I’ve been busy milling some rings in aluminum for the diaphragm, and believe me, many hours have passed.
This is a ring of 8mm thick that will get into the middle, around the big tube.
How I make a ring, you all should know by know, but here you can see how I made a flange on it.





It’s super easy to do so. You take a right mill, and take a little plank of mdf wood.





This plank you put on top of the mill.






By pulling the plank away, the mill gets free on the front…and here you keep on the aluminum piece.
It’s kind of a glider you have.
Here you can see the result, and you can see the MDF ring is still mounted on. This one stays on, so I can get a better grip on the part.






One ring finished





This little ring will get on the inside, and I made this of anodized material. Did this to have some contrast.








The upper ring needs to be abdraded firmly now, cause I’m going to polish it.




Then I started again but making the middle ring.
Measured correctly, and made it with MDF at first. Drawed it out on 8mm aluminum, and sawed it out. Taped them on each other, and held it to the mill.








This was the result.






Here you can see I made a double flange.






Then I made another ring of anodised aluminum of 2mm thick.







Here you can see this piece fits into the outer flange.






Here you can see that this will all get mounted on the diaphragm

 

Then I needed to make the outer and final ring.
This will be tightened, against all of my principles, with 6 screws. Had the opportunity to glue it, but doubted if that would look good







Here you can see I made 2 more flanges.







See this all mounted.on.










With a little cube of 5mm thick, I want to show you how I will tighten this Around the diaphragm will get a lot of carbon fibre, I can stop nicely on the aluminum, and I can roll the ring against it, for a perfect finish.











I’m pretty satisfied about the mill-work. There has been a lot of work on this, but in the meanwhile that’s long forgotton..
What’s next now you ask… Well the dull, boring jobs as usual. Rubbing, abrading, ….and holding everything to the polish-brush.
In the meanwhile a friend of mine, who has a big lathe (turning bench?) made me some axis, who will get placed onto the window-wiper-motor.
These are only 8mm diameter on the top, and so it will all open and close more slowly…and this was how I wanted it.






My last last problem with the opening and closing, I managed to solve.
The steel cable turned on nicely onto the axis, but when it need to go the other direction, it got loose cause the cable was to stiff, and the spring didn’t have enoughtcounter balance.
A simple trick… I used nylon. The kind they use to catch silurus-fish, it’s has traction limit of 120kg, and is nicely supple / elastic.
Now it’ll rolls in sweet and all the problems are gone.







I was getting sick of f***ing in the trunk with a normal during lamp. I had about 3 of those, and throwed them all in the bin today. No more asshole lamp in my trunk.
I got to the store, and got me some normal 20 watts lights, and a couple of meters of cable. Hanged it in the trunk in a descent way, so it didn't bother me.
It's a little update, but it's so luxurious now, really, and it gives me some warmth also.






So the diaphragm will stay, like it sits now. As you can see, I raised it for a couple of centimeters.
I managed to do so by setting the backrest of the rearseat 3 cm more straight. The 2 toggles where the seat klicks into, I replaced.





As long as I have the car, no one has ever sat in the back, so not going to let that bother me.
Now I have only one more problem, and that's the spring I need to place.
It'll get tight for that I think, but that problem I'm used to by now



I kept myself busy with improving the diaphragm. The biggest problems are gone, and I'm satisfied how it all works now.
The first thing I need to have, was a good slider/conductor where the nylon wire slides over when the diaphram opens and closes.
Cause a roller would be perfect for the job, I editted one with the disc.
The meaning of this was that I needed a sloth where the cable nicely stays in turn.I immediately put a screw in the roller with the propper roundels so it all was TIGHTEN.



The I put it in my drilling machine, and put in the center of my mill.



As you can see, fireworks were early this year :-) but it went perfect.
After that I just let it turn, and held a piece of sandpaper against it, to smoothen' it some more.
On the left you can see the roller, tuned by Robolop.

 

Here you can see the total picture of the MDF board as it'll come into the trunk.
My biggest concern is the spring. I really want to get this out of sight. Since I had some place between the seat I put it there.
I had to make a seperate piece of aluminum to mount it all on. To do this, I first had to tighten the MDF on the back of the rearseat, and after that I could screw on the aluminum.
I had to make this in 2 pieces, cause it all was to big to get in between.




Underneath the spring, I taped a piece of vilt, so it can't make any noise. I'm planning of adding something around the spring to reduce vibration and noise towards zero.


Here you can see the tuned roller, within the cable, that's in connection with the lever.



Here you can see it working when closed.



You can also see I added some rubbers, where the lever stops.





Here the inox-cable will lay into, witch stands in connection with the windowwipermotor.






The motor is already firmly tightened in the trunk, besides the end loop contacts, it's all ready to mount in the bimmer.
As for now, I'm really satisfied with how it all works and looks.


This I cannot say about Marilyn Manson his performance yesterday in the Lotto Arena here in Belgium.
The asshole didn't feel like performing according to me, he stopped after an hour.


the loser.



