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Thats freaking awesome TD. You can see where the Jig was singed, must have been some serious heat. It turned out looking great. One thing.. I hate to see you Electric Bill for the Month! I know those Heat Guns can suck up the juice.. LOL
I was using a propane torch and a LOT of caution! ;) The torch allowed me to pinpoint extreme heat.
The real trick to using that on the 1/4" acrylic was that you could quickly get the acrylic too hot... then it starts cooking off and making bubbles (found that out on a test piece). You have to think while using the propane... and this was my thought process.
Heat for .5 to 1 second at a time using as low a flame as can be set.
move to the other bend point on that same side. repeat...
let that set for a second or two and let the heat start to migrate through the acrylic, then do the process again to both joints.
Keep doing this to raise the temperature through the entire piece of acrylic, but you are doing it gradually. Otherwise you are heating one side of the acrylic way faster than the other side and they cannot catch up. You need the material to be the same pliable temperature through the entire thickness.
The torch allows for that, but you cant just "leave" it there, otherwise you will have problems.
Heat... stop for a bit.... heat.... stop for a bit.... heat... stop for a bit.... gradually is the key!
Very cool.
Thank you for sharing the process!
Again, it's awesome looking. :)
Quite welcome!
Also, left a bit out. I have 2 wooden blocks, one that sits on top of the piece to be bent, and one that sits on the side to press with, to make the bends you see. If you make it too hot, you end up leaving little creases from the wood, so make sure you have sanded the wood blocks down to a nice a smooth surface.
:)
I did some interpretive "test mounting" today to see how the frame responded.
Not even really a test fit, just an estimation of "where everything is going to go..."
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand20.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand21.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand22.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/rad_stand23.jpg
The rad will be sitting lower than this in order for the legs to have enough material to be integrated into the top of the case roof.
What I have come up with is that my initial thoughts of having the rad unit structurally supported from wrap under flame licks to the mid section and some encompassing end wraps to hold its front and back... is not going to work. I'll need to integrate the load bearing into each of the 4 "legs", which is likely to mean I'm going to fabricate some sort of support mechanism for the top and bottom of the rad and find a way to tie it into the legs.
When I rested the rad on top of the frame, it was easily supported, When I started suspending the unit the way I was planning on tying it all together, the little simulations had a lot of frame flex. So, I will find a way to tie in my support to the four corners. I've already got an idea... we'll see what happens!
Sounds like some kind of Axle is required. What ever you come up with will be cool, that I am sure. Man that Blue Plexi is nice looking.
Don't to post your Updates here TD.. We have folks that live for your MODS. LOL
I was stepping through my list of sites that I keep the log on, and as I saw your reply this morning on TMN, I was like, "OH CRAP!".... so, here I am!
;)
Good afternoon everyone! Midways through my vacation between jobs, I've gotten a lot done! Between prototypes and paint decisions, I'm feeling very good!
Reservoir brackets are prototyped. I used paper to get my measurements down. I wanted on solid piece of acrylic and, if my plans go accordingly, it will use 3 bends per end to make the reservoir brackets. There will be a few more alterations to the presentation, but they will eventually be screwed into the sides of the 5.25" bay area.
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/res_bracket.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/res_bracket2.jpg
My 5th, and final flame test. "Keep it Simple"... and I like it the most! Color is spot on!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5a.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5b.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5c.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5d.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5e.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5f.jpg
I was looping a flame strand under another lick, and I tried this... I got it 50% right! ;) I know what I did wrong and will correct it when I apply this same painting technique to the side panels!
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5g_scar.jpg
Learned that I was pushing too hard on the blade when weeding my graphics of the excess tape... note to self, "GO EASY!"
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5h_scar.jpg
Also, I am not giving up on the "true fire" style of painting, it's just taking a bit more practice than I was anticipating... but practice is good!
;)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flame_practice.jpg
Ok, first round of painting is done. I have a bit of cleanup to do around the panel where some of the tape let a bit through, but for the initial application, it looks good!
I have some airbrushing that I need to do as well as some *gulp* pin striping if I can pull it off! (have those other panels to practice on). The striping will be on the outer edge of the green flame work. But the process is committed to the panels now! :)
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5i.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5j.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/deuce/flamev5k.jpg
That does look good. Pinstriping needs a steady hand so No Coffee or Candy before hand. LOL I like the Yellow to green flame. Glad to see you moving on, now if I can get Lian-Li back from my Buddy (Painter) I can finish up. Sometimes Modding is a slow process but it usually pays off in the end.
Great Job TD.....
Tech,
I watched a guy do that type of flame painting to a vehicle on TV. It was a show like Overhaulin, not sure maybe it was Overhaulin! This guy was supposed to be the best in the world at flame painting. He did a great job but I'm not sure if I would want it on my car, truck, suv or van. Watching him do it was awesome. He had a template that he just turned 4-5 different ways giving a new look to each flame. You wouldn't believe how fast this guy was at painting the flames!
It does look as though your doing a great job too! I think I could handle having the flames on my computer instead of my car. As usual you are the best at what you do, and your right practice is good! Just wish I had half of your talent in designing a mod. My talent is in fixing computers.
You likely saw Mike Lavalee... the innovator and creator of "True Fire". He has been on that show doing cars. You are right, the more I practice, the more I learn, the better I get. Right now I'm relying on the templates too much, but with my ModShop check $$, once it finally gets here, I plan on picking up a better airbrush and some more in depth instructional videos to gain a better explanation of flame painting.
As for the talent... I spent roughly the first 10 years of my computer career learning to build, troubleshoot, diagnose. I eventually started getting very bored, as I could almost build machines with my eyes closed! This was a decision I made to keep my interest in technology, and my beloved computer hobby, and also exercise that creative outlet and get better at it.
Thank you for the compliments! Very kind and appreciated! *tips hat*
Just like the airbrushing... it is all practice. You start easy, and then one inspiration leads to another and then all the sudden, if you stick with it... you end up eyeballing a brand new case thinking, "I could cut that there.... paint that, replace that acrylic...fabricate a bracket there...."
Heheheh, it's kind of an illness! But it's an illness that I dont wanna be cured of! ;)
That must be where they get the word SICK from (sick meaning cool, awesome etc..). As for building computers, yes I do build them in my sleep! Fifteen years ago it was difficult to build a computer. Now-days you just plug things in and it works! I can see how you could get bored. I really like the aggrivation of Diagnosing computers myself. I spent 2 weeks trying to fix my wifes laptop. I fixed it but I had lots of trouble getting the WLAN to work. Wish I knew what I did to fix it, I just kept doing the same things over and over. It's working now, still don't know why! Anyway, keep up the good work!!!!!!!
They also have a Video at MNPCTECH. It was amazing how fast he applied the flames. Bill, if your out there post up that link..