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 Posted 8/19/2014 10:11:44 AM |
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Has NO LIFE!!
Last Login: 12/4/2023 11:08:55 PM
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| Hello Everyone, When I say universal I mean something actually used by someone in their Bat Vehicle build that could be used by someone else in their build. I also mean something beyond the basic skill level and something not found in the general texts. When I say tool making I mean the construction of a special tool by the builder to accomplish a BAT Vehicle building task or solve a special Bat Vehicle building problem. When I say special techniques I mean something not commonly thought of, a manipulation of tools/methods/materials, to solve a Bat Vehicle building problem. When I came to this forum I was looking for information to use in building my tumbler. I found the building information I sought and much more. I found many people sharing not just Bat Vehicle building information but their personal experiences, opinions, and philosophies in many Batman related areas. I am grateful for this site as a collection point and major depository of Bat Vehicle information. I have received much from being a member and I try to contribute to others when I can in return. I plan to post on this thread as I encounter Tumbler building problems that require special welding/cutting, tool making, and special building techniques, not to show off my limited abilities, but to contribute to others building or planning to build Bat Vehicles. Any thoughts and/or suggestions out there on this? vertigo
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| Posted 8/29/2014 11:54:55 AM |
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Has NO LIFE!!
Last Login: 12/4/2023 11:08:55 PM
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| Hello Everyone, PRECISION HOLE CUTTING IN METAL USING THE PLASMA TORCH PART 1 Freehand cutting holes with a plasma torch in metal is usually a shaky proposition producing jagged out of round holes and at best a tedious procedure. I just finished using mine to cut a dozen precision holes and eight end radius cuts through ¼-inch thick structural steel for my Tumbler front suspension arms. Once I made a master guide disk out of 1/8-inch plate with a centered drilled 3/16-inch hole and drilled my 3/16-inch locator holes in my structural steel it took about a minute or so to cut each 3-3/8 inch hole/radius with an accuracy of 1/16-inch. I figured out how to cut precision holes in metal many years ago on my own. I tried the torch on the end of a pivoting arm but never was happy with the precision of the results. I have used my disk pattern method to cut holes/disks from 1-inch to 4-feet. The main thing is that almost anyone using my method can cut precision holes in metal and maintain 1/16-inch accuracy. In my Tumbler project sheets I have many other holes to cut for my Tumbler build and most will be cut with my plasma torch and disc method. Part 2 will show you the details of how to set up and cut round holes. vertigo
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| Posted 8/29/2014 1:46:56 PM |
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Has NO LIFE!!
Last Login: 12/4/2023 11:08:55 PM
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| Hello Everyone, PRECISION HOLE CUTTING IN METAL USING THE PLASMA TORCH PART 2 How to setup and actually cut holes
Draw a life sized paper, cardboard, plastic, etc. template of your part with desired hole location(s) marked. Make a hole through each of your template hole’s center(s). Place your template on your metal and center punch the center of each hole. I use a #16 nail for my center pivoting axle and drill 3/16 inch locator holes in the metal I plan to cut. Next measure from the outside of your plasma torch drag shield to the center discharge orifice. My Miller torch drag shield measures 3/16 inch. Most torches use this measure but a few vary. This is your drag shield offset factor. I cut my pivot disk to 3-inches in diameter out of 1/8-inch plate which for most plasma torches is the ideal thickness. When you add the 3/16 drag shield offset factor this produced 3-3/8 inch holes. The Tumbler axle sheathes I will be welding in are 3-inches in diameter. The 3-3/8 inch holes give me 3/16 inch all around the 3-inch axle sheath for welding in. If I had needed an exact 3-inch hole I would have cut my pivot disk to 2-5/8 inches in diameter. When cutting, the plasma torch drag shield glides around the pivot disk. If the torch drag shield binds against the edge of the disk it will slip and rotate on its pivot. Your hole cutting accuracy depends only on your ability to hold the plasma torch drag shield against the outside edge of the pivot disk. Most people can maintain 1/16 inch accuracy with relative ease. This method works best on holes 1-inch and larger. Thickness of metal is limited to your plasma torch cutting capacity. This method can also be scaled up for thicker and bigger by switching to oxy/acetylene. vertigo
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| Posted 8/30/2014 9:50:57 PM |
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Has NO LIFE!!
Last Login: 12/4/2023 11:08:55 PM
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Hello Everyone,
Started to assemble front Tumbler suspension axles and axle sheathes. Axles are 2.000 diameter. Axle sheaths are 3-inches in diameter and the bore was found to be 1.978 inside diameter. .022 oversize. I had to remove .022 + .005 more for inside tube axle clearance from inside the length of 2-16" long heavy wall tubes. This turned into a major task that took 12-hours to get it right. I ended up using 6-bi-metal 2-inch hole saws mounted on an 18-inch hole saw extension.
This might be of use to another Bat Vehicle builder if they should encounter a similar problem of needing to enlarge the inside diameter of a tube, axle, or pipe. Bi-metal hole saws start at 1-inch in diameter and increase in sizes by 1/16-inch up to 6-inches and by 1/8-inches up to 12-inches. Hole saw extensions up to 18-inches are sold by the hole saw manufacturers. If you need to work on a longer tube you could weld one of the manufacturer hole saw extensions onto a length of steel rod or turn one from solid bar stock. It is unlikely you would ever need one longer than 4-feet since you could work on the tube from both ends. vertigo
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| Posted 8/30/2014 10:30:37 PM |
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Has NO LIFE!!
