Ryde _Or_Die

I was wondering how hard it would be to use some aluminum for some easy places. Maybe the kickpanels and console, maybe some dash pieces and around the gauges. Has anyone used it and where would I get some brushed aluminum? Thanks alot.

Ryde _Or_Die

::top floor::

gr0undz3r0

Good idea Ryde_Or_dye. I like the look of brushed aluminum as well. Maybe someone can help us out

Ryde _Or_Die

I guess thats a big maybe, lol. No one seems to want to say anything.

Well what do you think? For like flat areas it should be fairly easy. I want to upgrade my interior in some way and that seems pretty cheap and you don't have to worry about painting it.

MrSector9

The place I owuld try it at a Model/Hobby shop.Not sure if you can get it in brushed aluminum but i think you can.It is called "Bare Metal Foil" and it is used for making aluminum or chrome looking parts.It is a stick on sheet of aluminum that is very very thin.It might look good but then again it might not turn out.It is alot like the stick on carbon fibre looking stuff but only this is actually alumunum just very very thin.It is pretty cheap too.It owuld be good for the gauge surrounds and stuff.

BJ white

gr0undz3r0

Yea.... I dont think the hobby shop stuff would work though. I think we or at least I am looking for brushed aluminum in sheet metal format maybe 1/8in or something thin enuff to bend easy and cut. I would like brushed al. around my gauges and maybe as door panel inserts. Lord knows what I may do with it>
LOL

rico05

Chack out Home Depot for the aluminum. Then you just need some tinsnips or a circular saw w/ a blade for cutting metal. Cut it to the approprate shape, and then possibly screw it into place!!!! Not a bad idea....

Kahren

iTrader: (13)

why do u want aluminum, its cold to touch, and will coroode if gets wet, it sucks, use stock plastic

MrSector9

I think around the gauges (inside by the tach) would look good.It also doesnt corroed if you get someone good with clear to spray it,then it is easy to clean and stays nice.Would be cold though.The places where i meant to use the thin hobby stuff would be on the plastic that surrounds everything like the logicon and stereo.If you covered that it might look decent.

BJ white

Ryde _Or_Die

Wow we got an actual conversation going here

Well I don't care too much about cold myself but I want to do some custom work on the interior. I am planning on using the aluminum in the doors, around the gauges, for a custom stereo holder, and then buying pedals and a shifter and brake handle. I think it will look good myself. How hard is it to work with rivets anyways? I think that looks better than screws.

RX-7Impreza

i work with aluminum. some of the bends you might be thinking about would require a heavy gauge aluminum because it would require welding. the small bends can be done and a press and flat stuff is simple.

rivets are really easy to use but they arent as reliable as screws. they can come out if you use too thin metal. i always liked the look of nut-driven sheet metal screws.

i am in the process of doing some aluminum custom stuff on my car, the only real problem one might come across, doing this at home, is the complex curves. it really requires a press in order to get a decent bend.

ask me questions

Justin

Re-Speed.com

iTrader: (3)

When working with aluminum you have two choices, you can machine it or form it. You can find aluminum stock on the web at www.mcmaster.com. Home depot does have sheet and bars. Very expensive comparatively. “Brushed” is a term used when one side of the aluminum has been surface treated by sanding it and it gives it a “brushed” look. You can also get sheet that is mirrored or painted on one side. You can produce the “Brushed” look your self once the panel or part is made.

A flat door panel would be easy to make. Take a piece of poster board and cut out the shape you want to make the panel. Poster board is way cheaper than the aluminum. Once you have the shape you want you would trace it onto the piece of aluminum. Cut the aluminum to shape with saws or shears leaving material around the traced line. Then sand the edge of the part until you are at the lines. The more jagged the saw makes the cut the more you want to leave for sanding.

