would rather not bother for the mo, just in case once its all stripped down, I want to fettle its location.

NB's
Purple paint is where I used the mould as a 'Stamp' to mark out
Green paint is for temporarily protecting short hacksaw cuts
Trick of the light re insulation tape marking bend, looks at a glance like I've bent it already, the wrong way; not so. Just flat at the mo.
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Re: Curved Metal Fabrication

Unread post by white exec »

Looking promising!
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Re: Curved Metal Fabrication

Unread post by Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur »

Job now started, scary really, as you can see, the appearance of the cill when I started wasn't that bad....

but the last 15cm are a veritable pin-cushion, with two obvious holes and lots of pin-pricks.

This'll be my first 'tank out' job, should be pretty straightforward to drop it as all the gubbins other than the filler is in the top. I'll likely drain it.....

.so if anyone's got any suggestions along the lines of separating the Diesel from any water or accumulated grot that is likely to be present, do shout. First thoughts are Kitchen Sieve and Coffee Filter Papers maybe and leave it to stand in something transparent to see if there's an obvious case of oil floating on water.

Free or almost-free suggestions especially welcome.
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Re: Curved Metal Fabrication

Unread post by Gibbo2286 »

My pal used to drive deliveries and collected chip oil from restaurants to run his Peugeot 407 on, he used to run it through coffee filters for the final clean up.
Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new. (Albert Einstein)