Erie Fred
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- 6,090
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- Erie, Pa USofA
"Eastbound & down"......
- Thread starter God mode restorations
- Start date
Hopton Woods, Shropshire. Been there a couple of times before
Blue Chips
Forum Supporter
- Messages
- 721
- Location
- Maine, USA
(I thought I'd post this little mini-project in this thread instead of my M37 restoration thread, since the technique has other applications.)
The ID data plate for my 1954 M37 was missing, and I could not find a proper reproduction plate, so I thought I'd try my hand at making an etched-aluminium facsimile that was as near as possible to the original plate.
To start, I found a photo of an original data plate that would be correct for my truck and squared it up with Photoshop so that it could serve as a model: The plate is 4" wide and 2" high.
Then I made a facsimile of the plate from scratch in Adobe InDesign. That took a while, as I had to modify some characters to come up with a pretty close match to the original fonts.
Next, I printed a mirror image of the design on special inkjet transparency film. The film has a slightly frosted coating on one side, which apparently allows it to accept more ink than an ordinary transparency film. I maxed out the CMYK channels for the black areas in InDesign and set the ink density higher in the printer control app in order to achieve pretty decent opacity.
I then adhered a sheet of photoresist film to a carefully cleaned aluminium sheet, working under subdued incandescent light (the film is UV sensitive). It's hard to get this stuff on without trapping bubbles. There is a way of doing it with water, but I tried it and didn't like that method, so I just had to refine my pressing and rolling technique on some practice pieces until I managed to adhere a few sheets without bubbles. Here's one of them:
I placed the printed film image emulsion side down on the photoresist film, placed a sheet of plain window glass over it, with a piece of foam rubber behind it to keep it pressed tightly against the glass, and exposed it to direct noon sunlight for about 30 seconds. After exposure I removed the thin plastic protective layer from the photoresist film and 'developed' the photoresist in a mild solution of washing soda, which removed the unexposed (unhardened) portions of the photoresist. I then etched the aluminium with an acid solution (I'm still working on figuring out the optimum formulation, so I won't list it here yet). I had a few trial and error (mostly error) runs before I got a couple of decent results. Here's one of them:
Next, I chemically darkened the etched area with Aluminum Black from Birchwood Casey.
Soaking the plate in acetone for a few minutes loosened the photoresist and allowed it to be brushed off easily with a soft brush. I then trimmed the edges to the cut lines with my latest tool, a 12-inch shear.
Here's the end result so far. The etching leaves the letters slightly raised, like the original data plates. I'll punch the rivet holes later with my Roper-Whitney punch set instead of drilling them. I'll use a 3/32" number and letter punch set to add the serial number and other data. I'll probably make a couple of extra plates in case I mess things up when I'm punching the data onto the plate.
I'm sure that with practice I could streamline the process and improve my success rate, but I've got too many other things on my bucket list for the time being.
By the way, the ID plate is mounted on the glove compartment door, which isn't exactly a secure location, as the door is easily removed, but the vehicle's serial number is also stamped permanently in large characters on the frame of the vehicle, so the serial number on this little plate is really just for convenience.
The ID data plate for my 1954 M37 was missing, and I could not find a proper reproduction plate, so I thought I'd try my hand at making an etched-aluminium facsimile that was as near as possible to the original plate.
To start, I found a photo of an original data plate that would be correct for my truck and squared it up with Photoshop so that it could serve as a model: The plate is 4" wide and 2" high.
Then I made a facsimile of the plate from scratch in Adobe InDesign. That took a while, as I had to modify some characters to come up with a pretty close match to the original fonts.
Next, I printed a mirror image of the design on special inkjet transparency film. The film has a slightly frosted coating on one side, which apparently allows it to accept more ink than an ordinary transparency film. I maxed out the CMYK channels for the black areas in InDesign and set the ink density higher in the printer control app in order to achieve pretty decent opacity.
I then adhered a sheet of photoresist film to a carefully cleaned aluminium sheet, working under subdued incandescent light (the film is UV sensitive). It's hard to get this stuff on without trapping bubbles. There is a way of doing it with water, but I tried it and didn't like that method, so I just had to refine my pressing and rolling technique on some practice pieces until I managed to adhere a few sheets without bubbles. Here's one of them:
I placed the printed film image emulsion side down on the photoresist film, placed a sheet of plain window glass over it, with a piece of foam rubber behind it to keep it pressed tightly against the glass, and exposed it to direct noon sunlight for about 30 seconds. After exposure I removed the thin plastic protective layer from the photoresist film and 'developed' the photoresist in a mild solution of washing soda, which removed the unexposed (unhardened) portions of the photoresist. I then etched the aluminium with an acid solution (I'm still working on figuring out the optimum formulation, so I won't list it here yet). I had a few trial and error (mostly error) runs before I got a couple of decent results. Here's one of them:
Next, I chemically darkened the etched area with Aluminum Black from Birchwood Casey.
