Re-design and fabricate console trim piece--HOW TO
06-08-2010, 10:40 PM
#121
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Thread Starter
I think this is where the "organic process" aspect of this project really comes into play. I have finished one version of the alternate form and am going to go ahead with it with the idea in mind that I can come back and pick up later on the other version(s) of the form including, for example, a version for the original shape of clock.
What I did tonight is finish filing out the oval or elipitical shaped opening for the Infiniti clock and then filed the form out with a less coarse file and then sanded it out some with emery cloth.
These firt two pictures shows the form as I have been sanding it out, and then I have mocked up the form with the clock.
Third I have assembled the form in the machine as it exists for now.
Fourth I have layed out some of the bar stock I had previously cut to start building up the first forming frame which will be the one that shapes the plastic to the outside perimeter of the form. The red arrows point to these two pieces of bar stock.
Finally, I have layed up a couple of additional pieces of stock for cross pieces that will untimately be forming the plastic to the upper and lower ends of the form. I have also put in the picture a piece of heavier bar stock that I think I will use for the longer members of this frame since the forming process takes a lot of pressure and tend to bend the forming members which then could require additional clamping to get the formed workpiece to the right shape. With heavier stock I may be able to avoid the extra clamping.
As to organic process, in laying this out and studying it I am beginning to see that it might be better to put the hinge point for this first forming frame, and maybe the last one, on the upper end of the plastic frame rather than attaching an additional hinge plate to the base as I had originally planned. It just seems to want to grow that way.
More about that in upcoming episodes.
Jerry
What I did tonight is finish filing out the oval or elipitical shaped opening for the Infiniti clock and then filed the form out with a less coarse file and then sanded it out some with emery cloth.
These firt two pictures shows the form as I have been sanding it out, and then I have mocked up the form with the clock.
Third I have assembled the form in the machine as it exists for now.
Fourth I have layed out some of the bar stock I had previously cut to start building up the first forming frame which will be the one that shapes the plastic to the outside perimeter of the form. The red arrows point to these two pieces of bar stock.
Finally, I have layed up a couple of additional pieces of stock for cross pieces that will untimately be forming the plastic to the upper and lower ends of the form. I have also put in the picture a piece of heavier bar stock that I think I will use for the longer members of this frame since the forming process takes a lot of pressure and tend to bend the forming members which then could require additional clamping to get the formed workpiece to the right shape. With heavier stock I may be able to avoid the extra clamping.
As to organic process, in laying this out and studying it I am beginning to see that it might be better to put the hinge point for this first forming frame, and maybe the last one, on the upper end of the plastic frame rather than attaching an additional hinge plate to the base as I had originally planned. It just seems to want to grow that way.
More about that in upcoming episodes.
Jerry
06-09-2010, 11:42 AM
#123
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Thread Starter
Thanks, Jim. I'll bet I am getting more good out of some of the pictures than any of you. It helps me to have these pictures up so I can study what I have in order to plan or design what to do next. In fact, I think I am figuring out that not only will the next forming lever, the one for the outside perimeter of the trim piece, be attached and hinged off of the plastic form, but now I also think the lever too for the inside parts of the trim piece will best be hinged on the lever that forms the outside.
What I am really going to need is latching methods for each so they latch into some kind of "hard" point in the forming process, and with very little or no flexibility or tendency for deflection in the levers so I can avoid additional clamping that I have commonly had to use in other projects.
When it comes to the actualy forming process, as I have mentioned before, the window of temperature is pretty narrow, around only 5 degree, and the time the plastic stays in the window is fairly short. What I need to do is complete this machine so that when it is loaded with plastic and cooked to the right temperature, I can take the machine out of the oven the, Boom, latch the plastic frame down on the front end, boom, latch the other end, boom, pull down the lever for the outside and latch it, then boom, pull down the lever for the inside and latch it. That all needs to happen in about 10 to 15 seconds, I think. Actually, the last one could take a bit longer, but it will be nice to have this all happen when the plastic is soft and not getting to tough to form by hand rather than with mechanical assistance of some kind.
Jerry
What I am really going to need is latching methods for each so they latch into some kind of "hard" point in the forming process, and with very little or no flexibility or tendency for deflection in the levers so I can avoid additional clamping that I have commonly had to use in other projects.
When it comes to the actualy forming process, as I have mentioned before, the window of temperature is pretty narrow, around only 5 degree, and the time the plastic stays in the window is fairly short. What I need to do is complete this machine so that when it is loaded with plastic and cooked to the right temperature, I can take the machine out of the oven the, Boom, latch the plastic frame down on the front end, boom, latch the other end, boom, pull down the lever for the outside and latch it, then boom, pull down the lever for the inside and latch it. That all needs to happen in about 10 to 15 seconds, I think. Actually, the last one could take a bit longer, but it will be nice to have this all happen when the plastic is soft and not getting to tough to form by hand rather than with mechanical assistance of some kind.
