Fabricating new bumpers

[Ron Naida]

Thanks for fixing it Gene. I will print out your detailed instruction and save . Ron Naida

[Wray Schelin]

These are some bumper wings out of .065 steel. What I had planned to do was make them new in 3 pieces. One weld seam at the "a b" line. Another weld would be at the point of the "V" in piece "1" joining it to it's reverse underside piece. Piece one and it's reverse would be cut out semicircular then shrunk and shaped to the peak of the "V" and welded.

Piece 2 is about a foot long and has a bow in it of about 1/4". That I will most likely do as one piece in a press which will give a straight "V" shape.
Slit, shape and weld closed the one end. Shrink the top and bottom lips to get the 1/4" bow. Four spots heated red about a quarter inch wide, to the "V" point, heating top and bottom at the same time. When cooled should shrink enough to give the slight bow.

The above approach is based on what I have done in making bumpers in the past, but I would welcome suggestions as to an easier or better way.

Thanks,
Ron Naidahttp://www.metalmeet.com/photopost/data/3230/86Wing_b-med.JPG


Hi Ron,

I would bondo up one of the sample bumpers that you have and make a flexible shape pattern of the two sections. The "easy section" :D piece 2 you can do one piece by first following the information of the shape pattern by increasing the area of the surface of the metal blank till it makes a nice tight fit on the shape pattern. You then trim and close the metal into it's desired arrangement using wood dies in a hand press a little at a time. No heat will be needed to do this.

Part one: can be done in the same manner but it will be a lot easier if you split it in two instead of going for one piece and weld it at the center like you suggested You'll need a special die for your air planishing hammer that fits the inside center of the bumper to planish out the weld an dcorrect the shrinkage from the welding heat.

All shaping of these bumper can be done by stretching only without reducing the thickness of the metal significantly.

You say you are going to make these out of .065" steel . I have never seen CR .065 is that 15 gage CR or is it Hot Roll ? 16 gage CR .055" should be fine for these bumpers. Most of the Italian low production cars that I have seen use 18 gage on the bumpers . What car do the bumpers fit?


Wray

[Wray Schelin]

Hi Gene and Ron,

Sorry, I inadvertantly deleted two posts in a effort to try and move Ron's original post which he made by entering it in the forum directions topic rather than starting a new topic .

I needed to split the topic and start a new topic but I guess you can't do that . I had four windows open at once trying to juggle the information to save my original post and save Ron's and Genes's. In the end I lost three posts and spent almost an hour doing it. :twisted: I did quote Ron's post in my reply to him but Gene's post which was help offered to Ron on how to attach pictures in a post was lost. I also lost my directions for this forum topic . :shock:

Wray

[Ron Naida]

Apologizes to all. Sure did not mean to create this much havoc and others down time.

Sincerely
Ron Naida

[Gene_Olson]

Apologizes to all. Sure did not mean to create this much havoc and others down time.

Sincerely
Ron Naida

Hey, Ron,

What are YOU sorry for? :)

You did nothing wrong. Next time Wray posts a how to use this forum instruction, he may lock it so others can't post to it.

I still had the help instructions in my cache, and reposted them too,
to:
http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8983#8983

Where I said we NEED a help button

and Wray said there already is a help button on the page.

:?: Huh :?:

Bet you didn't know that!
I didn't.

If you are posting, look down in the lower left were it says
"BBCode (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/faq.php?mode=bbcode) is ON"

Yep, BBCode (http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/faq.php?mode=bbcode) that is the help link.

Wray said they would see if they could change the wording so it was easier to find.

Gene

[Wray Schelin]

In a perfect world things would be just as we want them . :shock:

In the mean time lets build some bumpers. :D :D :D :D

I'll try to convince David of the need for some minor improvements, if he can change the code.

Wray

[Ron Naida]

Wray thanks for the suggestions.

These bumper wings are off of a Buick and when I mentioned .065 steel that was their average thickness between the rusted thin areas and areas including the plating.

I would make new out of cold rolled 16 gage. That is what I used for the Morgan and Arnolt bumpers in the past. My P 5 is pushed beyond the limits at 16 gage, but it did it and they came out well.
Those were over 4" foot long and 5" wide pieces.

I am thinking of of a second method. Make a set of aluminum inserts for my pullmax with the top half profile. Cut two top and bottom boomerang shapes. Run them through the Pullmax to get the shape. Then weld the two halves the full length of the "V" peak.
That would add more weld but may save time in the long run.

You mentioned planishing the welded peak. On prior 16 gage items I have done like this there was minimal distortion and I was able to simply grind the weld. Maybe if 18 gage is used it becomes a requirement.

I'll experiment later this week.

Ron Naida