Soaking the plate in acetone for a few minutes loosened the photoresist and allowed it to be brushed off easily with a soft brush. I then trimmed the edges to the cut lines with my latest tool, a 12-inch shear.
Here's the end result so far. The etching leaves the letters slightly raised, like the original data plates. I'll punch the rivet holes later with my Roper-Whitney punch set instead of drilling them. I'll use a 3/32" number and letter punch set to add the serial number and other data. I'll probably make a couple of extra plates in case I mess things up when I'm punching the data onto the plate.
I'm sure that with practice I could streamline the process and improve my success rate, but I've got too many other things on my bucket list for the time being.
By the way, the ID plate is mounted on the glove compartment door, which isn't exactly a secure location, as the door is easily removed, but the vehicle's serial number is also stamped permanently in large characters on the frame of the vehicle, so the serial number on this little plate is really just for convenience.
Last edited:
magnet
Member
- Messages
- 1,429
On the last lap for the workshop base. I set all the heights withmy homemade water level.
I spent last week at work having a crisis of confidence in the accuracy of my work. So this weekend i borrowed a laser level to check my work. I needn't of worried the water level worked spot on.
I spent last week at work having a crisis of confidence in the accuracy of my work. So this weekend i borrowed a laser level to check my work. I needn't of worried the water level worked spot on.
My Old Landy
Engineering Mayhem
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- 3,618
- Location
- North Lincs
They look superb, I would be happy with that result!
Dcal
Member
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- 4,065
- Location
- Antrim Northern Ireland
Today I made a brake bleeding tool from scrap or repurposed stuff.
I was doing a brake service on the bosses car and the brake fluid was due a change.
I was on my own and as brakes are getting more and more complicated to bleed, especially if they get air in the system and as I already had a vacuum pump and a small CO2 bottle that @Onoff gave me I thought I'd make a vacuum bleeder kit.
I removed the valve and tapped a 10mm coupler to suit the M10 x 1mm thread on the valve.
Then welded a boss for a ball valve and hose tail low down.
Initially I was just going to use it to suck the old fluid out of the reservoir.
but it was able to draw the new fluid through the brake calipers without any issues.
I won't use it much, but I will probably also use it for the odd oil change instead of having to use the manual vacuum pump.
I'll need to make an adapter for that but that's a job for another day.
I was doing a brake service on the bosses car and the brake fluid was due a change.
I was on my own and as brakes are getting more and more complicated to bleed, especially if they get air in the system and as I already had a vacuum pump and a small CO2 bottle that @Onoff gave me I thought I'd make a vacuum bleeder kit.
I removed the valve and tapped a 10mm coupler to suit the M10 x 1mm thread on the valve.
Then welded a boss for a ball valve and hose tail low down.
Initially I was just going to use it to suck the old fluid out of the reservoir.
but it was able to draw the new fluid through the brake calipers without any issues.
I won't use it much, but I will probably also use it for the odd oil change instead of having to use the manual vacuum pump.
I'll need to make an adapter for that but that's a job for another day.
Onoff
In the land of the unfinished project I am King!
- Messages
- 12,953
- Location
- Sevenoaks, UK
Got plenty more of those.
Hood
I am obsessed.
- Messages
- 17,778
- Location
- Carnoustie, Scotland
Made my garage press work.
Got it for free at least 10 years ago but the pump was leaking and soon didn't work at all. Tried to get a seal but the only one I could find wasn't quite right, it kind of worked for a while but then started leaking badly so it got relegated to the shed. Last week I was really needing a press for a job so I had a look around and found a pump from Flowfit that wasn't too bad a price.
Today I didn't have much on so I machined a lump of steel to have a U shape in it.
Then made an end for the ram to take tooling and made a quick tool up to fit into it, wasn't sure how well it would work so didn't spend too much time on it..
I then plasma cut some 4mm thick stainless and tried it out, worked quite well
Bent the angles in the mini brake.
Got it for free at least 10 years ago but the pump was leaking and soon didn't work at all. Tried to get a seal but the only one I could find wasn't quite right, it kind of worked for a while but then started leaking badly so it got relegated to the shed. Last week I was really needing a press for a job so I had a look around and found a pump from Flowfit that wasn't too bad a price.
Today I didn't have much on so I machined a lump of steel to have a U shape in it.
Then made an end for the ram to take tooling and made a quick tool up to fit into it, wasn't sure how well it would work so didn't spend too much time on it..
I then plasma cut some 4mm thick stainless and tried it out, worked quite well
Bent the angles in the mini brake.
