Re-design and fabricate console trim piece--HOW TO
06-21-2010, 06:24 PM
#167
"Oval-shaped logos are a big no-no if you want to act like you know what you are doing."
Oops!
IMG]http://cache.jalopnik.com/cars/assets/resources/2007/04/Ford-GT.jpg[/IMG]
06-21-2010, 06:27 PM
#168
Drifting
I have my opinions, others have theirs. I don't especially like the Ford oval.
Let's keep this discussion on-topic. If you want to knock my logo theories, shoot me a PM or start a new thread in OT.
Let's keep this discussion on-topic. If you want to knock my logo theories, shoot me a PM or start a new thread in OT.
06-21-2010, 07:03 PM
#169
Three Wheelin'
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Awesome looking work! I love custom work that looks factory. Your shapes should work well. Ready to see them in the car...
What about the square 968 clock unit?
What about the square 968 clock unit?
06-21-2010, 08:44 PM
#171
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Thread Starter
[QUOTE What about the square 968 clock unit?[/QUOTE]
Hi Mike: That square clock certainly has more appeal for me than a round one. I have to wonder how big it is. One of the design criteria I have kind of been working with is a fairly narrow (top to bottom) panel in which to put a clock. That is not really apparent with the male trim piece form that I am currently working with, but I think it is going to become a big reality when I find out the limits of what I can deal with given the shifter orbit for the five speed cars. I have learned there is a 5-spd in town somewhere, but I was unable to find it today to take some measurements, if they will let me.
That is kind of why I have been concentrating on the eliptical clocks previously described. In fact it may turn out the the smaller of the two may be the only one suitable for what I have in mind. I think the clock needs to take up a certain amount of space both so it does not look to big and gaudy, and at the same time it does not look too tiny. A wider than tall clock seems to fill that bill.
One of the directions I am going with this lower trim piece is likely to entail a non-symetrical layout with the clock on the left and the rear AC controls on the rightyh and perhaps one above the other. It might be that the 968 square clock might work on the right, as shown in your post, with the two rear AC controls on the left just above the shifter opening.
This is all good design criteria and really helps me in my mental design processes. What I need now is a 968 clock. Watch out eBay, here I come!!!
Jerry Feather
Hi Mike: That square clock certainly has more appeal for me than a round one. I have to wonder how big it is. One of the design criteria I have kind of been working with is a fairly narrow (top to bottom) panel in which to put a clock. That is not really apparent with the male trim piece form that I am currently working with, but I think it is going to become a big reality when I find out the limits of what I can deal with given the shifter orbit for the five speed cars. I have learned there is a 5-spd in town somewhere, but I was unable to find it today to take some measurements, if they will let me.
That is kind of why I have been concentrating on the eliptical clocks previously described. In fact it may turn out the the smaller of the two may be the only one suitable for what I have in mind. I think the clock needs to take up a certain amount of space both so it does not look to big and gaudy, and at the same time it does not look too tiny. A wider than tall clock seems to fill that bill.
One of the directions I am going with this lower trim piece is likely to entail a non-symetrical layout with the clock on the left and the rear AC controls on the rightyh and perhaps one above the other. It might be that the 968 square clock might work on the right, as shown in your post, with the two rear AC controls on the left just above the shifter opening.
This is all good design criteria and really helps me in my mental design processes. What I need now is a 968 clock. Watch out eBay, here I come!!!
Jerry Feather
06-21-2010, 09:18 PM
#172
Three Wheelin'
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I looked at a really nice interior 968 yesterday. That's why this particular clock immediately came to mind. That photo is actually from an ebay auction that came up when I searched for the clock. Not sure if the auction was current or not, but the buy it now price was $69.
06-21-2010, 09:21 PM
#173
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Thread Starter
Actually that is a tough question, particulary since I am not too sure what it means. I can guess pretty well that it really means "are you going to try to make something that others in the 928 community might find useful for their cars?" The answer to that question is probably 'YES!" On the other hand, that should be a qualified yes.
I have yet to prove that I can even do what it is I am setting out to do with this trim piece. If I can succeed with that then I will need to refine the process and the form(s) into something that will actually work in the cars. I am presently thinking that I can make a lower trim piece to work with the 5-spd cars and which has a clock in a fairly narrow clock panel and that will have the space for the rear AC controls for those cars with it.
