+- Austinsevenfriends (https://www.austinsevenfriends.co.uk/forum)
+-- Forum: Austin Seven Friends Forum (https://www.austinsevenfriends.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=1)
+--- Forum: Forum chat... (https://www.austinsevenfriends.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=14)
+--- Thread: Louvres for Slippery Anne (/showthread.php?tid=131)
Pages:
1
2
Louvres for Slippery Anne - Mark Atkinson - 21-08-2017
Hello All,
The car had some really quite large louvres in the nose cowl and bonnet, measuring 12" tall by 1 and 3/4" wide, ever since I started building the car reproduction of which have given me pause for thought. This weekend, I realised that the time had come to get on with it and have a go at making them:
Using my powered fret saw, having marked the outline, I firstly cut two jigs from 20mm thick MDF, a lower and upper, between which I planned to sandwich the aluminium panels.
I mounted the lower former onto another larger piece of MDF and ensured the two formers would align properly each time with a couple of dowels, which are positioned so they will not interfere with the panels when they are in the jig.
Next up was to make a former to impress the panel with, I carved this out of some relatively hard wood
Having made the jig I was getting ready for the moment of truth; I firstly cut the slot into the panel for each louvre, these being for the cowling cheek, which unlike the bonnet, only has two louvres., I decided that given the size of the louvre I should anneal the area before attempting to stretch it in the jig. I then carefully positioned the panel and clamped the whole assembly together
Moment of truth! I placed the former into the fist slot, resting on the still pristine panel, then, using a rubber mallet, applied some persuasion
It all looked OK in the jig, so I unclamped it all and was pleased to find I had my first louvres. Initial worries that they would look wrong a different to the originals evaporated and I am pleased that they have just the look I was seeking.
Regards, Mark.
RE: Louvres for Slippery Anne - Ian Williams - 21-08-2017
Nice job Mark, MDF is extremely useful for making formers like this, I use similar methods when forming various swages, stiffeners and the like.
RE: Louvres for Slippery Anne - Ruairidh Dunford - 21-08-2017
Very interesting and impressive result!
RE: Louvres for Slippery Anne - Wingleton - 21-08-2017
Looks really good and worth all the hard work!
RE: Louvres for Slippery Anne - Timothy P - 21-08-2017
What a great job. Look spot on comparing to this one from Austin Harris' site, also gives a good perspective on just how large the louvres are.
1925~ Unknown Location Arthur Waite 1.jpg (Size: 134.82 KB / Downloads: 560)
RE: Louvres for Slippery Anne - cardiffrob - 22-08-2017
Neat and tidy result. Any more pics of progress, Mark?
RE: Louvres for Slippery Anne - Steve Bryant - 22-08-2017
Beautiful. I use similar methods to attain consistent and predictable results for repetitive procedures. Keep up the good work Mark.
Stephen
RE: Louvres for Slippery Anne - Duncan Grimmond - 22-08-2017
A very neat method for small volume production, I'm suitably impressed. Crack on!
RE: Louvres for Slippery Anne - Rick Pearmain - 22-08-2017
Hi Mark .Good to see your moving along with the many tasks. Excellent work as always.
Rick Pearmain.
RE: Louvres for Slippery Anne - Mark Atkinson - 28-08-2017
Hello All,
Thank you for the positive comments.
Ian and Steve, I am interested to read that you both use similar methods. I have to admit I was actually unsure that I wanted consistency with these louvres, the period photographs show just how 'inconsistent' the car was in detail. If you look at the following picture of the original panel on the car, the rear louvre opening is narrow, the front one wide!
IMG_1777.JPG (Size: 56.98 KB / Downloads: 249)
so I was more than pleased to discover that the louvres I have made for both sides of the car, have the same pronounced variation between the front and rear. It must be just the way the metal reacts to the size and shape of panel, slot and louvre.
FullSizeRender.jpg (Size: 93.46 KB / Downloads: 317)
Rob, you asked for a progress picture, which I will post once the system lets me, as it is now only displaying images upside down!
Regards, Mark.