This is a long overdue update. The project progresses, but the conversion takes a break while Michael’s main business ramps up for the holidays. Here at home the same thing happens as gift making takes off. The progress is in the form of small advances in a lot of places. It’s presented here in no particular order.
First, let’s look at work being done on a wood logo for the hood. I cut a template for the hood profile (at the top of the photo). The sanding form is built from a stack of mdf panels cut to match the profile. I think there’s six of them glued together. I’m holding the sandpaper to the form with blocks clamped on each side.
It takes a while to get the logo blank shaped to match the form. I check the fit on one my trips to the build and see that I’m a bit off. I adjust the shape of the sanding form on the disc sander. This time I get a bit smarter and mount the sandpaper (60 grit) to the block with spray adhesive.
The logo is now ready for a final fit. Then I can shape the top side.
Next up is an adjustment for bed side panels. When I laid out the paper templates I noticed a slight curvature in the fiberglass bed sides. I didn’t think much of it since the paper conformed so easily. When I test fit the panels the curvature was about 1/16” over the height of the panel. While the door panels are quite flexible, the bed side panels are not. So, I’m sanding some of the fiberglass back down for a gain of about 0.015”.
Now I’ve got the panels clamped against curved cauls with an extra cardboard shim. They have been clamped like this for nearly 2 months and will stay like this for another month. Hopefully they will take a set. If not, I’ll be looking into ways to fill the gap.
The next mini-project is smoothing the back side of all the panels. It’s not very interesting but necessary. Luckily, I don’t need perfection shaping, just get the high spots close to the low spots.
Another task is to clean up the door gap cuts. This is just a bit of sanding against a flat surface. These cut edges will get a bit of cherry trim soon.
I’m planning on using a few fasteners to locate the panels to the body. Retention will be primarily done with adhesive. The fasteners will be covered with these ash plugs.
The last update is for a bed cover. We are planning on a hard tonneau cover custom fitted to the bed. I made a tracing of the bed perimeter on this piece of thin plywood. The plywood is too narrow so I traced one side, shifted the plywood and traced the other side. Once back in my shop I split the panel and separated the pieces by the distance I shifted the plywood while tracing. Here, I am gluing the two halves with spacers.
The spacers in the middle take some creative clamping.
Now I can cut the template to my lines. We intend to undersize the template. I will take this back to the build site for a final fitting. There’s a lot more to do on this piece.
Steve, I've been watching YouTube videos on Japanese methods for the complicated joints they make, mainly to pick up what I can on perfection in woodworking. Seems now I should have been watching you. The methods you are using are extremely accurate, with little room for error. Kudos to you sir, this project is a course in perfection. 👍👍
Also, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and everyone else here on this site.
Thanks for all the comments! Yes, this project has been in a holding pattern for at least six weeks. I should be able to start my part back up in a couple more...
Looking good Steve. This statement made me pause. "So, I’m sanding some of the fiberglass back down for a gain of about 0.015”." You must have been a surgeon in a previous life. All kidding aside this is one hell of a project and it looks like you have everything very well thought out.
That’s heavy enough I’d want to use an edge tool of some sort if it were wood. Take forever sanding, unless you’re using a belt-sander or 60 grit at the lathe, in which case you’ve overshot before you’ve begun. 🤪
But seriously, I often work to 1/128 inch when doing things bigger than pens, and on pens, I try to get the wood matching the metal parts well enough that I can’t feel a catch with a fingernail. Mind you, I don’t actually measure any of those fine measurements, except by comparing two pieces… “oh, this one is just a hair bigger!”
Yeah - I didn't measure it either - 0.015" implies not 0.016" or 0.014".
But actually it's more like "About of 1/3 of the 1/16" I need - maybe not quite"
I did spend a little more than an hour hand sanding away with 60 grit on a sanding block. 2 ends on 2 panels. The straight edge did show me I made progress. In hindsight I should have just tried to force a bow like I'm doing now. We'll see how well that works...