I may be able to make a similar lower trim piece for the auto cars, but the space for the clock may be to narrow unless the shifter is moved. I think the shifter can be moved, but I don't have any idea how receptive a modification will be that requires the shifter to be moved. I will have to work on that some as we go along.
The reason I feel so limited in respect to the lower shifter trim piece is that I have taken out of its space about a quarter of an inch so that I can have better space in the upper flush trim panel for spacing between components purely from an esthetic standpoint.
In short, I am going to try to develop a system that anyone can use to flush mount thier center console much like Kieth Widom did in his one-off project, but with the refinements that will be available in substituting trim panels for the composite of the original factory trim elements. And, I am going to develop it to be covered with leather in all cases which can be either contrasting or matching, if the leather can be matched.
Does that answer your question?
Jerry Feather
I have yet to prove that I can even do what it is I am setting out to do with this trim piece. If I can succeed with that then I will need to refine the process and the form(s) into something that will actually work in the cars. I am presently thinking that I can make a lower trim piece to work with the 5-spd cars and which has a clock in a fairly narrow clock panel and that will have the space for the rear AC controls for those cars with it.
I may be able to make a similar lower trim piece for the auto cars, but the space for the clock may be to narrow unless the shifter is moved. I think the shifter can be moved, but I don't have any idea how receptive a modification will be that requires the shifter to be moved. I will have to work on that some as we go along.
The reason I feel so limited in respect to the lower shifter trim piece is that I have taken out of its space about a quarter of an inch so that I can have better space in the upper flush trim panel for spacing between components purely from an esthetic standpoint.
In short, I am going to try to develop a system that anyone can use to flush mount thier center console much like Kieth Widom did in his one-off project, but with the refinements that will be available in substituting trim panels for the composite of the original factory trim elements. And, I am going to develop it to be covered with leather in all cases which can be either contrasting or matching, if the leather can be matched.
Does that answer your question?
Jerry Feather
06-21-2010, 09:49 PM
#174
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
After I said yesterday that I didn't want to use quarter inch material for the two side forming members of the first forming lever, I changed my mind. I made two side members out of the black 1/8 by 1.5 inch material and then discovered that I would have to add some material to them to form the sides of the trim piece far enough down each side to work.
Then, today, I realized that I have a milling machine and its main purpose of to make smaller material out of bigger material, so I went back and cut a couple of chunks of the quarter inch material. Then I put it in the mill vise and with a fly cutter I cut it down to about the size of material that I would like to work with. Since it was quarter inch by 2 inch there is enough marterial on each leg to make the complete side form that I want without adding another layer of material to make up for the short inch and a half material.
In this first picture I am flycutting the material to remove about 100 thousandths of material so the the vertical leg of the angle is not so heavy.
Next, I am cutting the quarter inch leg down to the angle that it needs to be to fit in the machine.
Third, I have clamped both of the formed pieces into the forming lever; and fourth , although out of focus, except for all of my store of aluminum chips, shows the under side of the lower end of the lever with the side members in place.
Next I will need to make a latch for this forming lever and then start on the lever for the inside forms.
Jerry Feather
Then, today, I realized that I have a milling machine and its main purpose of to make smaller material out of bigger material, so I went back and cut a couple of chunks of the quarter inch material. Then I put it in the mill vise and with a fly cutter I cut it down to about the size of material that I would like to work with. Since it was quarter inch by 2 inch there is enough marterial on each leg to make the complete side form that I want without adding another layer of material to make up for the short inch and a half material.
In this first picture I am flycutting the material to remove about 100 thousandths of material so the the vertical leg of the angle is not so heavy.
Next, I am cutting the quarter inch leg down to the angle that it needs to be to fit in the machine.
Third, I have clamped both of the formed pieces into the forming lever; and fourth , although out of focus, except for all of my store of aluminum chips, shows the under side of the lower end of the lever with the side members in place.
Next I will need to make a latch for this forming lever and then start on the lever for the inside forms.
Jerry Feather
06-22-2010, 09:17 PM
#176
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Thread Starter
I know it looked yesterday like I was just about finished with the first forming lever, the one that will pull the plastic down around the outside of the trim piece male form. However, it took me about two hours or so to get REALLY almost done today. Here are some pictures of today's progress.
