Author Topic: SquareD Part 4: Paint, topper, Roof rack, and continued change! (Read 202548 times)

Flyin6 · « **Reply #250 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:16:05 PM »

I gave it four coats of the Vietnam and later OD Green, same as the prefilter top

Flyin6 · « **Reply #251 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:16:56 PM »

The goal today is to get the fab work completed and the composite floor built, and hopefully completed, although I didn't quite get it there

Next, I welded in a bunch of mounts for the soon to come floor which might carry some weight like my posterior, so I want that sucker bolted down well!

Here are some of the mounts constructed from simple angle iron

Flyin6 · « **Reply #252 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:17:57 PM »

Then I mocked up the oil cooler fittings, lines, and t-clamp to help me see how things were going to fit for when I made up the floor piece

Flyin6 · « **Reply #253 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:18:51 PM »

next in queue was the area illumination lights. Here is how the right side one mounted up

Flyin6 · « **Reply #254 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:20:19 PM »

And the left one

IO tried something new this time...bending square tube in a circular die...

I think it turned out OK

Flyin6 · « **Reply #255 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:21:20 PM »

I think I figured out how to create cheap grab handles as well!

With the paint dry on the cooler cowling, I checked that for fit

Flyin6 · « **Reply #256 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:22:37 PM »

I think the design could be improved with some sealing foam, so two strips were glued in to keep everything snug and the air channeled

Flyin6 · « **Reply #257 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:23:50 PM »

That will work, that one's in the bag

Next, the floor.

I said composite because I will be using a wood core surrounded by multiple layers of fiberglass cloth and resin and over coated with bed liner. I feel this will be both strong and light weight

I laid it up and thought it was close enough, so this is done as well

Flyin6 · « **Reply #258 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:24:52 PM »

OK, well a little trimming was needed

Flyin6 · « **Reply #259 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:26:27 PM »

Some additions, and some more trimmings

Flyin6 · « **Reply #260 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:29:28 PM »

I laid out a single piece of 12 oz cloth and applied the resin.

It will get a layer on the underside, and another on this side at a minimum

Flyin6 · « **Reply #261 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:30:30 PM »

The rack is awaiting final welding, and tapping of the numerous #10 X 24 holes for the air cowling

Flyin6 · « **Reply #262 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:31:33 PM »

And that, my eager lads, is the end of build day 132

Flyin6 · « **Reply #263 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:34:07 PM »

OK enough Buck Rogers...

Anyone even know who Buck Rogers is?

Admittedly well before my time, but sort of iconic...

OK, tonight's update is boring. Just a lot of worky labor. I nearly got the platform thing done and finished up the welding along with modding the LED light mount and adding a spiffier light unit.

So first up was grinding and sanding to get the platform ready for the next couple layers of fiberglass and resin

Flyin6 · « **Reply #264 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:35:00 PM »

That hand grinder with a #40 grit wheel made quick work of the excess glass cloth and high spots

With that done, I laid up a layer on the opposite side completely encasing the wood inside the glass

Flyin6 · « **Reply #265 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:36:25 PM »

After some sanding to roughen up the surface again, I laid on 3 more layers of glass cloth to the bottom side.
This lumpy looking mess will sand smooth as a baby's butt and be ready for primer in the morrow

Flyin6 · « **Reply #266 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:37:10 PM »

And here it is a few hours later having hardened up, but still a tiny bit tacky in a few spots. I'm giving it the evening to set up completely. I am using long drying time polyester resin this time to give me plenty of working time with the cloth

Flyin6 · « **Reply #267 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:37:42 PM »

As I discussed earlier, I decided to go to a different design light to unshroud the opening for the transmission cooler. Here it is just sitting about where I want it to be

Flyin6 · « **Reply #268 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:38:48 PM »

I trimmed down the mount as well and welded up a 1/8" X 3" wide backing plate. The light bar mounts on welded in studs like before, so all in all, it should be about bullet proof as I could ask for

Flyin6 · « **Reply #269 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:40:03 PM »

Then for the next couple hours I welded every joint and connection. Now all there is left to do is drill the holes for the floor panel, do some grinding to clean it up, wire brush it then start the painting.

