03-08-2018, 07:52 AM
Good morning.
I am a very long way off from starting to build a body for the Ruby chassis which I recently bought, but have started to think about the style and construction.
My initial thoughts were to use a welded, tubular steel frame with aluminium sheets formed over it. However, although I have access to the equipment elsewhere, I do not have the facilities to bend or shape the frame with any ease.
I was wondering, instead, about laminating some sheets of marine ply to a suitable thickness, rather like the structural ply beams which are used these days. I can then cut and plane the frame members from that: it would be easier to obtain than seasoned ash, easier to form using the tools which I already have and relatively light. The skin can then be formed and pinned over it in a conventional manner after treating with a suitable preservative.
Is this a more common technique than I had realised and are there are known reasons why it is a daft idea?
Jamie.
I am a very long way off from starting to build a body for the Ruby chassis which I recently bought, but have started to think about the style and construction.
My initial thoughts were to use a welded, tubular steel frame with aluminium sheets formed over it. However, although I have access to the equipment elsewhere, I do not have the facilities to bend or shape the frame with any ease.
I was wondering, instead, about laminating some sheets of marine ply to a suitable thickness, rather like the structural ply beams which are used these days. I can then cut and plane the frame members from that: it would be easier to obtain than seasoned ash, easier to form using the tools which I already have and relatively light. The skin can then be formed and pinned over it in a conventional manner after treating with a suitable preservative.
Is this a more common technique than I had realised and are there are known reasons why it is a daft idea?
Jamie.