More progress on the Spitfire :)

"BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires" (biturbo228) 08/04/2016 at 18:45 • Filed to: Spit6

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This (my new profile pic) is an arty-farty prisma’d photo my mate took of me welding the box sections I’ve added to the Spitfire’s hardtop :) I’ve done one side, and the other is nearly done. Haven’t finished the external skin yet though...

Already the roof is a lot more solid. Don’t mind the blobby welds you can see in the top pic. The proper welding was done from the other side, this is just to add some material so I can flat it all back when my grinding discs come in the post. Also, I’ve quartered a section of tube I had lying around so there’s a rounded face pointing inwards so if I get into a crash I’m not clouting my head on the pointy bit of a box section!

To help with this task, I used my brand new sheet metal brake (two pieces of angle-iron fence post, a vice and two clamps). Worked a treat :)

Also, I’ve added sections to the rotisserie bracket so that it can now bolt onto either the bulkhead of a bodyshell or the front of a chassis. Saves making up two separate brackets for the two different things.

Lastly, my dad’s been busy with the walls for the new garage. Half of them are up, and we’ve taken delivery of two massive 8.5m long 12x4 beams to span the roof without resorting to pillars. Going to be fun getting them up into place!

Oh, lastly lastly I’ve just got back from Cambridgeshire (via Sheffield to grab a fibreglass Spit bonnet) picking up the world’s most rotten GT6 bodyshell. Seriously, this thing is held together by paint and the vague recollection that it used to be a solid car at some point in its history. Luckily, the only part that isn’t lacework or a hole is the roof, and that’s what will get cannibalised and welded to the Spit bodyshell on Spit no. 3. Here it is when we picked it up, and believe it or not that is the most flattering picture if this shell’s condition possible.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 08/04/2016 at 18:52

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Dude... don’t you have enough to concentrate on?! Also, I’m gonna have time this winter if the Baja build needs some Northumbrian love and attention, I’ll bring a tent :)

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 08/04/2016 at 18:57

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Brilliant. I can’t even reach my project with the welder because there’s a jig for welding up roof trusses in the way, but that’s a different sort of progress... At least I’ve got another one of the Landies of a more recently running nature running again (points, clutch fiddling) and have obtained a spool gun welder to do Birmabright with. Looks like this (not mine):

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12 voltage settings (!), a 30-foot lead, and, in short, the ability to weld Al that was previously lacking.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 08/04/2016 at 19:08

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I do but I don’t learn!

Baja B is joint second on the list after the Spit6 and alongside the Spit Slant (I’ll be collecting bits and pieces for both as they come up cheaply). Whichever is closest to functioning will get some love :)

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 08/04/2016 at 19:11

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Ooh neat! I still can’t weld Al now that I’ve discovered my cheapo TIG welder doesn’t have an AC setting :S

Shall look into these spool gun welders :)

Jig for welding roof trusses? For the Ranchero?

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 08/04/2016 at 19:25

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The spool gun is DC, I believe, but works with MIG .030" aluminum wire and argon to do passably well. Not as good for some types of Al welding, but since you don’t have to heat the whole area prior to adding metal as with TIG, may prove to do well for thin sheet with less distortion. It’s not really meant to go below 1/8" thickness, but there are techniques for soaking the heat and reinforcing from behind when spotting and the like. Haven’t played with it yet beyond setting it up. I’ve got access to a stationary spot welder that can do thin Birmabright at work, but it requires taking the workpiece to the welder, risk of twisting things, and the actual spotting is fiddly, plus leaves deposits on the tips. Not a good thing for something one is using on sufferance. Hence the spool gun. If I have to, I’ll have a lump of copper bar behind the weld to control heat soak, or similar (steel also can work).

The roof trusses are for the 40' X 34' or so expansion area next to me dad’s shop. The one’s that around 4 Land Barge Units (which in terms of plan area *is* about twice a Spit, you were right).

I’ve also moved the Lincoln to a drier and more gravel-floored spot, though I sadly chipped some of the ribs out of the grille in the process. Will have to fix it.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 08/05/2016 at 06:02

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Nice :) I’ve got a couple of brass bars that would do well for heat sinks for one of those.

Shame about the Lincoln, although as far as work goes that’s not too bad :) need to crack on with my parts shed floor this weekend, get the Spitfires in a better place!

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 08/05/2016 at 09:07

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The grille’s a mix of good and bad, I’m afraid. Anodized sort-of-chrome finish that could be easy to refresh with home electroplating (I hope), zinc or similar metal (hard to solder/otherwise repair), and relatively simple rib design, so if I’ve outright lost any ribs I can recast. Worst case, can be pinned/glued. The vertical “posts” are unharmed. The towing vehicle didn’t stay properly ahead and bashed a trailer ball into the lowest “V” sections in the middle, breaking them off at the sides.:

(ref pic)

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 08/05/2016 at 10:02

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Ah yeah that would be fiddly to fix. I suppose one way would be to remove the whole thing, repair the broken parts and then freshly electroplate the whole lot.

I’ll be interested to see the homebrew electroplating. Was looking into that a while back, although not in any sort of depth...