Lotus Elan Central

by **PaulN** » Tue 28.03.2006, 12:26

theelanman wrote:chrisp
do you still have your original handles??.....
I was just wondering about going a slightly different route of getting them scanned in as 3D then just stick the file into a cnc machine and there you go....
I might be able to get a 3D scan done but I dont (as yet) know anyone with a 'digital' cnc machine.....
what do you reckon?????
cheers
G

The Handle is screaming out to be sand cast for a small batch, im sure a local uni would do them just to keep the students busy! Then you just hand finish them.

I could draw them up 3D, but whats the point, most good cnc shops could just copy a sample.... Well the good cnc places i know.

CnC = more money than you would want to spend though.

Cheers

PaulN

Website · by **theelanman** » Tue 28.03.2006, 12:55

I was hoping to get the scan done for nowt!!!!....
then its just a case of who ever wanted the file......ie sent to our brothers (and sisters) state side.......
just trying to cut the cost.......I'll go either way.....just think they look smart and would look really good next to my ali stalks and dial rims....
although I muist admit I'm starting to scare myself.....before you know it I'll be painting the car chrome!!!!.......argh!!!!
no....lol
cheers
G

by **Rogerf** » Tue 28.03.2006, 16:40

I'm a foundry moulder and these handles need moulding in sand.
To work off the handles 'loose' would cost approx.£15 each.However,a plated pattern produced by a pattern maker the cost could be as little as £10 a pair.
But the price of a pattern can be several hundreds £££'s.So,if only a few were wanted a 'loose' pattern would do.

Unfortunately i work in iron,not ally,i just thought i'd give you some ideas.

Cheers Roger.

Website · by **theelanman** » Tue 28.03.2006, 19:23

roger_fewtrell wrote:I'm a foundry moulder and these handles need moulding in sand.
To work off the handles 'loose' would cost approx.£15 each.However,a plated pattern produced by a pattern maker the cost could be as little as £10 a pair.
But the price of a pattern can be several hundreds £££'s.So,if only a few were wanted a 'loose' pattern would do.

Unfortunately i work in iron,not ally,i just thought i'd give you some ideas.

Cheers Roger.

I'm not adverse to £15 each!!!!!!
anyone else??....
I suppose it depends on how many for a 'group' buy!!!
cheers
g

by **Paul.P** » Tue 28.03.2006, 20:18

I'm in !

by **Low Profile** » Tue 28.03.2006, 20:29

£15 sounds good to me! I'm in!

by **ailwyn** » Tue 28.03.2006, 20:30

I'll go for a set.

Ailwyn

by **Darren** » Tue 28.03.2006, 20:55

roger_fewtrell wrote:Unfortunately i work in iron, not ally,i just thought i'd give you some ideas.

Moist hands and bare Iron don't go, so does anyone know a decent electro plater ?

by **Low Profile** » Tue 28.03.2006, 21:24

I use a good electro plater on a regular basis! Part of my company manufactures filter elements and we have the cores and caps plated!

I think he electroplates plastic as well!

He is in Nottinghamshire if that is any helps!

http://www.baddeley.co.uk/

by **Rogerf** » Tue 28.03.2006, 22:12

I was only giving an idea of cost.
That would of been the price i'd of quoted if you had brought to my foundry.

There are plenty of ally foundry's in this country and all thats needed is the sample handles.

Price may come down if you were prepared to fettle and polish the handles after casting yourself.

The only slight problem with using the original size handles is that when casting in ally there will be shrinkage.So,it depends on how much tolerance there is to be played with.

Cheers Roger.

Website · by **theelanman** » Wed 29.03.2006, 01:06

hey I dont mind giving the 'group' work!!!...
still sounds good to me....
could you source a finished item????
cheers
G

by **PaulN** » Wed 29.03.2006, 08:57

Hi,

Like i said before its screaming out for sand casting. I certainly wouldn't make them out of Iron, because not only the extra weight but because plating iron requires 2 processes, a bit like an undercoat.

Someone needs to have a word with someone at a local poly to see if this could be done there. Its a simple job and therefore Im not sure whether many casting companys will want to know.

After casting and polishing it WILL need treating somehow maybe a nice coat of lacquer.

Cheers

PaulN

by **Rogerf** » Wed 29.03.2006, 17:12

Hey, ''simple job'' it took 5 years to pass my apprentiship!!

Seriously though,the shape of these handles would require a certain amount of skill and an under graduate may find it testing.It would be a good learning process for the teacher to the pupil.
I don't know of any ''poly's''doing this as most schools have stopped because of health and safety.Worth a try though!!

They do just need to be taken to an ally foundry and they would be glad of the work,whether it's for 1 or 100 as the foundry trade as been suffering for quite a while now.

Roger.

Website · by **theelanman** » Wed 29.03.2006, 20:08

Ive taken pics of my handles and sent them with a general inquiry for polished cast ally finish......just see what they come back with.....
that was tonights job so I hope I might get some responses by the weekend......
thing is....chrisp....would you mind lending them (whoever it may be...and only if its possible of course) the original handles you took off????....
and I suppose paulp will want his gold plating!!!!!
cheers
G

by **Paul.P** » Wed 29.03.2006, 20:44

theelanman wrote:and I suppose paulp will want his gold plating!!!!!G

Hey G, not likely, want ally to match my handbrake handle, what do think i am, made of money ? :lol:

by **Guest** » Thu 30.03.2006, 16:14

Hello Gareth, I don't know you don't check this forum for a day and then there are loads of posts!!
I can send you the handles if needs be, for CNC-ing just PM and we can sort something out. I am using them at the moment though as I am making moulds from them so I can do some casting.
I would be inclinded to make a proper moulds if you are intending on casting handles as there will be shrinkage (not alot 1 in 77 or something like that) and the original parts are not a particularly good fit or shape. I have changed both of these things when I made the original parts.

Chris

Website · by **theelanman** » Thu 30.03.2006, 16:35

chris
if youre having a go I'll leave the ball in your court and see how it goes....I may have some responses from casting places on my pc when I get home......(company firewall wont let me acces loads of stuff including personal mail!!)...I'll let you know......
cheers
g

by **chrisP** » Thu 30.03.2006, 17:27

Gareth
Ok thats cool, I have made the casting boxes and had the sand delivered, so its a case of setting a big fire and seeing what happens, it may be a couple of weeks as I only get to do this kind of thing at the weekend, but I will certainly get back to you. I would also be interested in what feed back from the companies you contacted

Cheers
Chris

by **PaulN** » Fri 31.03.2006, 08:34

chrisP wrote:Gareth
Ok thats cool, I have made the casting boxes and had the sand delivered, so its a case of setting a big fire and seeing what happens, it may be a couple of weeks as I only get to do this kind of thing at the weekend, but I will certainly get back to you. I would also be interested in what feed back from the companies you contacted

Cheers
Chris

Chris,

Have you got you own furnace mate?

Cheers

PaulN

by **chrisP** » Fri 31.03.2006, 10:06

Paul Its not what you would call a proper one, more a brick built afair but it seems to do the job in melting aluminium, it takes quite a while to get going

Chris

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