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Interior sheetmetal tips and tricks

twentyfootdaredevil

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Sep 9, 2010
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I'm getting ready to start the firewall and floors of my buggy. I haven't done much sheetmetal work but, I want to do everything I can to make sure it comes out pretty slick.

Any help?
 
twentyfootdaredevil said:
I'm getting ready to start the firewall and floors of my buggy. I haven't done much sheetmetal work but, I want to do everything I can to make sure it comes out pretty slick.

Any help?

I make as much out of posterboard that I can before I touch any metal. Then it transfers over pretty easily.

I also use a dremel with a nice metal burr bit to round out edges and indentations that need to be done. WAY more precise than an angle grinder.

Light grit sanding discs on die grinders are also your friend.

And remember that on more complex stuff, there is sometimes a process of order that things have to be put in and taken out. Just because it doesnt fit in one order...try again a different way and it may go in that way. My interior will only go together one way...try it any other way and you cant get panels in and out without trimming a ton off of them. The end fit and finish would definitely suffer if you just haphazardly put things in there.
 
twentyfootdaredevil said:
The order is something I have considered. The fire wall should probably be first then, flat floors then, trans tunnel?

well it doesn't really matter in the order that you build them as long as you take them into account that you can get the pieces in and out. But yes - I would start with the bottom layers first (meaning firewall and floor) and then work your way through. Dont be afraid to scrap a piece and start over either! Fit and finish of interior paneling is what really completes the look of rigs in my opinion.

In all honestly, a lot of the complex paneling is actually over my head...I have made some changes and have worked on a few other interior projects, but on my buggy, I took it to a pro to make sure it was done correctly and looked good on the first try.

The jobs that I have done myself, I have just taken my time and used alot of posterboard.
 
Also with the poster board idea, a bunch of those little neodymium magnets to hold it in place. Next best thing to 3+ hands.
 
I'm in the same boat. Luckily my old man did sheet metal at Delta for 15 years before they outsourced it. So I've got a lot of his old sheet metal tools and his guidance.
 
I also forgot to mention...get yourself a set of Cleko's and Cleko pliers and it makes things a lot easier to keep things mounted where they need to be while fitting pieces without bolting and unbolting.
 
Keep in mind, panels that you want to be able to remove easy to access things. Don't build yourself into a corner where it takes removing 5 things to get to one.
 
slravenel said:
I also forgot to mention...get yourself a set of Cleko's and Cleko pliers and it makes things a lot easier to keep things mounted where they need to be while fitting pieces without bolting and unbolting.


Depending on what kind of details you are doing and/or spacing, a rivet fan is a nice tool if you are doing some exposed fastners.
 

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