Art & Inspiration Tech Week Emboss your valve cover

Neat stuff!!!

So this urethane is the giving and deforming type?

 

Rich B.........Thank you for the explanation of the alternate processes.

This is a very informative........and inspirational........Great thread.

Ray

 

.havent been on here much rich' just stumbled on your post, really kool rich, nice work!

 

31Vickey: After repeated uses there has been no degrading of the
material. Some very tuff stuff!

Ray: Thank's much!

rd martin: Hey Rich good to hear from you! I need to get down to see
that fancy new shop!

 

That is pretty sano! Nice work man!

 

I located some pics that I can use for a demo on the more common use
of steel patterns. The pic below shows the 3/16" male, and female
patterns. The blue blank to be pressed is 16 gauge which I have scribed
the location of the male die. A good rule of thumb for clearance between
the male, and female die is 1 1/2 times the thickness of the piece to be
pressed. (16 gauge .057 = .085 gap in this case) This can be varied to get
better definition on the finished part. To tight of a gap, and you will shear
the the piece! I had been trying different gaps with this die, and settled
on .085.

 

Here I have taken the female die, and taped it to the bottom of the blank
aligning the two pieces using the 1/16" drill bits. I than taped the male die
to the scribed mark on the blank.

 

Before pressing the pattern I spray the pieces with WD40.

 

Impressive. I would like to learn more about this. What size is your press?

 

The above pic did not show the oil, but I spray top, and bottom before pressing.
Below pic shows the pressing. I do the pressing in stages usually by lightly
pressing the first pass front, middle, and back. Increasing pressure with two more
passes. It seems to give me a more even press, and less chance of the part
moving around.
How much pressure? Well with steel a 20 ton press should work.

 

After pressing.

 

Here's the finished piece. It may not show in the pick, but the center of the
formed piece is slightly wider in the middle. This was caused by the narrow
width of the sides on the female die. If the die had been as large as the blank
it would have been o.k. . When ever I can I do make the two the same size
which means I can line up the pieces without drilling holes. The holes are
easily welded up, but I try to avoid it.

 

Her's the piece etch primed. Pic did not show up very well.

 

Most of the patterns I make are 16 gauge, the 3/16" in the above posts are
about the max draw that I make without running into problems with
distortion ,or tearing the steel.

Here I'll make an actual project. For a long time I had wanted to press the
classic FORD script, but had troubles making a good pattern. I had some local
guy's with a computer controlled plasma that made one for me. They had a
lot of problems cutting 16 gauge because it would warp as it was being cut!
Water jet may be a better route. After hand finishing them I had a set of dies
finally.
This pic shows the female die on top of a piece of 19 gauge CR steel.

 

Locating the male die for scribing.

 

Male die taped in position with female die under blank.

 

Already to press, both female die, and blank are the same size so no need
for locating holes.

 

No need to show pressing, here it is after. Notice the oil all over.

 

Here it as after popping it out of die, just reverse dies to inset pattern.

 

Here I'm using it to make a new glove box door.

 

I cut a piece of 3/16" plate to match the size of the glove box door, and
formed the piece around it.

 

After forming it to fit I removed the plate, and cut the back out to lighten
it up. I than tacked the formed piece to it.

 

Here's the finished piece.

 

Had to make some pieces for my friends.

Wanted to show the simple die that I used to stamp the design on
the side of the battery box. (sorry for double pics)
No need for locating holes, die is same size as side of battery box, just
lined up outer edges after scribing location of male die. Pressed before
any bends made in box piece. (.063 aluminum) Die is 16 gauge CR.

 

Had to keep one for me! The square shape on the front was made the same way.
I could have bead rolled it, but there is no distortion this way. All the aluminum
is .063. I hope this helps some one with a project.
Rich

 

I nominate this for "Thread Of The Year" !!

Teriffic "how to"........Bill, thanks ever so much for taking the time to photograph and post these photos and commentary.

Ray

 

Brent:
I have a 50 ton press that I have added an air assist to for ease of repeated
pressings. Actual tonage to press steel patterns I'm really not sure, but I
run it up to about 6000 PSI. When doing urathane, as much as possible!
I would want minimum 10-20 ton press. Size matters!

Scotty: Thank's, it was your idea that sparked the valve covers!

Ray: Thank's for the kind words.

 

: Thumbsup: !!!

 

Nice write-up with pics showing the process. Great tech week submission, thanks for sharing.