DAPPH
as dyslexik as I'm daft
- Messages
- 7,489
- Location
- Near to Cross Hands Llanelli SouthWales GB
Is it any more effective to bleed under vacuum than pressure bleed brakes ?
Back in the mid 1970's the military series 3 Landrovers rarely ever went back to the factory produced solid pedal once you had worked on the brakes due to the cross over and shuttle system introduced , despite sometimes putting 2x 5 gallone of brake fluid through the pressure bleeder . I never did solve the conundrum before I left HMF .
Of anything specific in it or just general
?I do plan to take some new ones & happy to post.
Don't get too excited though, cos I was on a budget, re-used some bits, and I'm no craftsman & making it up as I went along a bit
OK.... a few pics of the camper. The worktops (lift up over the hob, and a bi-fold one that folds in half & then sits on folding brackets to extend the work surface when using the sink) are removed atm as they were getting several coats of Danish Oil (the worktops are from an old Rubberwood kitchen table I picked up locally off FBMP & cut up into sections). They'll be back on before the weekend.
Van as bought last Nov
Much work later (& still quite a few bits to do)....
Sliding door window, raised bed window, fridge vents, cut-down roof rack (keeping just the 3 main support roof bars that have inner structural supports under the glassfibre roof, that I've also used to carry my roof insulation and ceiling battens etc), and the Fiamma F45i 3-metre wind-out awning).
Small top opening window above the sofa
Rear bulkhead and garage/services. Water tank above rh arch, Kero tank for night heater tucked under at the back. In front of the water tank is the Shurflo pump & the Fiamma Agglomerator/mini pressure vessel. DC fuse board & switches for work light, garage lights, cigar lighter sockets & a couple of spares (one of which might well be to feed a 12v - 3v buck converter to remove the need for 2x C batteries for the boiler ignition at some point).
(Area painted in blue garage floor paint - cos it's quite hardy & weatherproof, & cos I had a big tin of it )
Ferroli Pegaso 11 instant water heater. Designed for Static Caravans, but can operate on 1-bar input pressure & has DC 3v ignition (LPG variant). Turn on a hot tap & the Shurflo and boiler kick in (as long as I've opened the door, turned on the gas, opened the valves etc).
Makeshift flue stowage of a bowl and a hinged ply loop at the top (flue sits in it upside-down on the weather cowl). Flip up the top loop, turn over & plonk the flue onto the top of the boiler - takes a few seconds). Pukka SS flexible gas line and cold In / hot out flexi water pipes. All plumbing otherwise is mostly 12mm Speedfit stuff.
The unpainted bit is the insulated hatch through to living space (handy for longer items if needs be, but also just in case a door handle or lock failed to give 2nd access).
AC hookup Dis Board, wee suitcase genny storage (mtb tools behind the wastemaster). In the corner unsighted is a 6kg Propane cylinder for the hob/grill & fridge. Top right is a 2nd 12vdc pump above the main water tank. This can be used to pump water into or out of the main tank, and can be plugged via hoselock pipe to the cold system in the event the Shurflo packed up. Also for washing down the bike post-ride (slightly higher pressure than the shurflo main system pump).
View from swivel passenger seat (worktops not on atm). Loo /loo door behind drivers seat. Bed is accessed by stepping on the sofa, plus there is a boat-type fold down mini step as well.
Galley kitchen has a 3-way fridge, 2-burner hob, grill, sink with extending hot/cold mixer tap, drainer. 230vac power socket inside for fridge, plus a double on the end (there's also a double socket at the back of the garage).
Under the sofa, the box houses 2 x 110AH batteries, the Spit Charger, an AC intelligent Charger, and the night heater. (Night heater draws air in from vents and the space under the extended cab floor step, through a duct box under the Loo into the sofa box, then blows heated air back into the living space by your feet).
There a switch panel on the angle between the over-sofa storage & the bed. This is for the sofa downlights, the internal cupboard lights, a USB panel, the bedroom main ceiling light, and to isolated the Shurflo pump when travelling. There are 2 beside lamps which are touch on/off, and touch dimmable. The variable speed extractor fan controls are there also (the van came with a rotating roof vent, so I fitted a dc fan to the bottom of it, so the vent cylinder now has 2 functions - and means I didn't need to make another aperture in the roof).
Van as bought last Nov
Much work later (& still quite a few bits to do)....
Sliding door window, raised bed window, fridge vents, cut-down roof rack (keeping just the 3 main support roof bars that have inner structural supports under the glassfibre roof, that I've also used to carry my roof insulation and ceiling battens etc), and the Fiamma F45i 3-metre wind-out awning).