This rack will get primer, then either John Deere Blitz paint, or bed liner. I still haven't decided. The bed liner would hide mistakes and match the roof, but having it painted semi-flat black would be a pleasing contrast to the roof, and match the hood.

Yes, the hood is going to be semi-flat black, not OD green to reduce the glare, especially from those roof mounted lights.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #270 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:40:44 PM »

And here is where it all sits tonight, the end of build day 133

Flyin6 · « **Reply #271 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:43:59 PM »

RIB

(Racks I built)

The Yota rack was sprayed with rhino liner. It failed in about 5 years. Whitened, cracked and started peeling off

The H2 roof and deck racks were sprayed with the duplicolor bed coating and for the time I owned that vehicle, it remained G-T-G

Flyin6 · « **Reply #272 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:45:05 PM »

Quote:
Originally Posted by BobbyB View Post
Now a question.

When you finally install the rack and the lights are mounted are you:

A. Going to run individual wire harnesses for each light?

B. Going to run only one wire harness and have all the lights tied into it, but with different switches?

Just wondering since, I will be adding some extra lights to my XJ, since I didn't sell it.

A. I plan to wire the owl's eye to the high beams of the headlights. I switch the HB on the OE comes on as well

The LED's will be wired to a switch labeled "Scene" meaning Scene illumination. That switch will activate the light bank on the front and both sides of the rack as well as the 20" light bar in the back which will serve as a super back-up light. It will also function independently with the back up light circuit through a diode which will prevent the power from powering the rest of the LED's if power came from the back-ups

I guess I'm answering all this in "A"...

After the thing is all painted up pretty like, I will mount everything and build a plug in harness. I purchased weather-pak connectors for every accessory up there and a couple extra for future growth. I plan to build a harness which will secure on top, then plug into a panel that will fit where the original bed illumination light lens was. I make up a steel patch for that, run the pigtails out of that, then you simply push weather tight wire connectors together and voila' you're, as they say in the movies, "All hooked up!"

Flyin6 · « **Reply #273 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:46:58 PM »

Last night's update, which turns out to this morning's update is one that will look a lot like the one from yesterday

I finished laying in glass, adding 2-3 more layers of glass sheet onto each side of the floorboard part.

All it needs now is some smoothing then it gets sprayed with bed liner.

Mike, you were thinking it might slide around, but with it being bolted down in 10 places, I'm not thinking so

Flyin6 · « **Reply #274 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:48:04 PM »

The piece with the first and second layers set up before smoothing

Flyin6 · « **Reply #275 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:48:48 PM »

Last pic, previous entry, was the other side which gets more layers as well

Here it is fully layered up

Flyin6 · « **Reply #276 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:49:32 PM »

Last pic, previous entry, was the other side which gets more layers as well

Here it is fully layered up

Flyin6 · « **Reply #277 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:50:13 PM »

Then I quit for the night...

Yep, no consideration for you needs to see useless pics what so ever...

Ya know, time for you people to develop your own lives

Make some of your own pictures of twisted metal.

Granted my favorite variety is the kind caused by 105mm high explosives, but this is presently working for me.

Git yer semi worthless collective butz out there and make somethin' And please make it quality. No more threads "Guys, should I paint my chevy badge black?" of getting into major mods, LED back up bulbs on order!

My wife says I need to work on my empathy for people...I'm trying...

Flyin6 · « **Reply #278 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:51:32 PM »

On the way out of the door, just before I dropped the willie pete grenade, here's what state the mess had developed into:

Flyin6 · « **Reply #279 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:53:43 PM »

Big work day even with it being Samstag!

