Barn Door for JK factory hardtops
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
jscherb
Expedition Leader
The 2dr slider window kit is moving along well towards release this summer and now that I've signed off on the retrofit kit I don't have to be very involved in the process, the window company can easily get windows into production that fit in the retrofit kit without much involvement from me.
About the flat fenders, I prepped the new molds this afternoon so I can mold the first set of fenders in them tomorrow, I'll start by shooting black gelcoat in the molds first thing in the morning. At this point I don't know if there would be enough demand for either the front flat fenders I've already made or these new rear ones to make it worthwhile to work with a company to get them to market, maybe they should just be one-offs for my Jeep.
jgaz
Adventurer
The work in progress:
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Sir, Did you fabricate this panel from scratch? What gauge material did you use? How did you cut the slots? I've never heard you speak about having access to a Bridgeport, or plasma cutter. That's a lot of slots to cut with a hole saw and jig saw. However you did it, its a nice piece of work and a great idea.
Sir, Did you fabricate this panel from scratch? What gauge material did you use? How did you cut the slots? I've never heard you speak about having access to a Bridgeport, or plasma cutter. That's a lot of slots to cut with a hole saw and jig saw. However you did it, its a nice piece of work and a great idea.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Yes, I made it from scratch from 14-gauge steel sheet. I don't have access to either of those tools in my home workshop, so I do things like this in a more manual way. I draw the design on my computer and print out a template (for big things like this I have to tape multiple print pages together to make the template). I use that template to center punch all of the holes, and cut them with a hole saw. Then I connect the holes with a jigsaw to make slots. A little filing/sanding and it turns out just fine.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I painted the fridge tray panel yesterday, the paint is dry so here is it painted/installed and with some Molle pouches on it:
Appropriately, these are what the Army calls "Sustainment Pouches", intended to hold food while in the field.
In these next photos I've got a 10 liter (2.6 gallon) Rubican installed, with a spigot for dispensing water. There are several sets of mounting holes for the Rubican, I've mounted it in the rearmost set so the spigot doesn't stick out past the fridge.
The Rubican is mounted high enough that gravity will allow it to serve as a source for a sink faucet. Maybe I'll do a sink next.
Appropriately, these are what the Army calls "Sustainment Pouches", intended to hold food while in the field.
In these next photos I've got a 10 liter (2.6 gallon) Rubican installed, with a spigot for dispensing water. There are several sets of mounting holes for the Rubican, I've mounted it in the rearmost set so the spigot doesn't stick out past the fridge.
The Rubican is mounted high enough that gravity will allow it to serve as a source for a sink faucet. Maybe I'll do a sink next.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
And I made the first pair of rear flat fenders today. The outside surface is black gelcoat, and for the inside I tinted the resin black, so the insides won't need to be painted. When I made the front flat fenders I did the same thing.
When they're cured I'll pop them out of the molds, trim them to size and install them on the Jeep.
When they're cured I'll pop them out of the molds, trim them to size and install them on the Jeep.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Thank you
. That's pretty much how I do everything - draw a design, use it as a template, then make the parts by hand. Works for metal fab, fiberglass mold masters, sewing...
The Rubican is a nice piece, Ive had mine mounted for a few months now. Add a vent and faucet and you will like it. Doesnt leak, Scherb went with a plastic vent I went metal but Im pretty sure we are using the same faucet.
I used a stepbit to install the faucet on the Rubican cap, and Scherb cut a bit of plastic for his.
I also have 2 1 gallon Rotopax water packs, I like the Rubican better as it comes with its own mount, with the Rotopax the mount is another purchase.
If Rubican comes out with a 1 gallon water pack Ill be selling my Rotopax.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I drilled round holes and added corners with a small file.
Those are for a Rotopax mount, which comes with 1/4" carriage bolts. I could have just done round holes and not used carriage bolts if I ever decided to install a Rotopax there, but since it only took a few minutes to make the square holes I decided to do it right.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Here's what the 5 liter (1.3 gallon) Rubican looks like in red, shown alone on the side mount on the left and stacked with a 10 liter (2.6 gallon) on the right. I think the company was going to see how the 10 liter sold before deciding to offer the 5 liter. You could ask them about it.
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