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Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
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PostPosted: September 19, 2017, 12:39 pm 
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Joined: October 19, 2010, 11:57 am
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Location: Waterloo, WI
If one was using aluminum for the floor pan, how about riveting some stiffeners in an X shape on the interior side?

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PostPosted: September 19, 2017, 4:46 pm 
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Joined: July 4, 2006, 5:40 pm
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Location: Novato, CA
I wish you could do that on a completed car. The floors never oil canned before, but since the accident the drivers floor has acquired a little more surface area. I pound it down with my foot when I step in the car, but at some point during a hard drive it'll pop back up again.


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PostPosted: September 19, 2017, 9:43 pm 
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Location: White Rock, BC, Canada
nick47 wrote:
I wish you could do that on a completed car. The floors never oil canned before, but since the accident the drivers floor has acquired a little more surface area. I pound it down with my foot when I step in the car, but at some point during a hard drive it'll pop back up again.



You could try shrinking it with a torch and a wet rag. So long as you don't overheat anything else.

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PostPosted: September 20, 2017, 1:01 am 
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Location: Oregon, usually
waltj wrote:
Jack,
A "quality issue " is the same as questionable quality or lack of quality. :lol:
Oh, okay, that makes sense. And here I thought a "quality issue" was the Sports Illustrated that had Cheryl Tiegs in it.

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PostPosted: September 20, 2017, 5:11 am 
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Joined: June 5, 2016, 7:03 am
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Location: ontario
aidandebradney wrote:
Could something like this:

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Link:

http://www.mtmfg.com/part/view/1946-197 ... gKHBPD_BwE

be modified and cut to fit the floor of our build. I'm seeing rigidity built in, plus a local VW shop has them on the shelf, therefore no shipping.

Thoughts?



Hi,
On both my sevens I have rolled beads in 045`sheet steel. My expectations were that floors would be stiff enough with beads and steel would offer a reasonable protection against road debris. I got my bead roller from Eastwood. It comes with various sizes of dies. I made
half inch beads on my first locost and quarter inch ones on the current one . The process of rolling beads is not complicated: draw your lines and roll. :) :)


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PostPosted: September 20, 2017, 6:12 pm 
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Joined: February 8, 2014, 10:47 pm
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Location: Cornelius OR
For the shrinkage to pull the floor tight it must be permanently attached before the welding the X's.

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PostPosted: September 22, 2017, 9:52 am 
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I was playing around last night in the garage, and I've decided i'm going with a 16ga sheet steel floor that I will plug weld in place. That bought me onto the thought of drilling and de-burring 1.8 billion holes, then I had an idea and pulled out the Harbor Freight air punch flange tool: https://www.harborfreight.com/air-punch ... -1110.html

Punches perfect 1/4" holes in the 16ga. So I will use that.

So just a little psa for anyone that is interested.

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Image

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PostPosted: September 22, 2017, 12:24 pm 
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Location: Carlsbad, California, USA
I'll be darned. I would have never suspected that tool would be powerful enough to punch through 16 gauge sheet. I'm hoping it will last for you as you do the job. Let us know. If it does, I'll go out and buy one.

By the way, I think it will require slightly less than 1.8 billion holes, but just slightly. :mrgreen:

Cheers,

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

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PostPosted: September 22, 2017, 12:36 pm 
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According to the HF web site, the current Central Pneumatic® - Item#1110 punches 3/16" holes rather than 1/4" holes--did they perhaps change the punch size between when you got your and when I'll have to get mine?

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PostPosted: September 22, 2017, 12:40 pm 
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Hmm, you know what, I actually only used my eyes to gauge the size, i'll measure the actual hole/punch size when I get home.

Shouldn't really make a difference for my application though right? 3/16 to 1/4 hole for plug welding.


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PostPosted: September 22, 2017, 3:51 pm 
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Location: Novato, CA
I plug welded my floor and it was only about 60 holes. But I only did the inner frame tubes. I stitch-welded the outer edge.
Attachment:
cutfloor.jpg


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PostPosted: September 22, 2017, 4:46 pm 
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It's probably just me. I can't seem to be able to MIG plug weld a 1/4" hole consistently. Sure, I can get a few of them really well, and some of them passable, but a fair number will strike to the wall of the hole and fill up before filling up, never ever welding to the (in this case) frame tube. I won't even think about welding hundreds of 3/16" dia holes.

Consider a 16 ga piece of steel with a 1/4" hole. That is 1/16" deep and only 1/8 inch from the center of the hole to the hole wall. If you are off center when you pull the trigger by about 1/16" of more, the arc will go to the hole wall rather than the bottom of the hole. Add to that you are usually attacking the weld with the torch at an angle which adds elevation to the centering problem. I'm just not that good.

If possible, I try for 5/16 dia holes. I can start welding at the edge, cross the hole to the other side and finish with 1 circle loop around the diameter.

Maybe if I get more practice time on my new TIG I would try the 3/16 holes :cheers:

YMMV.

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PostPosted: September 22, 2017, 6:09 pm 
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The hole is indeed 3/16"

Image

I'm not to worried about doing a bunch of the plugs, i'll get in nice and close and i'm pretty accurate with the mig.


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PostPosted: September 23, 2017, 8:24 am 
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If you have to weld up slightly less than 1.8 billion holes, and if you have a spare nozzel, there a mod you can make to the nozzel. Cut the nozzel tip so you just have three little legs on the end of the tip which allow you to see the center of the hole while hold the gun right on the panel. With the nozzel right on the panel, you can go straight into the center of the hole with the wire. You will have to adjust the stick out or the nozzel reach. If you have a commerical welder, Vs hobby, you can probably get a longer tip designed just for plug welding. Dave W


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