The Eddie Paul Shop Tour

[Wray Schelin]

Hi Eddie,

Welcome to MetalMeet! Here's a good spot to post some pictures and comments about your shop.

[Eddie Paul]

Hi Eddie,

Welcome to MetalMeet! Here's a good spot to post some pictures and comments about your shop.

I have a lot of shop, and do not know where to start, we have evey tool for making cars or props that we can fit in the 20,000 foot building, I also make the English Wheel and Planishig hammers that Eastwood sells and have about 300 in stock at all times, so if anyone needs a deal let me know, I will shoot some photos for uploading next week. we also are producing a lot of How To videos on car stuff.
Thanks for setting this thread up for me.
Eddie Paul

[Gene_Olson]

Eddie,
20,000 ft sounds like a dream (or a maybe a nightmare :twisted: if you're trying to heat it up here in Minnesota)
props, cars, space . . .
I did film/video props for a while and then moved to projects that had a bit more laid back idea of scheduling.
That's a job for an agile soul. :-)
You sometimes have to diagnose the client and figure out what they want, and what they really need and kind of lead them in that direction.
Ahhhh and then the producers/designers who worry about things for 6 - 9 months and then want it yesterday - - it got a little old after while. :roll: 8-)

My question is, "How are you dividing that space up"
You obviously have a dedicated machine shop, Sheet metal areas, and probably areas dedicated to polymers/plastics as well, offices, design areas, paint - finishing, and flexible project areas where assembly takes place, welded, bolted, glued . . . .
Flamables side/ lots of sparks side . . .

And with all those eastwood machines in stock, warehouseing eats space too.

So one has incoming materials, stock racks, supplies,

The great dedicated production areas in the middle.

Products out the door, products into stock, and that darn stuff that you just coulldn't throw out.

Thats it.

Sure we're all toolaholics here, even those in the cheap seats, and we'd love to see your toys:

but how do you cut up that space.

what portion is devoted to your archives.
and what things have you kept from this adventure.

Gene

[Eddie Paul]

Eddie,
20,000 ft sounds like a dream (or a maybe a nightmare :twisted: if you're trying to heat it up here in Minnesota)
props, cars, space . . .
I did film/video props for a while and then moved to projects that had a bit more laid back idea of scheduling.
That's a job for an agile soul. :-)
You sometimes have to diagnose the client and figure out what they want, and what they really need and kind of lead them in that direction.
Ahhhh and then the producers/designers who worry about things for 6 - 9 months and then want it yesterday - - it got a little old after while. :roll: 8-)

My question is, "How are you dividing that space up"
You obviously have a dedicated machine shop, Sheet metal areas, and probably areas dedicated to polymers/plastics as well, offices, design areas, paint - finishing, and flexible project areas where assembly takes place, welded, bolted, glued . . . .
Flamables side/ lots of sparks side . . .

And with all those eastwood machines in stock, warehouseing eats space too.

So one has incoming materials, stock racks, supplies,

The great dedicated production areas in the middle.

Products out the door, products into stock, and that darn stuff that you just coulldn't throw out.

Thats it.

Sure we're all toolaholics here, even those in the cheap seats, and we'd love to see your toys:

but how do you cut up that space.

what portion is devoted to your archives.
and what things have you kept from this adventure.
Gene

Boy that is a good question and the answer is, that there is no good answer, we are always moving things around to make space for new jobs, but the secret (if there is a secret) is “Wheels”, we put wheels on almost everything, so that the equipment can be easily moved around the shop as we get in new projects or need space.
But we do have the machine shop in one corner of the building, the metal working equipment in anther corner, and the welding in the center, the spray booth is outside and the plastic forming, welding and 3-D router is in the center of one wall, as this equipment is hard to move, so we have dedicated a wall for it to live. (Even though it has been moved a few time already).

When we get a big job in we “arrange” for the job, making the shop fit the job not the job fit the shop. We also divide the job up into frame, mechanical, body work, plastic, interior and so forth. This helps as we then can all work on it in different areas and bring it together as we assemble it.

