Stavros

Am i reight in saying i have to be REALLY careful (compared to usual steel) due to the aluminium creasing easily (rather than just simple steel style pop out dents)???

Just need to cut some rectangles out of an ally bonnet and was thinking of a thin cutting wheel (like a grinder wheel but not as wide).

That ok to do it with or will it fuck up?

I think it should be fine, but heard ally is dead easy to crease so want to be sure...

Charlie Chalk

iTrader: (1)

i think with ally, it can heat up and warp too

DazC

iTrader: (1)

Ally is soft, so can bend easy.

Also, because it is soft, it clogs up cutting wheels.

Danny B

what exactly you wanting to do and how thick?? I work with sheet ally alot as we panel race cars in alloy and dragster panels etc are alloy.

Mark V8

iTrader: (2)

Ali tends to clog grinding/cutting wheels making everything get hot.
If it was my bonnet I would use a fine tooth blade in a jigsaw after drilling a pilot hole and PLENTY of WD40 to stop clogging and lubricate the cutting.

Mark

Stavros

Its a R32GTR bonnet...

They very light alloy bonnets, not paper thin, certainly cant dent em in unless you was trying to...

Matt @ CAE

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Fudgey

iTrader: (4)

as said, ally will clog a cuting wheel.

best off drilling a hole and carfully cutting it out with a jigsaw then filing the edges.

unless you can get it pressed??

as for it creasing, it shouldnt do but it you do bend it, it will be farily hard to remove the dents/creases as when ally bends it stretches.

i got a fairly big square of ally you have a practice on if you want it mate??

can bring it on friday.

Fudgey

iTrader: (4)

shears will prolly bent it too, best off maybe getting some tin snips???

Stavros

hmmm, looks like gonna have to drill pilot holes and use a very thin hand jigsaw blade methinks...



a pre-made fibreglass bonnet etc etc would be easier but due to shipping costs from abroad you talking 400-500 quid...

Ryan

been using alloy all day today making brackets.

Bit of a pig to cut by hand and gets very soft due to heat transfer from cutting.

But came up really nice after a file, sand, polish

Fudgey

iTrader: (4)

steve, making bonnet moulds is fairly easy.

me mate made one for a mk6 escort and ill be having the carbon bonnet skin they made as he totaled his escort on new years eve

if you wanna experiment on the bit i got, its about 12" x 12" let me know

Stavros

contacted smith and deakin in worcester about making a fibreglass version using my bonnet as a mould, dunno price yet as they want to see the bonnet 1st.

some cool as fuck bonnets available abroad, but shipping prices on big parts are feckin killer...

Fudgey

iTrader: (4)

well they are just long and pretty much flat so wont be difficult to make a mould.

tyr and get em to use yours as a prototype and blag a free one

Ginge !

steve get a carbon bonnet mate, they look shite on fords but the absolute tits on a R32

i know there pricy but there the fooking tits

Stavros

Carbon is gay as fuck and a waste of cash if itys for looks alone IMO

My rear spoiler is carbon and i have sprayed it body colour

dont want body panels in different colours, to anyone but car fanatics it looks like you cant afford to have your car sprayed yet

Ginge !

polished and laquered carbon looks the tits

id buy a R32 just to have a carbon bonnet and spoiler

infact id like a RX7 with the same as it suits them better

m toying with a carbon bonnet on the saph but think its like fiting tinted windows to a reliant robin ( which ive done before )

Stavros

OK, you like it, i think it looks poop, everyones different.

Ginge !

good point

i would try a guy with a band saw on a big table of a press to press em out

ive tried cutting ally with a angle grinder and it does get soo soft it heats the ally and makes cutiing it nt as clean

that was a i/c too , took it to my welder and he cut in on a band saw and was done proper quick , he cut it straight too

CozzyBrom

nibbler the only and best way really

GARETH T

i think jigsaw, nibbler, slitting disk and plasma cutter will all work ok

your all being paranoid,,, GET IN THERE