Jerry
06-10-2010, 07:02 PM
#125
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Thread Starter
This is not a big progress report, but is a bit about a small exercise that will play a bigger part in the furtner develompment of this trim piece for the flush console project.
I didn't work out in the shop last night on this project, but I did take a little time to draw out a pattern for what I am going to call the "floor" of this alternate trim piece. I had taken some measurements of what I want for the size of the floor of the opening where the shifters are going to live, and I did so in a way that will reduce the area covered which will also reduce the size of the base of the shifter boot. It will also soften the fairly sharp corners in this trim piece by having them transition to broader curves.
This first picture shows the paper pattern that I drew out.
Next I am glueing this pattern to a piece of surplus aluminum sheet that was available.
Then I am cutting it out in the bandsaw.
Then I am sanding the edges down in my larger belt samder, sanding to the lines in the paper pattern.
Finally I am showing about where this pattern will help make the floor I am talking about in the trim piece. It may not be formed to exactly this depth, but close, more or less.
The reason I spent the time to make this pattern and that I did it in such a permanent sort of way, is that I will be able to use this pattern first for the forming plate that will go in the machine to actually form this part of the trim piece, and then I will use it to pattern the little plastic ring that I plan for the base of the shifter boot which will then be used to hold the bottom of the boot in the trim piece down at the floor.
That sound complicated, but you will see later how this concept comes into being, I hope.
I am going to make a similar pattern for the piece to form the bottom of the opening for the clock; and either can later be changed to work out any issues that arise with their size or shape.
I didn't work out in the shop last night on this project, but I did take a little time to draw out a pattern for what I am going to call the "floor" of this alternate trim piece. I had taken some measurements of what I want for the size of the floor of the opening where the shifters are going to live, and I did so in a way that will reduce the area covered which will also reduce the size of the base of the shifter boot. It will also soften the fairly sharp corners in this trim piece by having them transition to broader curves.
This first picture shows the paper pattern that I drew out.
Next I am glueing this pattern to a piece of surplus aluminum sheet that was available.
Then I am cutting it out in the bandsaw.
Then I am sanding the edges down in my larger belt samder, sanding to the lines in the paper pattern.
Finally I am showing about where this pattern will help make the floor I am talking about in the trim piece. It may not be formed to exactly this depth, but close, more or less.
The reason I spent the time to make this pattern and that I did it in such a permanent sort of way, is that I will be able to use this pattern first for the forming plate that will go in the machine to actually form this part of the trim piece, and then I will use it to pattern the little plastic ring that I plan for the base of the shifter boot which will then be used to hold the bottom of the boot in the trim piece down at the floor.
That sound complicated, but you will see later how this concept comes into being, I hope.
I am going to make a similar pattern for the piece to form the bottom of the opening for the clock; and either can later be changed to work out any issues that arise with their size or shape.
06-12-2010, 06:37 PM
#126
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Thread Starter
Whew! This thread worked its way down a ways. I'll bet you thought I had given up. Actually I seemed to get tied up with other things the last few evenings and didn't get much done. Nevertheless, this project is always on my mind, so I am always working on the development.
Right now this project seems to be coming at me from several directions, and that always seems to slow me down because sometimes it is hard to decide what to so next. Actually, I think I am coming at this project from several directions myself instead, and that will be kind of evident from today's few pictures.
The first thing I did was work up a couple of pieces for another of the necessary locking tabs, this one for the upper end, the articulating end, of the plastic frame. I don't know why, but I somehow dread working on these locking tabs and that seems to hold me up somewhat. I think it is because there is so much busy work associated with each one for so little apparent progress, that I just seem to resist doing them. On the other hand, they are such an important element in this machine because they are going to save me so much effort in the forming process that I should relish doing them. Here is part of this one that I did. Later you will see the cross bar in this one which I also completed.
What I did next is shown in the next three pictures. I took the shifter opening floor pattern and drew it out on a piece of 3/16 inch aluminum plate with a sharpie marker and then cut it out in my bandsaw. You will notice that I am cutting it to the outside of the heavy line I drew. That is because this piece I am cutting out will be the piece that forms the floor of the trim piece. Later I will use the pattern to make the plastic ring that will go inside the ****fter boot that will then press fit down into the shifter opening floor. I will cut those out on the inside of the line. The result will be that the width of the line will be the allowance for two thicknesses of leather--one on the trim piece and one for the shifter boot. I think the width of the heavy line will be just about right. If not, I can adjust in finishing the plastic rings.
This shifter opening floor forming piece is sort of out of place here because it does not go on the first forming lever, but it was there and I love cutting aluminum in my bandsaw, so I just did it.
More in a minute or so.
