No other like it.
- Thread starter 8literbeater
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sc5080
Well-known member
Sometimes you wind up with both! [cl
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8literbeater
Well-known member
I'm back, again. I think.
Enough people have told me "It looks great. It's gonna be even better when it's done" that I've decided they're right. Those front turn signals have been missing for too long.
I've had lenses for them for a long time, but I wasn't sure how I wanted to make them. Well I decided on something finally.
I spent a few months in a blacksmithing class trying to learn how to do more things with metal. I started on the turn signal standards toward the end of class, but of course it turned out to be a pretty big project.
I started with some 1.375" solid bar, and drew out about half of them into a flat taper. This took about 4 hours each. I'm going to bend them up later.
I drew a sketch for what I wanted them to look like, but I realized that there was no way I'd find light housings that would fit what I wanted, and the proper shape, size, and look. So I scaled them from the drawing, and I'm making them too.
Enough people have told me "It looks great. It's gonna be even better when it's done" that I've decided they're right. Those front turn signals have been missing for too long.
I've had lenses for them for a long time, but I wasn't sure how I wanted to make them. Well I decided on something finally.
I spent a few months in a blacksmithing class trying to learn how to do more things with metal. I started on the turn signal standards toward the end of class, but of course it turned out to be a pretty big project.
I started with some 1.375" solid bar, and drew out about half of them into a flat taper. This took about 4 hours each. I'm going to bend them up later.
I drew a sketch for what I wanted them to look like, but I realized that there was no way I'd find light housings that would fit what I wanted, and the proper shape, size, and look. So I scaled them from the drawing, and I'm making them too.
Neat idea.
8literbeater
Well-known member
So I did what any of you would've done, and used the diameter on the drawing to calculate the circumference of the housing at a few different points. I'm going to make them with four pieces each, in quarters, with about 1/2 inch overlap. So I added an inch to the width of each piece.
Then I needed to find the length of each piece from the point of the cone, to the lens. So I graphed a few points on the calculator, and had it create a function for a line that represents the curve of the housing. Then I took the integral of that function, and found the arc length to be just under 5 inches.
Why would I do such a thing? [S Why do people do crossword puzzles? Because it's a challenge, and I like it when all the pieces fit together at the end.
I cut 9 pieces out of 1/8" sheet. It takes 8, but I'll have a pattern left over in case I get the crazy idea to make more for some reason.
I don't have a plasma cutter or a band saw. The torch usually ends up being more work than the cutting wheel.
Then I needed to find the length of each piece from the point of the cone, to the lens. So I graphed a few points on the calculator, and had it create a function for a line that represents the curve of the housing. Then I took the integral of that function, and found the arc length to be just under 5 inches.
Why would I do such a thing? [S Why do people do crossword puzzles? Because it's a challenge, and I like it when all the pieces fit together at the end.
I cut 9 pieces out of 1/8" sheet. It takes 8, but I'll have a pattern left over in case I get the crazy idea to make more for some reason.
I don't have a plasma cutter or a band saw. The torch usually ends up being more work than the cutting wheel.
8literbeater
Well-known member
The rest here is mostly pictorial.
I heated them in the forge, and got the basic shape in the wood block. I had a steel ball laying around waiting to be used for the past 8 years, and I found a use for it. I forged a square base for it, and welded it on to use it for planishing.
The two in the middle are mostly done, and the two on the ends are only hammered out on the wood block.
I heated them in the forge, and got the basic shape in the wood block. I had a steel ball laying around waiting to be used for the past 8 years, and I found a use for it. I forged a square base for it, and welded it on to use it for planishing.
The two in the middle are mostly done, and the two on the ends are only hammered out on the wood block.
8literbeater
Well-known member
So I ended up with a bunch of miniature VW Beetle trunk lids.
smallfoot
He's rockin' the "Nuttin Special"!
This is very good! I've also been into blacksmithing for years. [P
smallfoot
He's rockin' the "Nuttin Special"!
What are you using for a heat source? Forge? Kiln? Torch?
earthman
Fascinated by rolling objects!