I did some improvements on the diaphragm. A lot of rings I made ended up in the bin. Sometimes these things happen.

This time it was the outer ring. This one is tightened with 6 screws.

The inner ring stayed the same.


This is what's left of the tube. You can see I made a aluminium little cover for it. Now it's nicely finished when the armrest is down.








The 3 toggles where the little cup is tightened with, are now polished too.



Here you can see the backside.




This will be the frontside.




The meaning of all this is that I'm planning of working it all into one part towards the outer polished ring. Of the rest you won't see anything.

I would like to do this in carbon fibre, so I'll get a nice contrast between the 2 materials.

 

in the car, and I've got plenty of space up and down there.








Here's the transmission with the steel cable.



the "end-loop-contacts"








Here's the motor who brings movement in all of this.




What I feared the most, is how the cable was going to roll itself on. I managed to solve this simply by putting the supply out of the centre, of the axis' motor.

this works perfectly. and believe me, I tried this many times, never malfunctioned.





First of all I would like to wish everyone a good and healthy 2010. May your dreams come true, and have a lot of fun. In life only a few things count, and enjoying is one of them.
About me… I’m satisfied with what I’ve done and made, but on top of my list there are the 2 heavenly hours I heard Metallica playing in Werchter, although Fergie did a good job too.
About the Ice, the diaphragm I made was a bull’s eye. I never thought I’d make something like this. And what’s more important, is that I managed to add something more into the trunk that’s electric.
The counter is now on 3, and sure hope it will rise even more.
I took some pictures of the lighting and the amplifierbox.












What I’m going to do next is to remove the amplifierbox.

When I made the aluminum box 2 years ago, I considered the fact that some changes may have come… Well, change is here…

The Precision Power amp is going out, and will have to make way for the new 2 amplifiers.

The big amount of work to get the PPI nicely covered is for the bin, but I know in the back of my head this could happen.

What’s going to happen with the other amplifiers, will be (according to me) even nice looking and even have more power.

Will sort it out.



Here you can see how the diaphragm looks, seen from the interior of the car.



You can see that the diaphragm doesn’t sit in the center of the armrest.

What you see, won’t stay this way. It all needs to get finished, like when the armrest is down, it will look nice and complety ready

 

These will be the 2 new amplifiers that will recplace the PPI.
As you can see, they are from JL Audio. The reason why? Simple, all the topdesigners from PPI work now at JL Audio.
2 years ago I’ve spoken with Jeff Scoon, the topdesigner of PPI. And I must say, from then on, it was in my mind of using JL amps someday.
The other option was the Focal Duo Monitor, but he has been for sale a couple of years now.
Cause this was only a 2-way amp, I had to buy one more to feed the subs.
A good friend of mine, Iwan Vinck (ARC deurne) has tested the JL edition, and was seriously impressed of what these things can do, and how they sound.
If someone like that is impressed, there’s no need to doubt, and you just have to GO FOR IT.
The HD600/4 gives 4x150, but in my case, I’m going to bridge it to 2x300 on the front speakers.
The HD750/1 gives 1x750 watt, and this will be used for the subs.





In the meanwhile, I’ve lifted the PPI from it’s case, and put it in nicely into my cupboard. Don’t think I’ll sell this, you won’t get anything for that now a days.

Then I rather mount it in my golf I drive daily.



Here you see the JL Audio's lying in the aluminum box. As you can see, these are pretty small amps.





The job now is to flow them nice into the box.




I find this logo of JL super beautiful, not sure if I'm going to use this anywhere...



The design departement is doing over time at the moment, but still not finished their job.

It has to be more cooler, more nice and more WOW then it was with the PPI.

That's a job that will not be easy, it'll be hard, but I'm taking the challenge. I've got time to work something out.


The works on the new amplifierbox are on hold for the moment. Wich doesn’t mean I didn’t do anything this week, but now I have to wait for some stuff from over the water. Too bad this can take a couple of weeks, but that’s the way it is now.
And because I can’t sit still, I searched for something to keep me occupied. In fact, this has nothing to do with the ICE, but think some of you will find this cool.
I’ve decided to make me my own set of aluminum pedals, cause I’ve looked everywhere for some descent ones, but didn’t find it.
First of all, I made some models in MDF wood.



Once I had this, I copied this in 8mm thick aluminum.
Then I milled in some sloths of 20mm and 6mm deep.
This is the foot-rest on the left side.




Since there’s a rounding in the plastic where this comes against to, I had to make this on the backside of the aluminum too.

So it connects lovely on the side.




This will be the brake-pedal




Gas





Brake

 

Brake





Foot-rest






What you see here, are many hours of work. And it’ still not finished. I still have to do my magic trick still





I bended my brake pedal a little bit rounder. I think that must have been the biggest problem I could have, concerning the pedals that is.

I've managed to do this simple. On the front end I taped, on the top and the bottom, a little block of wood, with a little little plank on.