Jerry
Right now this project seems to be coming at me from several directions, and that always seems to slow me down because sometimes it is hard to decide what to so next. Actually, I think I am coming at this project from several directions myself instead, and that will be kind of evident from today's few pictures.
The first thing I did was work up a couple of pieces for another of the necessary locking tabs, this one for the upper end, the articulating end, of the plastic frame. I don't know why, but I somehow dread working on these locking tabs and that seems to hold me up somewhat. I think it is because there is so much busy work associated with each one for so little apparent progress, that I just seem to resist doing them. On the other hand, they are such an important element in this machine because they are going to save me so much effort in the forming process that I should relish doing them. Here is part of this one that I did. Later you will see the cross bar in this one which I also completed.
What I did next is shown in the next three pictures. I took the shifter opening floor pattern and drew it out on a piece of 3/16 inch aluminum plate with a sharpie marker and then cut it out in my bandsaw. You will notice that I am cutting it to the outside of the heavy line I drew. That is because this piece I am cutting out will be the piece that forms the floor of the trim piece. Later I will use the pattern to make the plastic ring that will go inside the ****fter boot that will then press fit down into the shifter opening floor. I will cut those out on the inside of the line. The result will be that the width of the line will be the allowance for two thicknesses of leather--one on the trim piece and one for the shifter boot. I think the width of the heavy line will be just about right. If not, I can adjust in finishing the plastic rings.
This shifter opening floor forming piece is sort of out of place here because it does not go on the first forming lever, but it was there and I love cutting aluminum in my bandsaw, so I just did it.
More in a minute or so.
Jerry
06-12-2010, 06:56 PM
#127
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Thread Starter
What I did next was work on the hinge points and lever arms for the first forming lever.
In this first picture I have cut and trimmed and have drilled the end of the two arms for this lever. I have alteady cut and drilled the two hinge points that you can see are mounted on the plastic frame rather than the original hinge plate. This is growing a lot wierder that I thought in the beginning; but that is the nature of this kind of organic development. In furtherance of this kind of development, you are later going to see that the final lever is also going to be hinged much differently than originally concieved. I am going to hinge that on this first forming lever, and probaly am going to hinge it backward to what the others are hinged.
You might also notice that I an using the heavier bar stock for the components of this lever. I felt that the half by 3/4 inch material I used for most of the rest of this project is a little light without extra clamping forces, so have put this 5/8 by 1 inch material into service. I will be going back the the lighter material in the final forming lever.
Next, to complete this first forming lever, I need to add the actual pieces that will be forming the plastic. I have one here mocked up for the upper edge of the trim piece, and will be adding one at the lower end which will be cut out to form that end, but not too deeply. Then I will be adding some angle aluminum on the lever arms to for the sides of the trim piece.
I'll try to get to that later or in the morning.
Jerry
In this first picture I have cut and trimmed and have drilled the end of the two arms for this lever. I have alteady cut and drilled the two hinge points that you can see are mounted on the plastic frame rather than the original hinge plate. This is growing a lot wierder that I thought in the beginning; but that is the nature of this kind of organic development. In furtherance of this kind of development, you are later going to see that the final lever is also going to be hinged much differently than originally concieved. I am going to hinge that on this first forming lever, and probaly am going to hinge it backward to what the others are hinged.
You might also notice that I an using the heavier bar stock for the components of this lever. I felt that the half by 3/4 inch material I used for most of the rest of this project is a little light without extra clamping forces, so have put this 5/8 by 1 inch material into service. I will be going back the the lighter material in the final forming lever.
Next, to complete this first forming lever, I need to add the actual pieces that will be forming the plastic. I have one here mocked up for the upper edge of the trim piece, and will be adding one at the lower end which will be cut out to form that end, but not too deeply. Then I will be adding some angle aluminum on the lever arms to for the sides of the trim piece.
I'll try to get to that later or in the morning.
Jerry
06-14-2010, 07:23 PM
#128
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Thread Starter
When I got out to the shop on Sunday to work on this project I found that I needed to do a little maintenance on my mill. A bushing or bearing of something had been coming loose at the top of the spindle, so I took the top plate off to see what that was about. Then I considered that the spindle brake has been getting less able to stop or hold the spindle, so I looked into that. Then, further, I remembered that I have been needing to put a new drive belt in the machine since mine has for a long time seemed a little loose.
Anyway, I found that the spindle brake was not subject to adjustment, but it was subject to the fabrication of a shim that would solve the wear problem, so that was fixed. Then I decided that I should buy a new belt; but this morning I found that I have to order one that is a little shorter than what I have, so I did. It will be here in the morning. Then, of course, it will not be the right one, and so forth....
When I get the belt that I need I can put the mill back together and can then tighten the bushing or bearing at the top so it quits coming out, and can make some further progress.
