mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Feb 28, 2014 18:36:37 GMT -8
you can hand form a S lock seam and seal it, like I did, you don't have to have lap seam. Mr. schweetcruisers: Please offer details on how you went about forming the S-locks. Thanks Hey I'd like to see that too....
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John Palmer
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Post by John Palmer on Feb 28, 2014 19:28:35 GMT -8
you can hand form a S lock seam and seal it, like I did, you don't have to have lap seam. Mr. schweetcruisers: Please offer details on how you went about forming the S-locks. Thanks Edit: I think I located the answer; HVAC folding tool. Cool. Using a sheet metal brake, you just make a 90 degree bend "up". Take the metal out and reverse it, then make a 120 degree bend "up". Then put it in the brake and smash both bends flat, your done, unless you want it to be a locking seam, then you make an additional bend.
You can do the same thing with a piece of angle iron and two pieces of hard wood. Using "C" clamps, clamp the metal to the angle iron with the first piece of wood. Take the second piece of wood and your mallet and just form the metal over the angle iron. It's easy until you get into thicker materials.
I have a four foot metal brake and use it for many things during fabrications.
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Feb 28, 2014 19:50:11 GMT -8
Mr. schweetcruisers: Please offer details on how you went about forming the S-locks. Thanks Edit: I think I located the answer; HVAC folding tool. Cool. Using a sheet metal brake, you just make a 90 degree bend "up". Take the metal out and reverse it, then make a 120 degree bend "up". Then put it in the brake and smash both bends flat, your done, unless you want it to be a locking seam, then you make an additional bend.
You can do the same thing with a piece of angle iron and two pieces of hard wood. Using "C" clamps, clamp the metal to the angle iron with the first piece of wood. Take the second piece of wood and your mallet and just form the metal over the angle iron. It's easy until you get into thicker materials.
I have a four foot metal brake and use it for many things during fabrications.
I'm missing something here. The last roof I ordered was 16 feet long. How do you put that in a hand brake?
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John Palmer
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Post by John Palmer on Feb 28, 2014 20:51:32 GMT -8
I'm missing something here. The last roof I ordered was 16 feet long. How do you put that in a hand brake? LOL, Larry I guess we are both missing something here. The question that I was answering was "how to make a "S" lock". You can do it on a sheet metal brake, or you can do it by hand with some simple tools.
The fact that your roof skin was 16, or 160 feet long should not have anything to do with it. The roof material is under eight foot wide where the "S" lock is located. It can be hand bent in any brake wide enough to accommodate the eight foot width. But as we are both aware, it's just easier for all involved to just order the new roof with the "S" lock already installed.
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Feb 28, 2014 21:01:52 GMT -8
I think we are talking seamless one piece skin for the most part because otherwise you can just order the S lock.
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CorvettCrzy
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Post by CorvettCrzy on Mar 8, 2014 20:10:38 GMT -8
Thank you all for your input. I would love to be able to order all new skin from Hemet Valley. Unfortunately, as the very nice lady at Hemet said, "my shipping is going to cost more than the material", and I'm on a budget. So.... I'm a little confused about all these seams and since I'm a visual person, decided to add a few pics.
This is the seam at each end of the roof. The adjoining pieces (sides of frt & rr windows) are flat aluminum that slides into this seam. Is this an S lock?
Pictures of front and back of roof
There are also 3 flat panels seamed in between - couldn't get a picture of those because they are so covered with goop.
Found a link somewhere (thank you to whoever you are) for a RV supplier who has 8.5' wide aluminum in several lengths. 20' costing somewhere in the neighborhood of $300 and located in IN, which is a doable drive for me saving shipping costs. www.factoryrvsurplus.com/products.php?product_id=2162
If I can get my hands on (or make) a brake wide enough, it seems adding the 4" brake lines on the ends (7 on one, 8 on the other) wouldn't be that hard. The seam, whatever it is called, is just two folds. I realize that I couldn't make the sides, and although they aren't in good shape, they are usable, the roof - not so much.
Now, seriously, tell me what the problems are? Would I need additional framing under the one piece roof? This material is .024 guage, is that standard? Am I minimizing the difficulty (as I am often accused)?
I hope these images go through - doesn't quite look right.
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Post by vikx on Mar 8, 2014 22:01:12 GMT -8
.024 is standard for patterned metal. If the metal is "textured", I've been told it is .019. Of course, one could special order different gauges from some companies.
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CorvettCrzy
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Post by CorvettCrzy on Mar 11, 2014 19:56:34 GMT -8
Ok, I'm sorry to dwell on this but I'm trying to understand this process.
