roadster innner door panels

[whodaky]

Xken mentioned this material in another post. It is annealed aluminium flashing. I purchased it from a local hardware store. As Xken said one roll is more than a life time modeling supply!

I first cut a piece 3 1/2" (89mm) x 3 3/8" (85mm). I cut the aluminium using scissors, it is very thin, at 0.3 mm.

After cutting the piece from the roll I straighten it using a rubber/plastic hammer, as well as a piece of soft wood.

I am actually making 3 inner panels in this thread, 1 left and 2 right. So I will end up with 2 pair of inner panels!
I will post this now and continue in another post!
Geoff aka whodaky

[whodaky]

Here is the main buck layed on the aluminium piece.

Note how the aluminium piece is bigger than the buck this will allow for the folded edge that is done a little later!
The buck and aluminium are turned over, whilst keeping the aluminium centred on the buck. Next I use my thumb to press on the aluminium to get the first impression in the aluminium! Next the middle MDF die is placed in the impression and hammered a little the get the impression deeper and tighter, but not quite all the way yet!

You can see the aluminium starting to crinkle. At this stage I remove the die and the aluminium from the buck.

At this stage I straighten the crinkled aluminium.

Geoff aka whodaky

[whodaky]

I replace the straightened piece back on the buck, place the centre die in the depression and hammer it in a bit more. The panel will crinkle again, so it will need to be straightened once more.
Next with the panel and buck turned over I scribe a line around the edge of the buck and then 1/8" (3mm) out from the first line I scribe another line. I actually use a piece of the MDF to get this second line. I trim the excess on the outside of the second line on the front and back side and the bottom. I also trim the excess material at the top edge of the panel.

Note that the top of the door doesn't have the second line, as there is no folded edge in this area!
Once again I place the piece back on the buck and begin to form the folded edge, using a small engineer's hammer. Actually this hammer is a bit of overkill, but it works for me!

You will notice that the corners at this stage are not rounded at the bottom. I will do this after I cut across this area, to get rid of a bit of material to minimize crinkling when I hammer in the rounded corner fold.
The next 2 images are not very clear. the first shows the corner uncut, the second showinng the cut made across the corner.

Another note so clear shot shows the rounded folded corner.

You will find that as the edges are folded, the panel will be hard to get out of the buck. That's just part of what happens with this process. It will come out with a but of effort.
Geoff aka whodaky

[whodaky]

It is very hard to see it in the very first image of this thread, but around along the front and back sides as well as the bottom of the inner panels is a raised bead roll. This is what I will be doing next. The next image here shows on the left a panel with the bead roll formed and the other without!

On the first couple of panels I did the intial forming of this bead roll with my thumb nail. But I figured not everyone one has tough old hands like mine. So I figured I should show better way. Basically I used a painted chopstick ( I actually use this same chop stick a lot in the forming of these panels.

I merely run along the edges of the panel around 1/8" (3mm) in, using my thumb as the guide over the edge of the door. You will need to run along the edges a few times to get the desired result. Note there is no groove on the buck under the panel where this is done.
The next images shows that I haven't gone around the corner with this bead roll. It gets a bit tricky going around the corner using your thumb as the guide, so I actually do the rounded corner free hand with the chopstick.

This bead roll really starts to give the panel a bit of character. Also as this bead roll is formed the folded edge opens up a little, you''ll want to hammer this back to 90 degrees.
Geoff aka whodaky

[whodaky]

So now we move onto the pressings in the panel. Which in this case I will do with individual bucks. The linear depressions in these bucks were done using a 107 Dremel engraving cutter ( a ballend ). I don't use a dremel I have a small electric burring tool, that I have had for many years. The rectangular depressions in some of the bucks were chiseled in with small sculpting tools.

Of course when you turn the panel back over you don't know exactly where the depression will be. So you mark it using the buck as a guide. It doesn't need to be marked exactly, just enough to let you know roughly where the depression will be.

I then use the trusty chop stick to form the depression!