As far as office space and engineering, we have a full-on animation area and can build or design anything on computer before we even cut the first piece of metal. We also have a production company and shoot most of what we do, so we can also produce a simple How To or a documentary on the whole project.

Sure the clients are a bit hard to deal with, but not impossible, if they change something and we do not expect it, it would be disastrous, so we assume they will change things, and we stay ahead of them, as an example: we are building a full scale car for a production company and I heard the producer say if it would be a "big deal" to widen the car later, if they wanted to?
So, I have designed the “Plug” with a split down the center so we can easily widen it if needed. You just have to ask a lot of questions and get a feel for what may need to be changed, and then allow for that change.
But I could sure use more wheels...
Eddie Paul

[eyePAINt]

Your shop sounds quite impressive! You must have a whole lot of talent under your employ. For someone who does such high-profile work, it's nice that you take the time to keep in touch with people on a personal level. I tried to email questions to other builders but never even got a response. My question concerns welding. I do a lot of MIG welding and I wear contact lenses. My eyes seem to dry out while I'm welding. I've heard that argon is not good for the eyes if you wear contacts. Can you shed a little light on the subject for me? Thanks.

[bigun]

Wow can't wait to see pictures, I'll be sure to wear a bib so I won't drool all over my keyboard! LOL

[gator 1]

I was just reading your shark buildup article in monster garages how to build **** near anything and was amazed to see how many different materials went onto the shark. But it left me with one question. What happened to the little shark you showed the clients that wanted a bigger one.Gator

[Eddie Paul]

Wow can't wait to see pictures, I'll be sure to wear a bib so I won't drool all over my keyboard! LOL
I hope this helps a bit. ask any questions you want.

Eddie Paul

[Eddie Paul]

I was just reading your shark buildup article in monster garages how to build **** near anything and was amazed to see how many different materials went onto the shark. But it left me with one question. What happened to the little shark you showed the clients that wanted a bigger one.Gator

I still have it hanging on my shelf. someday, someone, somewhere will want a small shark, and I will have it.
Eddie Paul

[Gene_Olson]

Eddie,

How did you happen to find us here?

Gene

[Gonejunking]

Hi Eddie
Cool photo's.
In #6, is that a 1958 Corvette in the background?

[Eddie Paul]

Eddie,

How did you happen to find us here?

Gene
A guy came to SEMA and got one of my new books and later emailed me and told me about this forum and that I should visit it, I was on the Ol’ Skool Rodz forum but this one is much more professional..
Eddie Paul

[Eddie Paul]

Hi Eddie
Cool photo's.
In #6, is that a 1958 Corvette in the background?
Yes it is a '58 it belongs to a friend and we are going to use it in a video we are producing on fiberglass repair for Eastwood Company we also have a Batmobile we are building for someone else. The rest of the cars are mine, we do not do a lot of retail work, just stuff for movies and a few private collectors. Most of the money I make is from the books, the videos and the tools that we make, it is hard to make money off the cars, if you what to do it right, because it just takes too long and no one, (make that very few) can afford a job done right. So I try to do the job at cost of below cost and make my profit off the ancillaries, such as the tapes and videos. You have to do the cars because you love your job or you will not do it well.
Eddie Paul

[kustomizingkid]

I was on Ol skool rodz and all I can say is what a joke! People act like complete idiots flaming eachother like crazy.

Brandon McCarthy

[Eddie Paul]

I was on Ol skool rodz and all I can say is what a joke! People act like complete idiots flaming eachother like crazy.

Brandon McCarthy

Life is to short, you gotta build someting... not jsut talk about it... And why not wan it to look nice? I must be getting old.
Eddie Paul

[Wray Schelin]

Life is too short, you gotta build someting... not just talk about it... And why not want it to look nice? I must be getting old.
Eddie Paul

Hi Eddie,

Words of wisdom!

