Stoffregen Motorsports
Explorer
I wonder why the Toyota guys covered up half of the lower opening. Would it gain you anything by opening the thing up to the full size of the hole?
Blender, My LX450/FZJ80 + FJ45esk + GM + Land Rover crazy concoction
- Thread starter Metcalf
- Start date
Metcalf
Expedition Leader
I think it is because that is where the hinge for the grill shell mounted?
Metcalf
Expedition Leader
More small projects on the #LX45 tonight. Added a few blind fasteners to the old lower grill mount holes. The belly pan came out again to get drilled for the support ribs and all the holes where countersunk for tapered heads. I also picked up one of those small belt sanders. That thing is super handy!
Shop tip. Mark the diameter of the fastener head before you start the countersink. This gives you a good reference point for how far you need to go without having to check it a bunch of times.
More to do tomorrow. The belly pan can then go back in and I will trim/mark/drill/tap the 3/4 square aluminum ribs....
Shop tip. Mark the diameter of the fastener head before you start the countersink. This gives you a good reference point for how far you need to go without having to check it a bunch of times.
More to do tomorrow. The belly pan can then go back in and I will trim/mark/drill/tap the 3/4 square aluminum ribs....
Metcalf
Expedition Leader
You know most of my tools are from Harbor Freight and I work out of my garage right?
I am a do more with less kind of guy. I can't afford to buy a specialty tool for everything......
Stoffregen Motorsports
Explorer
I bought two Harbor Freight die grinders last year. Both of them were junk inside a minute. I didn't even waste my time to return them, I just chucked them in the trash.
When I started my shop, almost everything was either Chinese or used-high-quality. Over the past couple of years I have been making the switch to good quality tools and sometimes they do make a difference, but usually it's just the tool life that is extended. I have replaced all of my pneumatic tools with IR or better and the job remains the same, but the tools definitely last longer. For the record, one of those belt sanders from a good quality source is about $500 or more! Hence, I have yet to purchase one...
Brennan, your work is incredible.
When I started my shop, almost everything was either Chinese or used-high-quality. Over the past couple of years I have been making the switch to good quality tools and sometimes they do make a difference, but usually it's just the tool life that is extended. I have replaced all of my pneumatic tools with IR or better and the job remains the same, but the tools definitely last longer. For the record, one of those belt sanders from a good quality source is about $500 or more! Hence, I have yet to purchase one...
Brennan, your work is incredible.
Metcalf
Expedition Leader
Thanks Matt.
Pretty much all my tools are HF, Home Depot, or Amazon cheapies......yet everything works almost flawless. I'm not using them all day, but I wouldn't say I am easy on anything. I'd love to buy better tools, but honestly I would buy a few more cheapies before I would pony up big dough. I've more than got my money out of everything generally. The only thing that I can really remember failing was the HF shrinker/stretcher, but that was my own fault for trying to do 16 gauge honestly. It still did it, but the die surrounds are stretched out bad....
Metcalf
Expedition Leader
Flat belly....
I was able to finish up the belly pan tonight. I added the 6061 3/4 square stock ribs to give it some more structure. These where drilled and tapped directly for the fasteners. Everything on the bottom of the belly pan is flush. The pan is light enough that I can pull it off myself without anything but hand tools which is a bonus. I should probably add a drain hole or two.....
Shop tip.
Poor mans repeatable depth stop for your cheap HF drill press. Bottom the bit out in the top of the chuck. Run the quill down till it bottoms out. Raise the table up till you get the material thickness you need from the bottom surface of the part. I didn't want to tap the entire thickness of the rib so I counterbored the back side till there was only about 5/16 of material for the 8mm impact drill/tap.
I was able to finish up the belly pan tonight. I added the 6061 3/4 square stock ribs to give it some more structure. These where drilled and tapped directly for the fasteners. Everything on the bottom of the belly pan is flush. The pan is light enough that I can pull it off myself without anything but hand tools which is a bonus. I should probably add a drain hole or two.....
Shop tip.
Poor mans repeatable depth stop for your cheap HF drill press. Bottom the bit out in the top of the chuck. Run the quill down till it bottoms out. Raise the table up till you get the material thickness you need from the bottom surface of the part. I didn't want to tap the entire thickness of the rib so I counterbored the back side till there was only about 5/16 of material for the 8mm impact drill/tap.
elephant man
New member
Your shop tips, as well as your work, are awsome.
And the "make do" approach is spot on for us regular home mechanics.
And the "make do" approach is spot on for us regular home mechanics.
NCFJ
Adventurer
I have always believed that it is not the tool, but the person using said tool that makes the difference. A better version of the same or similar tool only makes the work easier to perform but the skill required to use it remains the same. I have made it a practice throughout my life to spend the bigger money on the tools I use with more frequency and go the cheaper road on tools only used occasionally at best.
I think my favorite example of over spending are things like Snap On tool boxes. This is an OPINION so please all you Snap On box fans don't TP my house
Go to the tool section of any area CL and you will find Snap On boxes for sale and 9/10 times the price reflects what the guy/girl owes the Snap on man.For the record, I have a Craftsman top box I bought in 1978 and a lower from 1980, both still kicking.
Keep doing what you are doing with the tools you have, I am enjoying the ride
Metcalf
Expedition Leader
Trying not to be frustrated with the #LX45 by doing something, anything, to get it done. It looks like I will have to stick the tub back on without the wiring harness (yuck). I still need to pull the tcase off and run all the trans brackets and crossmember to the powder-coater. Maybe I will get lucky with the harness still. Tonight was some TIG welding on the battery tray, compressor mount, and a coat of paint on the passenger rocker.
Metcalf
Expedition Leader
My daily dose of do something on the #LX45. I added a clevis pin for a future exhaust hanger. The passenger rocker was scuffed and sprayed in another coat of can. Then did some TIG welding on the bed frame. Last thing was to pull this old little blaster out of the corner and test it out with the big compressor. Everything went pretty well.
Metcalf
Expedition Leader
Grinding it out and getting all the little (and big) details done is the part of building trucks that most never see or hear about. Keep the faith!! Besides, we all want to see this build when complete, but hey, no pressure
Keep up the good work!
I will keep chugging away, but yes, the details take the most time. It makes me wonder about how to improve the speed/efficiency of future builds.
Metcalf
Expedition Leader
A very scattered evening on the #LX45, but progress is progress. I made a screen for the big hole in the grill out of some stainless mesh. The drivers rocker got it's first coat of paint. I remade the shift lever for the hi-low on the transfer case to make it much stiffer. The exhaust hanger got a test assembly. I also did a little measuring on the grill for a possible turn signal. Anyone have any ideas for a 1.5 inch round surface mount 3 wire turn signal?
