Decided against a bead roller for the floor of my coupe. Think I'm going to have a much nicer result with this steel hammerform I've been thinking about for a few days. Not fully finished with this part and still have to make the other side - which will be a piece of round stock 2" long, radiused at each end with the appropriate piece welded on to hit with a hammer. Think of it as using a Pullmax 5lbs at a time. Bead size is 7/16" and it will index in three inch increments - or any measurement I want if I just drill new holes. (in the sheet metal) I'm also going to make an "X" with the same locators in case I want beads to intersect.
I've been thinking of creating a similar item to use on the floor of the Elky. Even more appealing as the floor is already installed...
I've been thinking about this for a small beaded line that's on my '31 Cowl. I think it's a good idea. I actually saw in another thread on here with a link to a guy who formed a really complicated panel for a VW (bus I think) that would have normally been stamped at the factory. He formed the whole thing over a wood (think it was wood) form and a hammer hammer. Maybe someone knows the link.
Whats your plan to keep them aligned? Looks like you have six small holes in it, locating holes? I've seen guys use one of those keychain laser pointers suspended above whatever you have the lower die mounted on, pointed at the center of the die. In this case you might use two, one at each end of the groove.
WOW! Ask and you shal receive! That's the one! Was thinking it was over a form, guess not. That's it though. Crazy stuff! I wonder how long that took?
Those holes are tapped 1/4 20. So lay out the bead pattern with a sharpie and drill holes one inch from center line to locate.
This thread just blew my mind, I was thinking about the exact same thing last night about my 36 firewall and was searching it here this AM. I was debating whether to spend the bucks on a beadroller, or go hammerform....I go get coffee and then BAM this thread just comes up----crazy. Keep us posted.
You really don't need a upper die. A axle bumper on the end of an air hammer will shape the bead nicely without any hard tooling marks. I don't have any pictures, but I used an air hammer (4x rivit gun) with a home made hammer head the size and shape of the bead, a 1/2" rubber mat under the panel and a piece of wood for a straight guide.
I need to recreate the beads that are in my '35's Firewall so I can get rid of the botched ones. I don't think a Bead roller will do it right so this might be a good option. Nice Kevin!!
you can achieve the same result with a bead roller a lot easier with the right dies. Unless the panel is just too large.
looks good might wana try on a test piece... but if you pre stretch along your lines a little with a hammer and dollie it might aleviate the stress on the panel that causes it to flop after you put beads in
When you told me you needed to make those patches for your firewall this is EXACTLY what I was thinking when I said you could make them yourself.
I used the same technique to make patch panels for the floor in the wife's Nash Metro. I needed beads that were much wider than "standard" bead roll dies. So, I welded up some stuff, machined a female die and hammered them in. Worked fine, panels tended to warp a bit, but can be hammered flat again, plus I was able to plug weld them to the floor supports.
There is DVD on metalshaping that shows the same process, using simple hand tools. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=373568 He gives a brief glimpse of this process in the following YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGElSHzm0q8#
I think you are talking about wanting to do beads in semi heavy metal. Anyway If you have a pullmax making beading dies is pretty EZ if ya have a mill. For the top die use a ball bearing the size you want your bead, drill a hole in the tool steel half the depth of the ball bearing and braze the bearing into place. Next is the bottom die, machine a slot in a 2x2 block of tool steal. Make it 2x wider than the thickness of your material and deeper than the same thickness of your part. Make sure when you weld the bottom die to the tool post it is perfect and square. Round off all the edges and polish the shit out of it. Any imperfection in the die will show up in your part. Also you are going to need to streatch the metal in the area where the bead will be so you won't distort your panel. (that was my mess up on my bed sides) You will need to run it along a fence on the machine, you would never be able to control the panel flopping around without it. Also make 2 passes light on the first one and deeper on the second pass. I hope this helps.
This just keeps getting better and better. And yes, that guy making the parts with a hammer and chisel is a ruler. Do you suppose he thought he needed a laser, air hammer, bead roller or a ball bearing and a PULLMAX? haha. I'll be sure and post the pics after I screw up my floors.
Make sure you wear safety glasses!!! And don't wear baggy clothes, and tuck in all loose hanging objects (necklaces, lanyards, hair, beards, and your pecker)
I did something similiar.Using an air hammer,worked pretty well http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=290873
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