My hubby explained to me that there are large C-shaped brackets on a brake that result in a limited throat size. In other words, you can't insert a sheet of aluminum any farther than the throat dimension. So if the dimension is 14", you can only put breaks in the first 14" of the sheet.
Then I'm looking through more info on skin and I come across a link for a tutorial on bending skin. It looks like the guy has a brake with the same C-shaped brackets and on his tutorial he is using a narrow piece of alum. for his example (falls within' two clamps thus allowing it to go past the 14").
Yet in the link there is a picture of a trailer with new skin, which is clearly much wider than the distance between the c-brackets. Are those brackets moveable/removable?
Not only would I like to understand it, but we have a friend with a 12' brake, so it's possible we might be able to take a stab and forming our own skin. Sorry this is taking me so many questions to understand. I didn't know about the clamps prior to this.
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Post by vikx on Mar 17, 2014 22:37:25 GMT -8
The ends of your roof are Pittsburg seams. Very similar to an S lock without the "lock". The roof seams are factory and folded/sealed. Very rare for one to leak unless the seam is dented/sagging.
Corvettes tend to have sagging roof rafters. The walls are 1/2 plywood and the rafters were not connected to the walls very well in the beginning. (toe nailed) So, when the rafters sagged, the water pooled, then seeped in.
On the brakes: some companies can brake about 4-5 feet on the ends, then smooth metal over the top, brakes at the back. I plan on that for my 58 Cardinal.
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Mar 21, 2014 9:26:11 GMT -8
S locks can actually be made on both ends of the roof. You are going to need a 20 foot long table or set of tables the same height as your hand brake to do it though. And you are going to need a lot of people to help move the material around. You can see all the different things I've done to metal using a hand brake and a foot brake (hand brake with movable feet for tricky box like bends). Just go to my website and look in Trailer Tidbits.... I'd put the video up here but then you won't go to my website. (shameless plug)
www.cannedhamtrailers.com
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Post by bigbill on Mar 21, 2014 10:16:36 GMT -8
Larry if you are trying to form the ends of a very long chunk of alum have you ever tried to roll all but four or five feet making it easier to handle? A good way to keep it rolled up with out making dents is to take two lengths of 2x2 longer than the width of the alum, cover them with a felt like material or carpet and drill matching holes in each end to place a length of threaded rod through to form a retaining clamp. make sure that you leave enough material stick out so you don't create any unwanted creases as you break ends.
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Mar 21, 2014 10:35:50 GMT -8
Larry if you are trying to form the ends of a very long chunk of alum have you ever tried to roll all but four or five feet making it easier to handle? A good way to keep it rolled up with out making dents is to take two lengths of 2x2 longer than the width of the alum, cover them with a felt like material or carpet and drill matching holes in each end to place a length of threaded rod through to form a retaining clamp. make sure that you leave enough material stick out so you don't create any unwanted creases as you break ends. I don't do seamless roofs in the first place LOL... So no. I haven't tried that. We roll up long pieces of aluminum and the manufactured seamed roofs for moving around though. It's the only way they can be shipped also. The whole thing reminds me of the Three Stooges hanging wall paper... Go check out the latest video that I just posted on my website. We roll up the 14 foot material to move from machine to machine.
But yes you are right. That would be a good way to do the S locks on each end as long as you can keep it from unrolling while doing it. Two people on that end could handle it with ease. You would just start the first bend with the brake, then flatten that bend down with a two by four and a mallet, then flip the entire piece over and do start the second bend and flatten that down also in the same manner. Works for me!
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Post by bigbill on Mar 21, 2014 19:21:06 GMT -8
That is the reason for the large clamp I described to keep it from unrolling as you handle it.
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Mar 21, 2014 20:47:27 GMT -8
That is the reason for the large clamp I described to keep it from unrolling as you handle it. OK I get it now Bill. Like I said, works for me.
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CorvettCrzy
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Post by CorvettCrzy on Mar 21, 2014 21:00:08 GMT -8
S locks can actually be made on both ends of the roof. You are going to need a 20 foot long table or set of tables the same height as your hand brake to do it though. And you are going to need a lot of people to help move the material around. You can see all the different things I've done to metal using a hand brake and a foot brake (hand brake with movable feet for tricky box like bends). Just go to my website and look in Trailer Tidbits.... I'd put the video up here but then you won't go to my website. (shameless plug)
www.cannedhamtrailers.com
I have watched hours and hours of your video Mobiltec, they are excellent!! I also set my husband down in front of the computer to watch many of them also! Your knowledge and experience are much appreciated! I will be watching your Tidbits! Thanks!
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