First: I drew the line of the upper edge of the side of the trim piece onto the angle piece I made yesterday for the side of the forming lever. Then I drew a line below it that corresponds to the lower edge of the ultimate plastic. What I am trying to accomplish is a side panel on this trim piece that will reach down to the bottom of the recess where the trim piece fits into a little channel near the bottom. Later I am going to glue a strip of plastic along this lower edge that will snap into the original locking grove.
Second and thind: I am cutting the excess off of the side forming piece, and have cut it off.
Fourth: I have cut the excess off and here I am sanding the final edge to finish in my belt sander.
Fifth: I have sanded the forming piece to finish and here I am locating and drilling the piece for locating bolts to the forming lever arm.
First: I drew the line of the upper edge of the side of the trim piece onto the angle piece I made yesterday for the side of the forming lever. Then I drew a line below it that corresponds to the lower edge of the ultimate plastic. What I am trying to accomplish is a side panel on this trim piece that will reach down to the bottom of the recess where the trim piece fits into a little channel near the bottom. Later I am going to glue a strip of plastic along this lower edge that will snap into the original locking grove.
Second and thind: I am cutting the excess off of the side forming piece, and have cut it off.
Fourth: I have cut the excess off and here I am sanding the final edge to finish in my belt sander.
Fifth: I have sanded the forming piece to finish and here I am locating and drilling the piece for locating bolts to the forming lever arm.
06-22-2010, 09:32 PM
#177
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Then, I have drilled and tapped the holes to locate the forming pieces to the lever, and have made little adjustment slots in the forming piece, and here I am bolting the piece to the lever.
Next: You can see that I have done this with both side pieces and have them bolted in place to the forming lever.
The last two pictures here have to do with the final step in this lever, and that is the locking lever that needs to be available to lock this lever in place when it is pulled into place over the soft platic. What I did was take a piece of a former attempt at a tail forming plece and utilize it as a workpiece for this locking latch. In the last picture I have it partly formed and propped up in the partly assembled machine. It is nice to recycle this stuff when I can.
All that is required next is a slot for this latch and a little finish to the end of it and I will be ready to complete the second and final forming lever.
Jerry Feather
Next: You can see that I have done this with both side pieces and have them bolted in place to the forming lever.
The last two pictures here have to do with the final step in this lever, and that is the locking lever that needs to be available to lock this lever in place when it is pulled into place over the soft platic. What I did was take a piece of a former attempt at a tail forming plece and utilize it as a workpiece for this locking latch. In the last picture I have it partly formed and propped up in the partly assembled machine. It is nice to recycle this stuff when I can.
All that is required next is a slot for this latch and a little finish to the end of it and I will be ready to complete the second and final forming lever.
Jerry Feather
06-23-2010, 11:38 AM
#178
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Thread Starter
AS soon as I cut a latching notch in this latch and cut the bottom end off and finish it a little bit I will be done with this first outer forming lever. Then I can finish the second and last of the levers, the one to form the inside of the trim piece.
I am going to make the next lever arms out of the material that I cut for that originally, but I am going to cut the ends off and use those pieces as hinge points. I will drill and fasten them to the heavier lever arms of the first lever. Then I'll redrill and finish the newly cut ends of what is left and those will be the new lever arms.
I already have one of the forming pieces made for this last lever, althought I think I will make a different one, one that will form more closely to the perimeter of the trim body. Then I will need a little elliptical form to make the recess for the clock. After that I will have to have something "grow" inbetween these forms and the lever arms. Whatever that comes to will have to locate the forms at the right depth and will have to have a little bit of adjustment built into it for slight relocation of the forms as the need arises. I will also have to account for the use of a complete different set of forms when I get to redesigning this trim piece for actual use in one or both versions of the flush console project that this machine is going to be used for in actuality.
More later today, if I can get to it. Jerry
I am going to make the next lever arms out of the material that I cut for that originally, but I am going to cut the ends off and use those pieces as hinge points. I will drill and fasten them to the heavier lever arms of the first lever. Then I'll redrill and finish the newly cut ends of what is left and those will be the new lever arms.
I already have one of the forming pieces made for this last lever, althought I think I will make a different one, one that will form more closely to the perimeter of the trim body. Then I will need a little elliptical form to make the recess for the clock. After that I will have to have something "grow" inbetween these forms and the lever arms. Whatever that comes to will have to locate the forms at the right depth and will have to have a little bit of adjustment built into it for slight relocation of the forms as the need arises. I will also have to account for the use of a complete different set of forms when I get to redesigning this trim piece for actual use in one or both versions of the flush console project that this machine is going to be used for in actuality.