[Eddie Paul]

Hi Eddie,

Words of wisdom!
We are just starting the PIXAR job and I get to cut a new Porsche in half, (whoopie!!!) I will try to send photos as we proceed down here on the project. I have to find out what I am allowed to show and what I can not show, first.
Eddie Paul

[gator 1]

When my dad bought a lexas and paid $58,000 for it i had to drill some 1 inch holes in the door jamb to mount door poppers for him as he is handicaped. a moment of fear went through me as i started drilling on this brand new car. I cant imagine cutting a new porsche in half. Of course if the owner was there while i did the cutting it would be hard not to say

opps. I guess thats just the sick side of me.:twisted: :lol: :lol:

Gator

[Eddie Paul]

When my dad bought a lexas and paid $58,000 for it i had to drill some 1 inch holes in the door jamb to mount door poppers for him as he is handicaped. a moment of fear went through me as i started drilling on this brand new car. I cant imagine cutting a new porsche in half. Of course if the owner was there while i did the cutting it would be hard not to say

opps. I guess thats just the sick side of me.:twisted: :lol: :lol:

Gator

You do kinda get used to it after (who knows how many cars) we have cut up for films. but still, there is that bit of uneasiness in the pit of your stomach as the blade hits the paint for the first cut, after that, it is just smooth cutting.
I will take plenty of photos and video as we cut the car.
Eddie Paul

[Eddie Paul]

Eddie,

How did you happen to find us here?

Gene

Someone emailed me and told me about the site and I was impressed with the level of experience the members have.
Eddie Paul

[Boogiemanz1]

Hi Eddie, did you get the porsche cut up yet..?........Drop by now and then and let us know what's happening...............john

[Eddie Paul]

We are in the process of finishing the Porsche named “Sally” for the PIXAR/Disney show called CARS, Inc. and the next car we will be starting is the NASCAR named “Lightning” the Porsche was shortened 7-1/2” and the top raised 3 inches for the taller
”Cartoon” look, the amazing thing about it is that everything still works even though we had to cut through every wire and tube that ran to the front or back of the car. The cutting job took about a week and the car still drives perfect, and can turn much sharper now as well as fit into a smaller parking space. We will be painting it this week and then start the next car. I digitized the window ledges with a ROMER arm and put them in Rhino as a digital file then lofted a window with a compound shape and added eyelids to it for the windshield, converted this in RhinoCam to a NC file and this was then sent to my 3-D router and a Jelutong plug was carved and used as a vacuum form “plug” to “pull” the tinted plastic widows for the car, as raising the top removed any possibility of the stock windows fitting back in the car ever again. It is a long and dusty job but then why else would I love it so much. This car will be feature in a book I am writing that should be out next year along with the film. BTW Jay Leno sent me the job. Thanks Jay!
Eddie Paul

[Gonejunking]

Eddie
I think your having to much fun doing this!!

I'll be down in a couple of week's!!!

[Gene_Olson]

We will be painting it this week and then start the next car. I digitized the window ledges with a ROMER (http://www.romer.com/main/products_detail.php?lang=en&id=1031694384) arm and put them in Rhino (http://www.rhino3d.com/) as a digital file then lofted a window with a compound shape and added eyelids to it for the windshield, converted this in RhinoCam to a NC file and this was then sent to my 3-D router and a Jelutong (http://www.freemansupply.com/Jelutong.htm) plug was carved and used as a vacuum form (http://www.technologystudent.com/equip1/vacform1.htm) “plug” to “pull” the tinted plastic widows for the car, as raising the top removed any possibility of the stock windows fitting back in the car ever again. It is a long and dusty job but then why else would I love it so much. This car will be feature in a book I am writing that should be out next year along with the film. BTW Jay Leno sent me the job. Thanks Jay!
Eddie Paul
Sound's like fun.
ahhh. ..h hhh, :) peer groups make the world go round.

As I said in another thread, I like Rhino. . .

It's great for modeling surfaces and all sorts of stuff.
It puts out good geometry you can build from, it's cheap. . .
I know the "boyz" over in the bugatti thread have solidworks on the brain,
I have been looking at it,
It is cool,
but,
What cad system do you normally run.

[Eddie Paul]

I'm still with AutoCad 14 but haveing fun with Rhino and 3Dstudio max as well as getting a version of MasterCam to try out.
Eddie Paul