Hold the part up into place and drill a hole for the rivet trough the panel and the mating surface. Once you have a hole you can put a rivet into the hole but do not set the rivet. Just use it to keep the part lined up while you drill the next hole. They make a special temporary rivet for this. If you get serious about sheet metal work you can find them on ebay, they are called a “Cleco”. Make sure to mark the hole locations you are going to drill so they will all be evenly spaced when you are done. Once all the holes are drilled you take the part and debur the holes on both sides and the mating part as well. You can use a larger drill to do this. Now that everything has the holes in it and they are debured. Take a piece of “scotch bright” and WD40 and spray the scotch bright pad with the WD and “brush” the aluminum panel kind of like you are sanding it with sand paper. Make sure to go in the same direction. Say, left to right and back. Now you have a “brushed” panel ready to pop rivet into place.

Felix Wankel

All that aluminum is going to make your car loud as hell inside. I had aluminum door panels in my Nova and they had a shitty resonance at cruising speed. Some Dynamat could probably fix it though.

RX-7Impreza

Brushed uses a wire brush not a sander. dont use a saw to cut it, use sharp *** shears and go slowly.

Justin

RX-7Impreza

circular wire brush

Re-Speed.com

iTrader: (3)

Ever heard of a "Time Saver"?

Chances are if the guy is asking questions about sheet metal work.
He is not going to have or have access to a stomp shear, 90 Deg. notcher, or berverly shear. A pair of hand shears will be a bitch.
People have been using saws to cut sheet aluminum for years.

RX-7Impreza

shears would be a bitch???? how thick is the metal he is gonna cut. i was under the impression he wasnt gonna be using anything the thickness of a street sign. i always found sheet aluminum to be fairly easy to cut.

Justin

Re-Speed.com

iTrader: (3)

Who knows how thick the material is going to be - You told him he would need a heavy gauge so he can weld it. Even though I have seen good tig welders weld 2 pieces of tin foil together.

Bottom line is the advice I gave him will work and more than likely he already has a saw.


-billy

Felix Wankel

I cut the stuff with a jigsaw. It isn't too bad.

Maxthe7man

Most aluminum grades are close to the same density as wood, so you can use the same blades for various saws, I cut mine with a table saw and a skill saw, just wear eye protection. You can by this lube for saw blades from most industrial hardware suppliers also that stops the aluminum from cloggin up cutting blades and drill bits, PAM for frying pans works pretty good to, once you get the finish you want on the aluminium be it brushed or polished, wipe it down with laquer thinner, then spray it with clear coat, it will not oxidize or scratch easily after that..
As for welding, you can use a mig if you have one, turn the wire speed way up, set the heat on full, and use 100% argon gas, it helps though to a have a high frequncy machine and nylon lined tube/handle, for stuff 1/8 inch and thicker, you can buy rods for stick welders for aluminium, I recently bought some, its tricky, but it works, you just have to remember to feed the rod about 4 times faster than normal, and preheat the sheet to 400 degrees before welding..max

Ryde _Or_Die

Alright, well I have access to prolly any saw I would ever need. I am not looking to do any welding at all, just want some pretty simple flat pieces done to make the interior look better. Thanks for all the replies, but has anyone actually done it to their 7? If so any pics? Thanks alot.

wdwflash

Its to bad you don't live near Seattle. The Boeing aircraft surplus store in Kent, Wa. has all of the alum. you could ever want at $1.60 a pound. (angles, sheets, blocks, etc.) You never know what they are going to have(they always have sheet alum.) I'm building a TurboII powered '78 Kelmark kit car and have machined a lot of the mounts for my car(oil cooler, intercooler mounts, etc) They also sell Titanum by the pound($8. a lb) They have everything, alum. , used milling machines, office stuff, gloves, computers, steel, rubber insulation(everything for building airplanes.) for anyone close to Seattle they have a web site.
Also, in using alum. for cars, there is a clear spray paint(up to 1200 degrees), that I spray on all my alum. work. You can get it at any automotive store.

Cheers!

RX-7Impreza

DAMN!!!!! last time i checked it was 22$ a pound!!!!!!

Justin

Barwick

I've known of people many years ago, who took a LOT of used beer cans, melted them down, and put them into a mold to make a "Theta Xi" keg tap. Sounds bad coming from a fraternity I guess.. but I don't even drink, so.. heh