Skipped_Link
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 20, 2020
- Member Number
- 540
- Messages
- 391
Now I can finally get to the aluminum floor panels,,,,,Almost,
I had to work on the mounting tabs first,
I have used these tabs before & bought a whole box of them for this project, they are handy, but I have a couple issues with them,
First, they have a 1/4" hole in them, so either thread them to 5/16" (which is a huge fastener for an .125" thick tab)
Or attach 1/4" threads to them somehow, (J-nut, thin-sert, etc.)
I chose the ole weld a nut on technique,
I'm really surprised how many people make note of this particular detail, to oakie for the build maybe?
Second issue is they are crooked, I'm not sure if the stamped out blanks are crooked, or if something happens when they get bent to shape, either way it drives me nuts every time I hold one up to a piece of tube,
I've welded plenty of them on, & more than likely no one would ever know,
But for this project I took a few minutes & modified an old soft jaw for my mill vise, now it will grip the tab both rigidly & consistently,
A carbide cutter the diameter of the tube each tab will go on makes short work of truing up the tab, & making a nicer fit to the tube itself,
Now I have lots of threaded, strait tabs, & with that much work invested in them, there was no way I was MIG welding them to the chassis if I didn't have to, But my TIG machine is on the opposite end of the shop, I have a torch, & ground that will reach no problem, but my pedal cord was about 6 ft shy of reaching, so I burned up a few hours rearranging the shop, (mostly just under one bench), moved the welder & bottle from one end of the bench to the other, & now I can reach both shop bays with the TIG machine.
It' got plenty of use over there this weekend too.
I had to work on the mounting tabs first,
I have used these tabs before & bought a whole box of them for this project, they are handy, but I have a couple issues with them,
First, they have a 1/4" hole in them, so either thread them to 5/16" (which is a huge fastener for an .125" thick tab)
Or attach 1/4" threads to them somehow, (J-nut, thin-sert, etc.)
I chose the ole weld a nut on technique,
I'm really surprised how many people make note of this particular detail, to oakie for the build maybe?
Second issue is they are crooked, I'm not sure if the stamped out blanks are crooked, or if something happens when they get bent to shape, either way it drives me nuts every time I hold one up to a piece of tube,
I've welded plenty of them on, & more than likely no one would ever know,
But for this project I took a few minutes & modified an old soft jaw for my mill vise, now it will grip the tab both rigidly & consistently,
A carbide cutter the diameter of the tube each tab will go on makes short work of truing up the tab, & making a nicer fit to the tube itself,
Now I have lots of threaded, strait tabs, & with that much work invested in them, there was no way I was MIG welding them to the chassis if I didn't have to, But my TIG machine is on the opposite end of the shop, I have a torch, & ground that will reach no problem, but my pedal cord was about 6 ft shy of reaching, so I burned up a few hours rearranging the shop, (mostly just under one bench), moved the welder & bottle from one end of the bench to the other, & now I can reach both shop bays with the TIG machine.
It' got plenty of use over there this weekend too.