On the backside I taped a little block in the middle, and after that, put it all between the benchscrew.

Then I put a piece of barrel over the lever, so the lever gets bigger. Once I had this, it was simple to turn, and so bend the aluminum piece of 8mm.








The rounding now is the same as the original pedal by bmw




It took some time to grind it all firmly, and I stopped with a 1200 wet.



Now it was the time to make some inlay-pieces. First I taped the sloths with tape.



The I taped 2 roundels on each other, and placed in on the whole where screws come out.



I the meanwhile I made some iron little plates of 3mm thick. I had to do this, so I could taped some screws in there, to tighten it all.




Then I filled it all up with epoxy.



When it's all dry, I'll take out the plates, and they will have the same model als the sloths. buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut, they will be 2mm deeper then the alu.

The 2mm I need for the carbon and epoxy who will get on there.

 

I’ve baked some carbon cakes in my oven.



Offcourse, these need another set of epoxi-layers. The alu pedals go somewhere to get anodized, so they look exactly the same as the indoor moldings. Once I get them back, it’ll take some time to nicely cut out the little carbon pieces, and abrade them so they fit 100%.



I also did some tests with carbon fibre.
Here you see one.
I had an original BMW logo laying here somewhere, so I covered it with carbon… Real stuff dude, no sticky sticker crap.


To do this right I had to use a Copperfield trick…and it worked out nicely. On the plate you see, there’s only 1 layer of epoxy. And I rubb this over, one more layer will be added and it’s finished.
So not as many work then when you need to put 4-5 layers.
You can also see I got the side really smooth and fine.



And who was it that said is was very hard to use carbon fibre on corners?



The things I ordered to finish off the amp-box, are currently hanging somewhere over the ocean.
I'd better ordered them a size bigger, cause it's about 30 degrees(Celcius) difference from there to here, and those things could shrimp from the cold.
But still, it's positive news they're on the way.
Dropped of the aluminium pedals too, and will get them back in two weeks normally. On the carbon lay-ins of the pedals I did some layers epoxy already, and there will be a lot of rabrading to get this tight, but we can do it.
I also kept myself warm by milling some things for around the carbon BMW emblems.
I first thought of making these completely out of carbon fibre, but that looked like sh* ...
So I started by making 2 aluminium rings who will come around the emblems.
First I made 2 MDF blocks's, and glued a piece of 4mm aluminium against it.
Then held it to the copy-mill, with this as result.



Then I put in another mill, and made a nice rounding on the upper side.






Then it was time for the professional work, and went about 4mm deeper with the right mill.



The grey disc with all the holes, I bought when I was in L.A.

Here your mill onto, and knock on the attached pin, in the center of your piece. So you can chose with diamter you delete. It's something really really simlple, but just so practical, and I wasn't able to find it here in Belgium.




Here you see the little ring I need on the left side.



You can say....it looks much better then without the ring.



I did the same for the logo on the backside, just that's a bit smaller.



Here they are, Dumb & Dumber




On the backside, I milled it all a bit diagonal, cause I'm going to glue the carbon into the aluminum with 2 components glue

 

The carbon lay-ins are ready to get some layers of varnish. To become this result, I’ve been abrading for several hours, and I’m really pleased that’s behind me now.
However, it’s nog finished yet. I’m going to do somethings special with 1 plate, but I’m not 100% sure what it’s going to be




Once the varnish is on here, only then the carbon fibre will appear.


About the emblems, I’m working on my own logo to add to that.

As you can see, the pedals are ready to get mounted in the car.
I was pretty scared about the anodization, since that’s something I didn’t do myself. But they have done it just the way I wanted.
The silver colour is the same as the other interiorpieces of the car.
Here the foot-support.





The little sticker-letters that I let someone make for me.

These are silver, and are underneath the varnish, so nothing can harm them there



The brake.


As you look closely on the bottomside of the carbon fibre, you’ll see there’s a lot of varnisch on there.

This varnisch is scratch-free, and is as solid as a rock. Time will tell…





The gas pedal.







And finally, the complete set.




These set of pedals, I think, will need a yearly maintenance…
I mean that in time, I’ll have to take em off, screw the carbon plates loose, abrade them again, add another layer of varnish, and put it all together.
No pain no gain, they say;;;
now, when it’s finished, I realize I again finished something small that took a lot of work

My carbon fibre stock is empty for the moment, but next week 10m² will be delivered… so up to the next

Meanwhile, I totally finished the CF logo’s. Here the show pictures.
What’s in the CF box?

Robolop’s Logo ….O yeah….

 

The aluminum ring, I abraded in the same way I did like the alu in the front bumper.
I had the intention of painting them black, like the window moldings…But then again, there would be no more contrast with the carbon fibre.
Silver, like the car, wasn’t an option either.



For me, they worked out a 100%, and again, I’ve got something original.

Pagina 14 austral forum

 

words cannot describe how epic this thread is! I love seeing the updates, the quality and attention to detail in your work is exceptional