Here's the situation I started with

Everything hardened and cured just like advertised

Flyin6 · « **Reply #280 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:54:48 PM »

The floor plate got a super-duper sanding with 40 grit on both sides to prep for the primer and bed liner

Flyin6 · « **Reply #281 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:56:15 PM »

Then the never ending cleaning started. I had to use the wire brush with a 2.5" cup all over the whole thing. That led to some more grinding and yet more wire brushing. I went on until my back was sore enough to start to complain about...I don't like to complain, so that point was good enough!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #282 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:57:14 PM »

Then I washed the steel several times with solvent and liqueur thinner to get all the oil off
THis pile of rags was from just the front!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #283 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:58:58 PM »

Then I drilled holes into the mount angles, and clamped the floor into place, then drilled those holes

Flyin6 · « **Reply #284 on:** October 13, 2014, 04:00:21 PM »

Flipped over it looks like this:

Flyin6 · « **Reply #285 on:** October 13, 2014, 04:01:17 PM »

Then after constructing an "A" frame I hung everything up in position to paint

Flyin6 · « **Reply #286 on:** October 13, 2014, 04:03:18 PM »

Here's the first of two coats of the yellow acid etching primer. I feel this is an essential step to prevent rust and add longevity to the final coating. Layering of quality products is what you get when you 1. Do it yourself or 2. Pay a really lot of money, then watch them to make sure they actually use the stuff!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #287 on:** October 13, 2014, 04:31:03 PM »

Next I shot a total of three coats of epoxy two part black primer.

It all by itself could serve as a top coat, but I am just looking for a good foundation for the bed liner

Flyin6 · « **Reply #288 on:** October 13, 2014, 04:33:57 PM »

Yellow disappearin'

Black coverin'

Flyin6 · « **Reply #289 on:** October 13, 2014, 04:34:39 PM »

The floor got some epoxy as well, although it really did not need any...

Flyin6 · « **Reply #290 on:** October 13, 2014, 04:35:27 PM »

Primer complete

Flyin6 · « **Reply #291 on:** October 13, 2014, 04:36:28 PM »

Then one can of U-Pol Urethane bed liner from the "Shutz Gun"

Flyin6 · « **Reply #292 on:** October 13, 2014, 04:37:58 PM »

That's a keeper!

Especially considering you'll never see it. I suspect that panel will do it's job well into the future without much fuss or complaint

Next, I chose this epoxy bed liner product from Duplicolor to finish the actual rack.

It was easy to work with and to my surprise, no matter how thick I sprayed it, the material flowed out pretty smooth

Flyin6 · « **Reply #293 on:** October 13, 2014, 04:38:43 PM »

Here's the floor after some drying time...although not completely set up at the time of the photos

Flyin6 · « **Reply #294 on:** October 13, 2014, 04:39:47 PM »

Same-Same with the steel rack

Flyin6 · « **Reply #295 on:** October 13, 2014, 04:42:47 PM »

Here's some pics of the morning after:

Flyin6 · « **Reply #296 on:** October 13, 2014, 04:44:20 PM »

The Bed Liner used on the rack is a Duplicolor premium water based Epoxy

Yea...

Got some tree hugger half-man stuff on there

Didn't notice that until I read the can...after having sprayed it

So, even though it turned our fairly uniform and smooth, the jury is out with respect to it's toughness.

It might me tough in the same sense as the halo 3 rangers...they think they are tough, but in reality the average fat girl can take them out with one arm (And that is a major concern because I don't know if Kintucky is unique in this respect, but there are a LOT of fat girls here...!!!) (Get it...LOTs of fat girls)

The urethane stuff is fairly tough whereas I have found the epoxies are tough to a point where their surface integrity is exceeded, then they fail miserably.

Well one added bonus is that if the rack scratches all up and rusts, then the resulting rust streaks will help cammo up the truck!

Have to rename it, hmmm, thinking, "Junkyard warrior"

Flyin6 · « **Reply #297 on:** October 13, 2014, 04:45:50 PM »

OK lots to post up tonight so let's get busy

I started by getting the rack onto the benches so I could work on it

The plan will be to build it up while it is off the truck, then hoist the finished assembly up and set it in place all permanent like

Flyin6 · « **Reply #298 on:** October 13, 2014, 04:46:54 PM »

Next, drill out the mounting holes for the floor piece, to get that temporarily bolted up so I can run everything else

Flyin6 · « **Reply #299 on:** October 13, 2014, 04:48:07 PM »

Then all the holes were tapped for the cooler shroud to 10-24 machine screw thread