Sheet metal fabrication
07-31-2009, 10:57 AM
#1
0.5 BAR
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 58
Sheet metal fabrication
Even though I'm not nearly as hardcore as most of you crazy kids, I figured I'd post this here. I realized that I needed a couple little plates that I couldn't just pick up, and had a big mild steel sheet lying around, so I put it to good use.
First, I went to Home Depot and they recommended a piece of ---- called a Roto-Zip to cut sheet metal. That may have been the worst recommendation ANYONE has received EVER. If ever you are given a choice, do not buy that piece of ----... unless you're fabricating drywall.
Later, I came to my senses and realized that any Home Depot employee under 25 or over 45 is there because they have to be, not just for the discount (the ones who ARE there for the discount generally know what they're talking about, and are just there so they can refurbish their homes for less). As such, the young and old crowd of employees cannot be trusted, by and large. I decided to just go in there and buy whatever looked like it'd do what I needed, and ended up with a decent Die Grinder for $25, and got some cutoff wheels.
The die grinder is powered by my old, faithful 120psi 45gallon Sears compressor that I got for free:
Anyway, I decided to get right down to it. The goal was to make a block-off plate for the power steering pump on my l28et (coming out of a Nissan 280zxt, going into a Datsun 240z) since it would spew oil all over the place without the power steering pump, and a switch panel to go in the stereo console. Both are pretty simple cuts, which I think was a good idea for my first time actually playing with sheet metal.
Started cutting using the Roto-zip, and just switched over to the die grinder because I realized just how long the oversized dremel that doesn't take wheels would actually take. Also, it chewed through bits way too quickly for my taste.
I painted the block-off plate, and test fitted it on the head
After that, I chopped up the rubber seat hardware covers that came with the stock seat rails and made a gasket of sorts, but I'm not quite sure how well it'll seal. I may need to pick up some RTV sealant and make a gasket for it. Finished product:
After that, I got back to my switch panel plate of steel. I cut out the rectangular shape, and test fitted it to make sure there weren't any clearance issues:
I drilled a few holes to mount it with, and a few holes for switches (the roto-zip makes very wobbly, squirrely cuts) and painted it black
And mounted it up
I think I'm going to end up hogging out the right-most hole to fit my manual boost controller in there, though.
Up next: Two-piece engine bay belly pan!
First, I went to Home Depot and they recommended a piece of ---- called a Roto-Zip to cut sheet metal. That may have been the worst recommendation ANYONE has received EVER. If ever you are given a choice, do not buy that piece of ----... unless you're fabricating drywall.
Later, I came to my senses and realized that any Home Depot employee under 25 or over 45 is there because they have to be, not just for the discount (the ones who ARE there for the discount generally know what they're talking about, and are just there so they can refurbish their homes for less). As such, the young and old crowd of employees cannot be trusted, by and large. I decided to just go in there and buy whatever looked like it'd do what I needed, and ended up with a decent Die Grinder for $25, and got some cutoff wheels.
The die grinder is powered by my old, faithful 120psi 45gallon Sears compressor that I got for free:
Anyway, I decided to get right down to it. The goal was to make a block-off plate for the power steering pump on my l28et (coming out of a Nissan 280zxt, going into a Datsun 240z) since it would spew oil all over the place without the power steering pump, and a switch panel to go in the stereo console. Both are pretty simple cuts, which I think was a good idea for my first time actually playing with sheet metal.
Started cutting using the Roto-zip, and just switched over to the die grinder because I realized just how long the oversized dremel that doesn't take wheels would actually take. Also, it chewed through bits way too quickly for my taste.
I painted the block-off plate, and test fitted it on the head
After that, I chopped up the rubber seat hardware covers that came with the stock seat rails and made a gasket of sorts, but I'm not quite sure how well it'll seal. I may need to pick up some RTV sealant and make a gasket for it. Finished product:
After that, I got back to my switch panel plate of steel. I cut out the rectangular shape, and test fitted it to make sure there weren't any clearance issues:
I drilled a few holes to mount it with, and a few holes for switches (the roto-zip makes very wobbly, squirrely cuts) and painted it black
And mounted it up
I think I'm going to end up hogging out the right-most hole to fit my manual boost controller in there, though.
Up next: Two-piece engine bay belly pan!
07-31-2009, 11:51 AM
#3
0.5 BAR
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 58
Point well taken, that makes a lot of sense. I may get a second mbc and set it up aggressively, run all my vac through that, then have a solenoid to bypass the 'tame' mbc or to run the vac through it. Essentially setting up a homebrew 2-stage mbc, and just use an electric solenoid with a switch in the passenger's cabin to be able to up boost while I'm on the street. Maybe use the stock 'hazard' switch in the console for that, it'd be kinda cool. You can see it here, under the lighter hole (the lighter will become a 'start' button when I get around to it).