More later today, if I can get to it. Jerry
06-25-2010, 08:20 PM
#179
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Thread Starter
I should have known that as soon as I said "if I can get to it" I was giving myself an out from working out in the shop that evening. I took advantage of it, too.
What I did later was to finish up the latch for the first forming lever. Then I layed out some material that I had cut before for the arms for the final forming lever and saw right away that my previous idea about cutting the ends off of them for hinge points was not what I was going to want to do.
This first picture is out of fucus, but if you cross your eyes you can see that I have cut the notch in the latch for the first forming lever.
Next, you can see that I have layed a couple of the former lever arms on top of the machine to see what they look like and what might be needed to hook them up.
Third and fourth, I have taken some time to make a new pattern for the shifter opening, one that will form the inside closer to the outer edges, and I have made a little pattern for the recess for the clock. It has two little "teddy bear" ears on it which will form a couple of flat places for the two little buttons that are used for setting the clock.
The final picture here shows the clock and the little pattern simply laying on the machine at the approximate area they will come into play. The clock looks a lot bigger than the pattern, but I think that is merely an optical illusion or a photographic illusion, as it were.
What I did later was to finish up the latch for the first forming lever. Then I layed out some material that I had cut before for the arms for the final forming lever and saw right away that my previous idea about cutting the ends off of them for hinge points was not what I was going to want to do.
This first picture is out of fucus, but if you cross your eyes you can see that I have cut the notch in the latch for the first forming lever.
Next, you can see that I have layed a couple of the former lever arms on top of the machine to see what they look like and what might be needed to hook them up.
Third and fourth, I have taken some time to make a new pattern for the shifter opening, one that will form the inside closer to the outer edges, and I have made a little pattern for the recess for the clock. It has two little "teddy bear" ears on it which will form a couple of flat places for the two little buttons that are used for setting the clock.
The final picture here shows the clock and the little pattern simply laying on the machine at the approximate area they will come into play. The clock looks a lot bigger than the pattern, but I think that is merely an optical illusion or a photographic illusion, as it were.
06-25-2010, 09:06 PM
#180
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Next, after I slept on the images made by the lay-up of the material, I decided to hinge the last forming lever a little differently.
In this first picture here you can see that I have already started the hinge part of these lever arms. The ones shown here have the newly-thought-of hinge point bolted to the end of the lever arm and layed next to the first forming lever arms where they will be hinged.
In this second picture I have removed one of the first lever arms and have drilled it and counter-bored it for a hinge mounting bolt.
In the third and fourth pictures I have both of the rough lever arms mounted to the lower lever arms in the manner they will ultimately function. Rough because I still have to cut them off to a shorter length and refinish the ends.
Next, I will need to cut these last lever arms off to length, make a handle for them, make a latch for them to latch somewhere, and then work up the connection between them and the two forms that they will be pushing down into the plastic to form the inside shapes of the trim piece.
Perhaps tomorrow I will get to that, and then I think I will be ready to form some plastic. I actually anticipated that and went to the plastic store today and got a little bit of eighth inch ABS plastic to try this machine out with soon.
Progress is movement in any direction.
Jerry Feather
In this first picture here you can see that I have already started the hinge part of these lever arms. The ones shown here have the newly-thought-of hinge point bolted to the end of the lever arm and layed next to the first forming lever arms where they will be hinged.
In this second picture I have removed one of the first lever arms and have drilled it and counter-bored it for a hinge mounting bolt.
In the third and fourth pictures I have both of the rough lever arms mounted to the lower lever arms in the manner they will ultimately function. Rough because I still have to cut them off to a shorter length and refinish the ends.
Next, I will need to cut these last lever arms off to length, make a handle for them, make a latch for them to latch somewhere, and then work up the connection between them and the two forms that they will be pushing down into the plastic to form the inside shapes of the trim piece.
Perhaps tomorrow I will get to that, and then I think I will be ready to form some plastic. I actually anticipated that and went to the plastic store today and got a little bit of eighth inch ABS plastic to try this machine out with soon.
Progress is movement in any direction.
Jerry Feather