Bumper/Skid/Whatever Fabrication Tips Thread

[HARDTRAILZ]

I got a spare rear cover...red one

[ErikSS]

Its worth $$$ uncut. As I said just a couple posts ago... I have decided to build a rear bumper. I plan to work off the pictures and videos of Bartons rear bumpers. Side note... Im not concerned with the opinions in the SS forum.

[v7guy]

I recently went out and got a few bi metal hole saws from Lenox. The cutting ease is impressive. Seroiusly, just spend the money and lubricate the bit. It makes jobs significantly easier/quicker.

Been using this for a while http://www.eastwood.com/crc-cutting-oil-aerosol.html

It foams up and sticks to the material fairly well, given that's it's aerosol it's easy to aim and shoot at a drill bit.

[Moots1288]

I recently went out and got a few bi metal hole saws from Lenox. The cutting ease is impressive. Seroiusly, just spend the money and lubricate the bit. It makes jobs significantly easier/quicker.

Been using this for a while http://www.eastwood.com/crc-cutting-oil-aerosol.html

It foams up and sticks to the material fairly well, given that's it's aerosol it's easy to aim and shoot at a drill bit.

except when I use it.

[jhmeg2]

Spent the last few days in the shop working on my MDB front bumper, radiator skid, and oil pan skid. Got it all welded up and ground down. Dropped it off with the powder coater today. Texture black bumper and oil pan, purple radiator skid (to match the purple massive bars in back ). Then I hope to get my wheels broke down on Friday so I can drop the rims off the get powder coated black. One I get em back I will post up a few pics. I did have to wrestle with the radiator skid secondary plate a little. There were two ears on the top that had to be cut off because it just was not gonna hit with em on. But after that. Smooth sailing

[bartonmd]

Spent the last few days in the shop working on my MDB front bumper, radiator skid, and oil pan skid. Got it all welded up and ground down. Dropped it off with the powder coater today. Texture black bumper and oil pan, purple radiator skid (to match the purple massive bars in back ). Then I hope to get my wheels broke down on Friday so I can drop the rims off the get powder coated black. One I get em back I will post up a few pics. I did have to wrestle with the radiator skid secondary plate a little. There were two ears on the top that had to be cut off because it just was not gonna hit with em on. But after that. Smooth sailing

oh, you have a 2003... Didn't catch that during the order process. Yeah, those ears missing is the only difference. Just depends on whether I cut them off or you do, because the parts all start out the same.

Mike

[v7guy]

I'm going to add some tool recommendations since half of fab work is the tools you have and how you use em.


Had some recent experience with the ole carbide tipped 7.25 circular saw blades that Mike Had recommended to me quite some time ago. I've been meaning to pick one up for a long while and then when I saw one at the local hardware store I figured why not. There's a wide range of brands at various price points, I've been using this one...

http://www.amazon.com/Lenox-Tools-21881 ... uctDetails

saw blade.jpg (33.43 KiB) Viewed 59850 times

I was skeptical, but I'll be damned if it didn't make a 2-3 minute cut with an abrasive wheel into a 5 second cut... keep in mind I don't use a lot of pressure when I'm cutting as I've found it's mostly a good way to dust abrasive wheels and it tends to ruin cutting edges. I don't think I'll ever go back to abrasive wheels as my primary cutting tool. The definitely have their place. But zipping through 3/16", 1/4", 1/2" plate isn't it. Just toss it in the ole circular saw and go. Woulda cut my front bumper fab time down by weeks and probably woulda knocked a day off my rear bumper build. As an added benifit clean up is easier than with the abrasive wheels and the part is cold to the touch after cutting.

You will find a face shield necessary....


I have the el cheapo face shield. I recently got to use the one Mike recommends earlier in this thread and it's nice and it's comfortable and it covers your face better. I'd recommend going this route as it keeps shit from bouncing up into your face a lot better.

http://www.amazon.com/Sperian-Protectio ... vex+bionic

Just a side note, when you're closed up in the garage and painting, toss on a respirator. I have one, I keep it bagged up with extra cartridges to absorb organic vapors so I always have the option of wearing it. I chose not to while using a duplicolor self etching primer and before the night was over I found myself in the ER coughing uncontrollably an endless supply of hand fulls of clear mucus as my lungs apparently were trying to clean themselves out. More than a week later I still can't run up a couple flights of stairs without being seriously winded and I'm still using two different inhalers to combat the symptoms. I know better, but I was in a rush and was being stupid. Don't be like me. I'm an asshole.

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Series-Facepie ... B000FTEDMM

Also of note

Harbor freight dead blow hammer is pretty alright, took me two years to break mine, I use it frequently and often with a serious disagreement with the part I'm using it on.

http://www.harborfreight.com/4-lb-neon- ... 41800.html


I've used these chisels with some serious abuse and they hold up well

http://www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools ... -4885.html


Breaker bar... I've put 4 ft of pipe on this thing to start crushing crush sleeves and it flexes but is still solid. Occasionally I've had to tighten the allen head screws on the head, but it's a non issue.

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-drive-2 ... 67933.html

[bartonmd]

Glad you like the carbide blades! Before I got a plasma cutter, they were all I used. I still use them to miter tube, as well.

Mike

[JHogg419]

This thread is amazing. It has given me a little more confidence in any future projects. I am trying to plan out a jk style bumper project that is more customer to my envoy. I wish our noses were straighter like the tb. Just thanks again for all this knowledge. Like the carbide tip circular saw blade, I never knew that existed.

[Shdwdrgn]

How the $#@ do you *break* a deadblow hammer? I've had the 1, 2, and 3# hammers from HF for about 12 years now, use them just as often as I use my steel hammers, and I've never had one break. Unless you tried to hammer in a nail with it?

[v7guy]

Hahaha, I'm not sure to be honest, I was hammering on some steel and the face of the hammer split and a big orange piece came flying off, used it for another 2 days before it finally completely fell apart. Still a win in my book!

[Shdwdrgn]

True enough... they're cheap, but I don't know how I ever managed before I had some.

[v7guy]

Spent a lil time in the garage this evening and got to thinking about these carbide tipped blades. I recently picked up some cheaper versions, some Avenger 36 tooth blades. At $19 they're pretty cheap, you can get em here. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005CK ... UTF8&psc=1

It is of particular note that the smaller tooth count makes it significantly less pleasant to use. It takes rather large chips out and throws those chips all over and at a significant velocity. Enough so that someone standing 4 feet away can get hit in the back with them and find them unpleasant. It pretty regularly cuts the operator leaving rather shallow fine cuts... not the end of the world, I just throw on some long leather gloves, but it's a nuisance worth noting.

Beyond that they seem to work well, They don't seem to last quite as long as the more expensive ones. But that may be due to the tooth count just as much as it is the cheaper price. Either way, they're still a win in my book. I'm not sure that I can reccomend the cheaper one over the more expensive one, or vice versa, you'll have to decide how much the chips bother you lol

[bartonmd]

Yeah, I've been using the $23, 40-tooth Oshlun, and have been pretty happy with them. Though, now that I have the Rage 3 saw, the porta-band with stand, and the plasma cutter, I don't use the circular saw for much any more...

http://www.amazon.com/Oshlun-SBF-072540 ... de+7-1%2F7