Small top opening window above the sofa
Rear bulkhead and garage/services. Water tank above rh arch, Kero tank for night heater tucked under at the back. In front of the water tank is the Shurflo pump & the Fiamma Agglomerator/mini pressure vessel. DC fuse board & switches for work light, garage lights, cigar lighter sockets & a couple of spares (one of which might well be to feed a 12v - 3v buck converter to remove the need for 2x C batteries for the boiler ignition at some point).
(Area painted in blue garage floor paint - cos it's quite hardy & weatherproof, & cos I had a big tin of it
)Ferroli Pegaso 11 instant water heater. Designed for Static Caravans, but can operate on 1-bar input pressure & has DC 3v ignition (LPG variant). Turn on a hot tap & the Shurflo and boiler kick in (as long as I've opened the door, turned on the gas, opened the valves etc).
Makeshift flue stowage of a bowl and a hinged ply loop at the top (flue sits in it upside-down on the weather cowl). Flip up the top loop, turn over & plonk the flue onto the top of the boiler - takes a few seconds). Pukka SS flexible gas line and cold In / hot out flexi water pipes. All plumbing otherwise is mostly 12mm Speedfit stuff.
The unpainted bit is the insulated hatch through to living space (handy for longer items if needs be, but also just in case a door handle or lock failed to give 2nd access).
AC hookup Dis Board, wee suitcase genny storage (mtb tools behind the wastemaster). In the corner unsighted is a 6kg Propane cylinder for the hob/grill & fridge. Top right is a 2nd 12vdc pump above the main water tank. This can be used to pump water into or out of the main tank, and can be plugged via hoselock pipe to the cold system in the event the Shurflo packed up. Also for washing down the bike post-ride (slightly higher pressure than the shurflo main system pump).
View from swivel passenger seat (worktops not on atm). Loo /loo door behind drivers seat. Bed is accessed by stepping on the sofa, plus there is a boat-type fold down mini step as well.
Galley kitchen has a 3-way fridge, 2-burner hob, grill, sink with extending hot/cold mixer tap, drainer. 230vac power socket inside for fridge, plus a double on the end (there's also a double socket at the back of the garage).
Under the sofa, the box houses 2 x 110AH batteries, the Spit Charger, an AC intelligent Charger, and the night heater. (Night heater draws air in from vents and the space under the extended cab floor step, through a duct box under the Loo into the sofa box, then blows heated air back into the living space by your feet).
There a switch panel on the angle between the over-sofa storage & the bed. This is for the sofa downlights, the internal cupboard lights, a USB panel, the bedroom main ceiling light, and to isolated the Shurflo pump when travelling. There are 2 beside lamps which are touch on/off, and touch dimmable. The variable speed extractor fan controls are there also (the van came with a rotating roof vent, so I fitted a dc fan to the bottom of it, so the vent cylinder now has 2 functions - and means I didn't need to make another aperture in the roof).
View to front. I still need to tidy the sliding door with a carpeted 3mm ply card. The leds are the switch panel as you enter the van (top to bottom: Spare, Overhead Light, Loo light, Awning light (not fitted yet), main living ceiling lights. (The kitchen has a separate light with its own built-in switch).
Compact & bijou Thunderbox. Dis Board is for all DC circuits (supply feed from batteries (fused) from under sofa up the van vertical pillar and across to DB. Circuits then go over the cab in conduit at the top if the o/head cupboards to feed the kitchen and living space lighting etc, back to feed the rear switch panel, fan etc for the bed space, and a feed to the garage fuse box.
(Wall between the drivers seat & loo is the original bulkhead cut-down, insulated, carpeted on the drivers side. This retained the shape ensuring the full fore/after seat movement wasn't impeded..... & saved me making something else to fit!).
Switch panel between living space & raised bed. Wee shelf above then the vent for the fan
Yep, I know I have the lpg stickers "somewhere" (which means I need to buy another one
).Didn't know about the heater fuel one though! (I figured anyone would know its got a dirty great diesel tank already).
I'll have to take a shufti online & try to identify the heater fuel one
I looked into stickers right away & Evilbay came up with the goods.
Have ordered "Flammable Liquid" and "LPG" 100mm x 100mm diamond stickers. At under a quid each, job's a good un
Just put the worktops back on.....
I think it finishes off & looks better with the worktops & does give more usable work space. They look OK seeing as they are an old cheapie kitchen table, & I lashed it together. Danish Oil I've not really used before, & when the tin says "5 coats" you really need 5 (well I delegated the oiling & sanding job to the OH)
I think it finishes off & looks better with the worktops & does give more usable work space. They look OK seeing as they are an old cheapie kitchen table, & I lashed it together. Danish Oil I've not really used before, & when the tin says "5 coats" you really need 5 (well I delegated the oiling & sanding job to the OH
)
My Old Landy
Engineering Mayhem
- Messages
- 3,618
- Location
- North Lincs
I had to test some settings for Oak on the laser so made an inspirational sign for my home office