Geoff aka whodaky

[whodaky]

To do the last couple of depressions, I found that the chopstick wasn't suitable. So I cut a piece of aluminium I would use to hammer in the rectangular depressions!



So that's where I am up to. Still need to do all the hole detail and then a bit of massaging to get the panel looking a bit nicer. But I am not striving for a perfect finish on these panels. That is not what they are all about in this particular instance.

Geoff aka whodaky

[xken]

A great tutorial!!!!! Now just a couple of pointers for future reference. If you cut a second piece just like the first one and sandwich the aluminum between the two with clamps as close to the opening as you can get. Then form; you will reduce the deforming you are seeing in the picture of the surrounding aluminum. Do the edge first; this will help, then do the center. Once the center is done come back and finish the edges removing one clamp at a time. By containing the material the the center area will have to stretch locally. You also may wish if you have a deep draw to form consider annealling the flashing piece first. Draw a cross hatch pattern with a black smoothie marker, then heat until the ink turns brown, do not over heat if you get too hot a surface texture will form (can be sanded of later). Once evenly heated then quench in water, should now be even softer and easier to form.

In the event you wish to make multiple pieces make your buck (wood patten) out of a smooth grained hardwood. Hardwood will hold the sharp edges. Also use some carpet tape which is double sided to hold the wood pattern(s) in place; especially if it is on a carrier board.

Work slowly when forming and give the aluminum a chance to stretch. For gross(inital) forming use the end of an xacto knife (aluminum on aluminum) no scatches or gouges. For finishing and final detailing get some Dry Transfer Burnishers see link, these are great to crispen up edges and small details.
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares...oduct&ID=82328

Also if the pocket book allows get some reducing punches for gross forming;
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares...oduct&ID=82390

I have also used the end of drill bits as forming tools as well when after a particuliar size.

To make round lightening holes drill a hole the size of the inner hole. Then in a piece of hardwood first drill a hole using the inner drill size deep into the wood, then counter bore (drill) a hole half way down the first. Put a couple of small pieces of the double stick tape next to the hole. Put the smaller inner hole drill bit smooth end into the hole drilled in the alumium and use as a locator to center on big hole in the wood. Make sure the small drill sits into the hole in the wood and carefully work the piece of aluminum down and press onto tape to hold position. Now put a reducing punch or cone shape piece of wood dowel and press down to form edges of lightening hole. Can usually be done by hand.

Geoff keep up the great work you are doing with these panels! Ken

[whodaky]

Thanks for the tips xken. I am familiar with the sandwiching process. Just didn't think to use it in this instance.
I looked at the burnishing tool. I have a paint stylus, that I use in my pinstriping work. It has a metal balled end. I tried using that for the burnishing, but found it didn't real want to smoothly run across the surfaces being burnished. That is why I used the chop stick. I want to give an acrylic knitting needle a try some time. I also use some other pieces of timber for the burnishing and running along some edges to define them more!
Something I didn't mention. When I had completed the panels to the stage they are at now. I immersed them in a caustic soda/water solution, for a couple of minutes; to get them back to a uniform color. Just don't leave them in for long, or over night; as they won't be there in the morning. I use this solution for striping paint off painted plastic models, as well as chrome plating.
Geoff aka whodaky
PS the aluminium I am using is annealed and I think wouldn't require further annealing as it is very workable.

[Don Garrett]

Good stuff and greatly appreciated guys.....
for you folks that don't know what a burnishing tool is (us old school artsy types usually have a variety of shapes laying around). Here's a few photos of one I still use even though I do not do much transfer lettering any more.

[Don Garrett]

Geoff....I think I heard your 1/6th '36 whispering aluminum bomber seats?

[whodaky]

Ah ha Don. Seems like so long ago that I had that intense period of working on the big '36. But I am sure I will get the urge to get back into it when ever. As for the bomber seats, as much as I like the great look of them I am not a big fan of them in a hot rod. So I am sure they won't be going into my big '36. But maybe it will get some form of aluminium work, now that I know about this aluminium flashing material and am getting a bit of a handle on what I can do with it.
Geoff aka whodaky