Paul. the "Haka" will get you into all sorts of trouble.
Maybe Sid was put in the jacket by mistake.
Good to hear you're feeling better Sid.
Thanks to both of you for the comments.
I'm trying to build a good looking car because that's the way it should be and one never knows, it might just end up at SW in the future.
The last thing I would want is it getting attention for the wrong reasons.
I know the tech guys will go over it with a magnifying glass because after all it is built in Africa.
I've always been very touchy about the finish on my Carbon parts because even though I'm self taught and have been at it since 88 I still feel I have to prove myself in case someone with more knowledge
starts dissecting the quality.
I have this panel with six holes in it that will house the gauges and it needs to reside in a cutout in the top of the carbon driver's cell.
The cutout is square with radiused corners and has a 3/8" lip around the base. The gauge panel sits slightly recessed inside the cutout.
The panel is about 8mm thick and made from nomex honeycomb with three layers of Carbon on each side.
Getting the panel to fit inside the cutout with an even but very small gap was the aim but cutting said panel exactly using hand tools doesn't give the accuracy required.
My solution was to run a layer of masking tape around the rim of the cutout then give a thick coat of PVA release agent and position the gauge panel while the release agent was still wet.
I've done this before so no problems expected. I put 20lbs of lead on top of the panel to ensure a good seal while the release cured.
The next morning I mixed some Epoxy resin, mixed in some filler and poured it carefully into the uneven gap between the wall of the cutout and the panel.
I left it for a few days while I worked on other things.
Yesterday I decided to remove the panel for final finishing.
A few raps with a nylon mallet usually does the trick.
3 hours of blood, sweat and tears.
I always tell people how stiff these Carbon sandwich panels are (like I actually know).
I eventually had an 8" offcut of heavy wall rectangular tubing with a hole drilled through it for a 10mm bolt under the panel with the bolt passing through a piece of 25mm round tubing (5mm wall) on top of the cutout. I wound the nut to the point that the round tube bent and was touching the panel. The difference in height between the panel and cutout is about 8mm.
It was clear I'd screwed up and it was not coming out.
The die grinder, reciprocating saw and lots of itching looked like the solution but I kept moving my "removal" tool around the rim hoping for a break.
I thought I saw some movement but wasn't sure so I started using the vernier to check depth. I destroyed 3 bolts. Threads got iffy so I changed them out fearing an additional problem.
I then put 1/2" Aluminum plate on each side of the cutout as more spacing and was prepared to break the panel just to remove it.
The tube deflected and eventually I started seeing small movement. The panel bowed along with the tube but wouldn't break.
It eventually came out and I was going to bin it and start over but the panel is fine. A small clean up around the edge with a block and 220 water paper and I had the sliding fit I wanted.
I think my problem was that the cutout had a more than 90* negative angle on it but normally the thickness of the masking tape is enough to force two pieces like this apart.
I'd used the router to cut the hole originally.
What a mission!!!!
Update pics later.
Topic: Springfield Flyer. (Read 1458872 times)