Caveman Louver Tech

Well I haven't posted anything useful in a while so I thought I would show how I louvered my deck lid.
Unfortunately I didn't take as many pics as I'd like to have simply because I didn't think it would actually work as well as it did, and I wasn't about to start a thread " how I ruined my new decklid"
I looked in my area for someone who had a press and came up with nothing so I started reading some old threads I found with people hand punching them in and it made me think hell I can do that. So being cheap, broke, and not knowing anyone who can do it in the area I set about building this contraption.

The base I had from another project the rest is salvaged from my s**** buckets and of all things an old bowflex! Lol. I don't have any build pics but other than gas to pick up the bowflex, argon, a little wire, and a sore right arm I don't have a penny invested. Even the stand which was built a couple years ago is all salvaged s****s.
I layed out the pattern on the topside of the decklid and carefully cut 75 slits with a thin cut off wheel. Major pain in the ***! I took a thin file and a flap wheel and cleaned every one up. Starting at the bottom and working up toward the top I set each slot over the piece of 18 ga sticking up from the lower die to register it. Lower the arm and about 7 whacks with the hammer did the trick.


So after 525 blows, 4 hours and probably ******* the neighbors off here's the end result. They are not all perfect but they look pretty good.

 

That's awesome. How did you make the dies. Ken

 

Nice job. Where are you at in western NY?

 

Thanks kenn
I do have to say I can't take credit for the idea. there is another thread similar, cant remember who's though. I kind of put my spin on an idea I saw before.

I had a chunk of tool steel I was using as a dolly for the upper. I used a flap wheel on a 4 1/2 grinder to gt the main shape then the belt sander and a lot of hand filing to finish it.
The lower was a chunk of 1/2 inch I cut that out with a torch cleaned it up with a carbide burr and filed my *** off till I got it where I thought it should be.

 

I'm an hour or so south of buffalo

 

That took some balls to go for it like you did. Turned out nice, I'd be proud of it.

 

Nice job Caveman!!

 

Thats really cool.

 

Thats kool. I like caveman cant afford all those fancy tools.

 

That is sum good work Nocero, great technique.

 

Okay-I'll bring my hood by your shop on Saturday....

 

Ha ha stand in line! better wait a little while til my shoulder goes back in place.

 

Thanks for all the replies! One more pic and I'll leave it be.


Note to self strip the paint off the whole panel before attempting this again! After stripping and re hitting a couple louvers, a little filing and now It looks much better.


Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad

 

Kool that's building a car !!!

 

Finally, something useful to do with a bowflex!

 

Very cool and impressive caveman technique, Nocero! Many of us are now thinking about doing what you had the guts to do and how we can do it too! Thanks for sharing. Hot rodders are recyclers, resourceful, and problem solvers. You have just proved this again... makes a HAMBer proud! ...robber

 

Damn! Shaking my head as I write this, 'cause I know how much work it is with a dedicated machine... Nice work though!!!

 

Thanks for all the positive comments guys. I've been in a fabricating rut for a little while and they are very encouraging!

 

Maybe you can find a sationary bike to make a trip hammer and get your buddys to run it wile you punch the louvers.

 

good job!

 

"Paging Rube Goldberg. Mr. Goldberg to the garage please."

 

You need to devise a way of using a hydraulic jack to press them in.

 

Now THAT'S traditional. No fancy-schmancy press, no "so and so did these louvers for me". You needed louvers. You made louvers. Good job.

 

Some how you'd have to incorporate a grand piano into the mix too... Can't have a Rube Goldberg device without one!

 

No need for Hydraulic jack. The job is done!!


Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad

 

Lol @ the ***le. Good job.

 

And he's giving it away.

 

That's real " HOT ROD " LOUVERING, good job.

 

great job and you can say "I did them myself" i been thinking about getting the attachments for bead roller ,because i have 3 panels i want to do myself

 

Hey Man ?? Rube Goldberg?? man you are showing your age.. Most on this site don't know Rube. Got to to love it..