ok,I did put this post up before but it got lost when the site went down......
so before I slice up the spare early cargo doors I got,
can I get like repair outer skins for the bottom of my cargo doors(66)
I know "hardings" up here carry most repair sections but not those.
now I have seen them for sale but where....I can't remember.
any info guys?
Rob

[Edited on 28-3-2004 by robnjo]

Rob,

Normally you don't need to replace more
than 10cm of the outside skin. You can use flat section
of 1mm with a fold at the bottom (90 deg will work). So you
have a right angle section 10cm x 1cm (for the lip under the door)

_I

The inside 'frame' can be more difficult depending how
crusty it is. Fairly easy to replace the bottom of it
with another 90 deg bent piece of metal (1.2mm). Need
two 90 deg bends if you need to replace higher..

__I
I

Hard to explain and I'm struggling to do it in written words.
But simple folds will work for repairing bottom of cargo doors
in and out.

??????

RobK

[Edited on 29-3-2004 by splitbusaustralia]

Rob,

What do you use to do bends and folds in sheet metal? (I'm guessing there is an appropriate piece of machinery with an appropriate olde-worldy name like a "Reverse Irish Linisher's brake" or similar...).

tia

Thanks rob & peter,dont realy want to cut up the other doors.
Rob

G'day Peter,

To fold metal a sheetmetal ‘folder’ or ‘brake’ (although
‘brake’ has the connotation of being able to fold
really heavy gauges). To bend a curve, a sheetmetal ‘roller’.
You can buy combo folder/roller units with a 120 – 140 cm bed
for around $1500 in Oz now (often Chinese but the do the job).

I would buy an English wheel (roll compound curves) and one of
those offset wheel thingies (roll identations like in battery trays, front
floors and belly panes and stuff - you don’t get the distortion you get with pressing) if either ever came up for the right price.

That said, all I have at home is a fantastic little variable angle folder with a
60 cm bed that I picked up as a disposal item from work ( I guess
I also have an anvil, a 20 ton press and lotsa dollies and
home made dies and stuff for hand forming)

Commonly required splitbus panels (sills, inner sills, outriggers, chassis sections)
of goodish quality are available here now and I just buy these and only make
stuff that isn’t available – like pillar bottoms, door repair
bits, front floor repair bits etc.

To make my cargo floor sections I have to use a third party
press (which isn’t ideal – can be lots of delay – had the same problem
when I used to make sills and chassis sections etc). I make these
by pressing one corrugation at a time and then advancing
the sheet…….


RobK

Rob,
Thanks for that, it's nice to get an idea of what a well-equipped panel-resto. shop has.

Regards,