I did spend some down time in a meeting this morning outlining what I want to do next, so that will help me get to the point when I get back to work. Please do not give up on this project, because I actually am pretty motivated with it.
Jerry Feather
Anyway, I found that the spindle brake was not subject to adjustment, but it was subject to the fabrication of a shim that would solve the wear problem, so that was fixed. Then I decided that I should buy a new belt; but this morning I found that I have to order one that is a little shorter than what I have, so I did. It will be here in the morning. Then, of course, it will not be the right one, and so forth....
When I get the belt that I need I can put the mill back together and can then tighten the bushing or bearing at the top so it quits coming out, and can make some further progress.
I did spend some down time in a meeting this morning outlining what I want to do next, so that will help me get to the point when I get back to work. Please do not give up on this project, because I actually am pretty motivated with it.
Jerry Feather
06-17-2010, 09:35 PM
#129
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Thread Starter
On monday I ordered a drive belt for my Mill and then went to a boring meeting for the rest of the morning. During the meeting, when others might have thought I was taking notes about the important proceedings, I was actually making a checklist of the next few steps in the fabrication of this forming machine.
On tuesday I picked up the belt. It wasn't until this afternoon that I was able to get back to putting the mill back together; but I did that and and then got to do a few of the items on my checklist. Here are a few pictures of the latest progress.
The first picture shows the latch assembly that I made to latch the second phase of the plastic frame so that I can lock it down in the second move of the forming operation.
The second picture shows the simple cross bar that I made which will form the upper end of the trim piece.
The third picture shows the adjustment slot that I put into this part so that the forming bar can be adjusted fore and aft to accomodate the best forming angle for the upper flange surface of the trim piece. This is important since I am trying to keep the form of this piece such that Someone might be able to glue this trim piece to the upper panel that I am going to make for the flush console installation kit. I am thinking that there is going to be some esthetic advantage to doing this so that the whole flush console can be put in in one piece rather that having this seam between this lower piece and the upper.
This fourth picture simply shows the handle that I made for the lower end of this forming lever.
On tuesday I picked up the belt. It wasn't until this afternoon that I was able to get back to putting the mill back together; but I did that and and then got to do a few of the items on my checklist. Here are a few pictures of the latest progress.
The first picture shows the latch assembly that I made to latch the second phase of the plastic frame so that I can lock it down in the second move of the forming operation.
The second picture shows the simple cross bar that I made which will form the upper end of the trim piece.
The third picture shows the adjustment slot that I put into this part so that the forming bar can be adjusted fore and aft to accomodate the best forming angle for the upper flange surface of the trim piece. This is important since I am trying to keep the form of this piece such that Someone might be able to glue this trim piece to the upper panel that I am going to make for the flush console installation kit. I am thinking that there is going to be some esthetic advantage to doing this so that the whole flush console can be put in in one piece rather that having this seam between this lower piece and the upper.
This fourth picture simply shows the handle that I made for the lower end of this forming lever.
06-17-2010, 09:47 PM
#130
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Thread Starter
These last four pictures don't show much additional progress, but they might give a better perspective of what this machine is beginning to look like.
The first picture shows the machine in its present state basically at rest.
The next shows the machine opened up in all of its present splendor.
Third is the same in a little closer view; and
Third shows a mock-up of a piece of angle material I put into approximate position which will be used to form two of the last three of the parts of this forming lever to form the outside of the trim piece.
More to follow, perhaps tomorrow. Jerry
The first picture shows the machine in its present state basically at rest.
The next shows the machine opened up in all of its present splendor.
Third is the same in a little closer view; and
Third shows a mock-up of a piece of angle material I put into approximate position which will be used to form two of the last three of the parts of this forming lever to form the outside of the trim piece.
More to follow, perhaps tomorrow. Jerry
06-17-2010, 09:51 PM
#131
Done With Sidepatch
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Rennlist Member
Jerry, I lack the knowledge to truly understand your engineering but I appreciate your skill and craftsmanship. Thanks for the updates, it's been a great read...I'm looking forward to your first production piece.
06-17-2010, 10:10 PM
#132
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Thread Starter
Thanks, Mike. Actually so am I. I really need this first piece to get formed so I can make some decisions on the machine for forming the upper flush console piece. I am hoping to get the last of this machine done this weekend and maybe even get a piece formed, but we will see.
Jerry Feather
Jerry Feather
06-17-2010, 10:20 PM
#134
Rennlist Member
Wow. So much thought and skill goes into this moldmaking craft. We are all fortunate for these contributions! (including the new hatch recvr and the structural tire cover) Thanks. All these are on my wishlist, will buy when I can, so hang onto some. Can't wait to see this progress further.
06-17-2010, 10:48 PM
#135
Rennlist Member
.... excellent! ... I like that!Way to go Jerry!!! ... I try not to let work get in the way of the important things either