Last Login: 12/4/2023 11:08:55 PM
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Hello Everyone,
Building a large V-BLOCK: When I started working on my Tumbler's front axles and axle sheathes I quickly found that my drill press vice was not big enough to handle the axle sheathes. So I built a large V-BLOCK from scrap metal to get me through the weekend. The V-BLOCK has worked out so well that I now prefer it over a vice for large round work. I even painted it yellow. This V-BLOCK might be useful to another Bat Vehicle builder. vertigo
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| Posted 8/30/2014 11:26:29 PM |
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Has NO LIFE!!
Last Login: 12/4/2023 11:08:55 PM
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Hello Everyone,
Forgot to ask if anyone out there has anything to share from their research, planning, or building of Bat Vehicles that might benefit other people in their researching, planning, or physical building of Bat Vehicles.
vertigo
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| Posted 8/31/2014 9:54:20 PM |
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Has NO LIFE!!
Last Login: 12/4/2023 11:08:55 PM
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Hello Everyone,
Given the hardened 2-inch center axle and no high dollar carbide bits I started stepping out the 5/16-inch piloted holes with HSS 1/2 inch, then 9/16 inch, then 5/8 inch, then 3/4-inch, and finally with a 13/16 inch drill. Completed two holes and almost a third in 8-hours. Stepping out is a term used to describe the process of increasing a drilled hole a little at a time. Often used with lower quality drill bits and under powered drills. I also used this method to drill the 16 mounting holes through the 1/2 inch steel mounting brackets for my flange bearings. This might be useful to other Bat Vehicle builders. vertigo
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| Posted 8/31/2014 10:37:19 PM |
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Has NO LIFE!!
Last Login: 12/4/2023 11:08:55 PM
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Hello Everyone,
PRECISION STRAIGHT LINE CUTTING IN METAL USING THE PLASMA TORCH
First measure from the outside of your plasma torch drag shield to the center discharge orifice. My Miller torch drag shield measures 3/16 inch. Most torches use this measure but a few vary. This is your drag shield offset factor. Your straight line cutting accuracy depends only on your ability to hold the plasma torch drag shield against the edge of a straight edge. With error causing variables eliminated most people can maintain 1/16 inch or less accuracy with relative ease. When possible use clamps, magnets, and/or weights to secure your straight edge. Other than demolition and rough cutting, one would have to search very hard to find a reason not to use a secured straight edge. While building on my Tumbler I have cut a number of parts and many more in the future will be cut using a secured straight edge. The Tumbler with its many angles and straight lines is particularly suited to the use of a secured straight edge especially since I will be building my Tumbler's body from steel. Any narrow straight piece of steel approximately 1/8 inch thick will work. Remember to allow for your drag shield factor offset when positioning your secured straight edge. Hope someone finds this useful in their Bat Vehicle building. vertigo
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| Posted 9/1/2014 9:28:26 PM |
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Has NO LIFE!!
Last Login: 12/4/2023 11:08:55 PM
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Hello Everyone,
PRECISION HOLE CUTTING IN METAL USING THE PLASMA TORCH
PART 3
How to set up and cut Square, Rectangular, and Irregular holes.
Measure from the outside of your plasma torch drag shield to the center discharge orifice. My Miller torch drag shield measures 3/16 inch. Most torches use this measure but a few vary. This is your drag shield offset factor.
Instead of making and using a round rotating disk guide you will need to make two point fixed guides to cut square, rectangle, and irregular holes. Since these guides don't rotate there is a lot more friction between the drag shield and the fixed cutting guide. Constant steady force is needed to maintain drag shield contact with the cutting guide. A securely two or more points mounted cutting guide is the key to cutting precision square, rectangle, and irregular holes. I sometimes clamp my cutting guides but more often use self tapping metal screws to secure them to where I plan to cut. Not having to worry about my cutting guide slipping allows me to consentrate my focus on maintaining my drag shield contact and steady movement around my hole cutting guide. For large square and rectangle holes I just secure multiple straight edges to the lines to be cut. Most people can maintain 1/16 inch accuracy with relative ease. This method works best on holes 1-inch and larger. Thickness of metal is limited to your plasma torch cutting capacity. My Tumbler has around two dozen square and rectangle holes required in building. This will be my method to cut them. Hope this will be of use to other Bat Vehicle builders. vertigo
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| Posted 9/2/2014 9:06:32 AM |
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Has NO LIFE!!
Last Login: 12/4/2023 11:08:55 PM
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| Hey Everyone, STRONG HAND CLAMP: Had not even thought about the importance of clamping until a friend stopped by this morning for a visit while I was working on my Tumbler. Where I'm usually found anymore. While looking over my progress he asked me what king of clamps I was using. That's when I realized that since I started building my Tumbler there has hardly been anytime that I wasn't using my 6" Strong Hand clamps to hold something or other in place. I built my Tumbler's frame without using an anti-warping jig frame using 10-Strong Hand clamps and strategic tack welding. After deep welding it was still for all practical purpose square to within a degree or so. Once you use the Strong Hand clamp you will never use a regular C-clamp again, unless forced to. Why? You can manipulate these clamps into position with one hand and they clamp down with a half ton of pressure (about 4 Xs that of a same size c-clamp) with much less effort than a C-clamp. They also come with screw on/off V-block ends for round pipe and tubing. Run about 35.00 each on Amazon and are worth every penny. To me these are a must have and if they have worked so well for me perhaps another Bat Vehicle builder might benifit from them as well. vertigo
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