2017 F15A Starting over

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

How did you form those drip rails?

Originally Posted by sth65pac

Hi Folks,
After last week's eye injury (grinding grit in my eye- and I was wearing safety glasses) Managed to finish off the drip rails with a re-made piece of the correct dimensions. The box section was too small so a new drawing and off to the sheet metal man again.
This is markedly better than the rusted ones of 70+ years.
Its very satisfying to see parts how they should look, not old and damaged.

I dressed all of the repairs to the roof again, not satisfied with the first pass. About 6 hours work now but the result is great.

Ahh and you can see I have to repair the hatch area (Ford) when has a lot of water damage over the years. Again, my measurements were a little short so I will have a rail made at the sheet metal shop.

Cheers,

Ian

[sth65pac]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

How did you form those drip rails?

I measured all I had and got them folded up (two pieces per side) at the sheet metal shop near me. They taper in width on the lower (attached to old steel) I have the measurements if people are interested.

cheers,

Ian

[sth65pac]

A bit of digression while I make a set and dolly for the rivet tasking. Have the materials but I have to grind a drill bit to the correct taper for the rivet head.

Repainting the cowl and some hardware & the GS toolbox. Now the doors have been re-repaired and the rust sandblasted away (again). I managed to find the RH door bolts too so they will be re-installed.

Some brass hinge bushes purchased nine short years ago are not suitable as replacements so I'll source some new ones through Macs I think.

Sadly the paint shop ran out of flattener for the paint so one day next weekend will be hardware paint day I guess. I found two mirror brackets in the pile.

Nine years in between had caused me to forget what I had wrapped in newspaper

Cheers

Ian

[Jacques Reed]

Originally Posted by sth65pac

A bit of digression while I make a set and dolly for the rivet tasking. Have the materials but I have to grind a drill bit to the correct taper for the rivet head.

Hi Ian,

Just re read this and thought I would offer this suggestion.

A blacksmithing mate of mine said a good way to make a rivet dolly is to heat a grade 8 bolt red hot of the appropriate size and drive a ball bearing of the desired size into it forming a rounded cup.

Drill steel, though hard, is very brittle so may fracture with disastrous results upon heavy impact as would occur in riveting.
It may be worth considering anyway.

Cheers,

[sth65pac]

Originally Posted by Jacques Reed

Hi Ian,

Just re read this and thought I would offer this suggestion.

A blacksmithing mate of mine said a good way to make a rivet dolly is to heat a grade 8 bolt red hot of the appropriate size and drive a ball bearing of the desired size into it forming a rounded cup.

Drill steel, though hard, is very brittle so may fracture with disastrous results upon heavy impact as would occur in riveting.
It may be worth considering anyway.

Cheers,

Thanks Jaques,

I'll try a few ways. VMVC had an article a few years back... Technique is different but all good.

Cheers,

Ian

[sth65pac]

Well I have been busy over the last few weeks I did a guard repair to make it 'rounder' and a smooth arc.

Cutting out the old welds and adding a bit of metal to make it curve. Surprised to learn that this is over-perfection and my 'template guards are just cuts around the arch-way. Ahh well. They are at the sand blasters this week so they'll be in primer in the coming days.

I have fitted the cross member to the chassis with bolts until we get some still winds and I can have a hot flame. Ron I haven't forgotten your offer.

[sth65pac]

Well after a few hours on Saturday I managed to remove the propellor shafts and the transfer case. As usual the bolts are seized so they snap off in the case. The locking wire was intact - all gone on the top two bolts.

Sorry not much detail but a lot going on behind the scenes.

Cheers
Ian.

[Mike K]

.................................

Originally Posted by sth65pac

Have the materials but I have to grind a drill bit to the correct taper for the rivet head.

Maybe a ball nosed end mill would do it or a form tool in a lathe


Sadly the paint shop ran out of flattener for the paint so one day next weekend will be hardware paint day I guess.

I read a painting article in the ARMY MOTORS club magazine years ago , a US restorer used silicon powder as a flattening agent , you buy it from hobby potting suppliers i.e. people who make clay pots and fire them in a kiln
Cheers

Ian

[sth65pac]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

.................................

Thanks Mike,
Hoping by FRIDAY the paint shop has a new 4 litre tin of Flattner in and I can move on.

Yep A ball mill might do the job, but from others' experiences I am going to try a drill first.

On another note my 6 Volt headlights arrived today. One step over the original bulbs to Sealed beams.

Cheers,

Ian