I was wondering how these lights were coming along just today. 
earthman
Fascinated by rolling objects!
I see that i am going to need housings for these Jeep LED headlights that i want to install on the '42. I'll probably just walk across the street and pickup a couple of saucepans from Goodwill.
DozerII
Well-known member
Good to see you back, some real good forging skills you aquired.[cl
8literbeater
Well-known member
I built a propane forge. DJ3100 on here teaches the blacksmithing course, and he sent me a set of forge plans. http://azblacksmiths.org/plans/
It works good, and I'm learning to forge weld with it. It definitely gets hot enough.
8literbeater
Well-known member
Hey thanks. We only did one project (a ladle/spoon) that required shaping sheet metal and planishing. I learned more than I expected to on that, and I was glad it was done so that I didn't have to do any more tedious planish hammering. It was thin, and about half the size of these pieces, and there was only one piece. Now here I am with 8 of them twice the size and twice as thick. It's okay though. I learned to enjoy it. It's only about 1000 hammer blows for each one.
8literbeater
Well-known member
I'm getting closer. One of them is riveted. Once I get both of them riveted, I'll move on to the rim for the lens, and lens attachment. I'm not sure how that's going to be yet.
I had to learn a few things about making rivets. I made a rivet header (in the first picture on the left), and made it with a 5/16 hole for 5/16 rivets, to go into 5/16 holes. That was a mistake. I punched the hole hot, with a tapered punch, until a 5/16 bolt would just fit. Well then when you forge a hot rivet into that hole, it ends up being a slight interference fit in a 5/16 hole. I didn't bother trying to make the hole smaller in the rivet header, although I might in the future. I had already made 45 rivets. Instead, I drilled all the holes out from 5/16 (0.3125) to letter P (0.3230). That extra hundredth made all the difference in the world.
The next problem was that I was heating the rivets to a normal forging heat, and they would get cold and crack before I got them hammered down tight. So I started heating them until they were almost starting to melt or burn, then I was able to finish them off before they got cold.
16 rivets done, and I only had to drill out and redo about 4 or 5.
I had to learn a few things about making rivets. I made a rivet header (in the first picture on the left), and made it with a 5/16 hole for 5/16 rivets, to go into 5/16 holes. That was a mistake. I punched the hole hot, with a tapered punch, until a 5/16 bolt would just fit. Well then when you forge a hot rivet into that hole, it ends up being a slight interference fit in a 5/16 hole. I didn't bother trying to make the hole smaller in the rivet header, although I might in the future. I had already made 45 rivets. Instead, I drilled all the holes out from 5/16 (0.3125) to letter P (0.3230). That extra hundredth made all the difference in the world.
The next problem was that I was heating the rivets to a normal forging heat, and they would get cold and crack before I got them hammered down tight. So I started heating them until they were almost starting to melt or burn, then I was able to finish them off before they got cold.
16 rivets done, and I only had to drill out and redo about 4 or 5.
sgtpontiac
Older, Wiser and Still Buildin'
Very Nice....
Have you ever thought about doing realistic looking viking helmets?
Sorry.... Seriously they look great....[cl
Have you ever thought about doing realistic looking viking helmets?
Sorry.... Seriously they look great....[cl
earthman
Fascinated by rolling objects!
Beyond Victorian steampunk, these are medieval. Once again...no other like it.
Once again...no other like it.
DozerII
Well-known member
Those are turning out very cool, great job so far. [P[P
smallfoot
He's rockin' the "Nuttin Special"!
Rivets are sometimes hard to do because of the size and the heat problem you mentioned. I'm sure you were intending the rivets to be part of the decoration here by leaving a large head and that is part of the problem. Normally, a rivet doesn't have to extend past the surface much at all to work as a fastener. Just past the surface will only require one or two hammer blows to spread the head enough to not come out. However, doing it that way won't leave a decorative head like you have here. You may be able to place the whole piece in your forge to heat the rivets, leaving less cooling time while trying to set the rivets.
I really like these housings. They look kool and will fit your ride well.[cl
I really like these housings. They look kool and will fit your ride well.[cl
