21-08-2017, 09:28 PM
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.
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.