Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2022 12:46:25 -0700
Reply-To: Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Subject: Re: Doing another rear aluminum bumper
In-Reply-To: <5A467985-50B2-4603-AF34-C29A1B846FA7@comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
There is actually, called cheap off shore labour.
It’s what our North American lifestyle depends on :-)
> On Aug 3, 2022, at 11:23 AM, Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> What, no magic machine that does it all in minutes?
>
> Paint sounds good to me compared to that polishing description!
>
> Eric
>
>
>> On Aug 3, 2022, at 10:34 AM, Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:
>>
>> Eric,
>>
>> It’s expensive to polish any metal. I’m not taking polishing after electro plating ( that’s not cheap either), but polishing from raw stock.
>>
>> You know the drill, work up thru series of finer abrasives, and buffing compounds….
>> It’s tedious :-)
>>
>> Ab
>>
>>>> On Aug 3, 2022, at 6:56 AM, Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> Then again, this is Aluminum so maybe rust is not a factor so drilling the needed holes is no big deal? I’m still learning! I didn’t know it was expensive to polish Aluminum rather then paint for example.
>>>
>>> Looking forward to hearing how the orange bumpers look on the bus!
>>>
>>> eRic
>>>
>>>
>>>> On Aug 3, 2022, at 9:49 AM, Eric Caron <ericcaron96@COMCAST.NET> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Bumper dreams,
>>>>
>>>> Not practical but I always loved the way the early Bay window bumpers curved around and became a step to get into the van. I wonder why that was only for a couple years.
>>>>
>>>> On the practical side. My second van has GW steel bumpers, but the front one had no holes for a from License plate.
>>>>
>>>> I’d recommend two holes in the correct place for a bracket so that they get pained and are ready. I hate drilling into a newly painted piece.
>>>>
>>>> Of course Alistair probably has a bunch of cool license brackets ready to go.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Eric
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>> On Aug 2, 2022, at 9:57 PM, Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> If you want, yes :-)
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Aug 2, 2022, at 5:11 PM, Bruce Todd <beeceetee@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Will they come with bottle cap removers?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> BT
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Tuesday, August 2, 2022, Alistair Bell <albell@shaw.ca> wrote:
>>>>>>> Hey Bruce. I hope to make more bumpers, well I have to make at least 2 sets. We will see how it goes.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I’m kinda slightly regretting my orange choice before seeing it. But hey, live a little .
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Ab
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Aug 2, 2022, at 1:28 PM, Bruce Todd <beeceetee@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Or one side orange and the other side brown to compliment Alistair’s best
>>>>>>>> in class colour scheme!
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Thebumper looks very nice. I could also be a beta tester - and you know
>>>>>>>> where my van currently lives. I decided to to go with my stock bumpers
>>>>>>>> and not upgrade to keep project costs somewhat in line. Anyway if you
>>>>>>>> begin to roll these off the Bell Industry’s assembly line - you have
>>>>>>>> another client…I can even pick up factory seconds directly from the factory.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Bruce
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Tuesday, August 2, 2022, David Boan <dboan@outlook.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I think you should paint one side white and the other orange, and promote
>>>>>>>>> it as an example of the spirit of compromise in marriage,
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Dave B
>>>>>>>>> Boise
>>>>>>>>> ________________________________
>>>>>>>>> From: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com> on behalf of Eric
>>>>>>>>> Caron <ericcaron96@COMCAST.NET>
>>>>>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, August 2, 2022 12:40 PM
>>>>>>>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: Doing another rear aluminum bumper
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I would love to have my van be orange! But, white is so darn practical
>>>>>>>>> for heat when camping. Also, my wife is anti orange color for us. Still a
>>>>>>>>> orange 76 westy still fills my dreams!
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> The bumpers in Orange sound great to me!
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Still aluminum can’t just be pretty polished? I don’t know these things
>>>>>>>>> but simple care is appealing.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Eric
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> On Aug 2, 2022, at 1:34 PM, Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Hey Eric,
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Got a line of beta testers waiting here…. But I’ll put you on the list
>>>>>>>>> :-)
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> It’s 1/4” 5052 aluminum. Yes it’s strong enough to stand on, that’s
>>>>>>>>> important to me too. And the top plate, the standing surface, is flat, not
>>>>>>>>> slightly angled as in the stock steel. So less chance of slipping off in
>>>>>>>>> the wet.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Took bumper to powdercoat today. Was going to be all black, a very
>>>>>>>>> slight texture . But he showed me a gloss orange that so very closely
>>>>>>>>> matches the orange doors I’ve got on van… so why not, encaps still black.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I can repaint if the orange looks silly
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Ab
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> On Aug 2, 2022, at 9:17 AM, Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Hey,
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Looking for a Beta tester? I’ll pay shipping and more!
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Light, strong, rust proof, and stock like look? What is not to love?
>>>>>>>>> And, Bell Industries reputation behind it!
>>>>>>>>>>> I’m happy with a not perfect version!
>>>>>>>>>>> I only want to know is it strong enough for one to stand on to get up
>>>>>>>>> on the luggage rack or rear of bus?
>>>>>>>>>>> My stock one on the front wants to bend if I try to step up on it.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I’m blind, but why paint? Would brushed or polished aluminum stand up
>>>>>>>>> without need of touch ups?
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Eric Caron
>>>>>>>>>>>> On Aug 2, 2022, at 11:08 AM, Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Four years :-)
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Well , since I measured the stock bumper and drew first model .
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Then this spring I had bumper 3D scanned. More or less fit my measured
>>>>>>>>> model.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Then more computer modelling , time wasting .
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> The main part of the bumper is quite fast. Cnc router cut panels, 3,
>>>>>>>>> then held in curve on a jig, top and bottom plates tacked on. Then full
>>>>>>>>> weld. I tig welded this one, but I’d mig the next.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Router a chamfer on top weld, flap disc grind the bottom weld to blend.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> It was the endcaps that took the most time. I have I think four failed
>>>>>>>>> versions. Flat pattern cnc cut, then brake press to bend, then a front face
>>>>>>>>> and a wee little rear face welded. Grind and blend etc.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Now that the endcaps figured out, not so bad , or slow .
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> So all the hard work done. I’d say less than 4 hours to make one , not
>>>>>>>>> counting cnc machine cut time .
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Ab
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Aug 2, 2022, at 7:59 AM, Stacy Schneider <vwcrewman@gmail.com>
>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> That is really nice, you must have 40 hours in it?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Stacy
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Tue, Aug 2, 2022 at 7:54 AM Alistair Bell <albell@shaw.ca> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Wanted something lighter than my previous and with no trailer hitch.
>>>>>>>>> Trying to mimic the stock steel bumper.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Got one made well enough to powder coat and use.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> https://shufti.blog/2022/08/01/vanagon-making-another-
>>>>>>>>> aluminum-bumper/
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Alistair
>>>>>>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 1989 Swedish Tristar with Aluminum gates and Atiwe 16" Wheels.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Oldest son is an Eagle scout.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>
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