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BashingBrian

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Your the first guys I thought of @Jimbobjr @Camaroboy383
I looking for some metal so I can try and have a go at making my own towers ??

Is this suitable, also what thickness would be best the 6mm or 8mm..

AA1BEF5E-DF48-4F07-ACD5-43E3B5770FC8.jpeg


I would be working pure oldskool, handsaw, file and pillar drill..?

Thanks in advance ??
 
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Aluminum - 7075 is a real pita to try work with “old school” die grinder will plug hard to cut. Saw blade will plug. It is possible to work with you need to keep lots of lube on it grease works. I have managed to be successful but just small parts. I respect what you are wanting to do but I’d encourage you to apply it somewhere else.
 
Rotary file will clog bad, but can be picked out and thats a pita! Cutoff wheel and a hand file is the way to go if you are unabe to cnc, but make sure you have a file card on hand since it will clog as well. I saw you were planning on a hacksaw though, it will work, it'll just be a bit more tedious.
 
That’s what I use in 6mm (1/4”). It easy to work with if you take you time. (You don’t need a cnc, blelieve it or not the world existed before computers...) Just clamp you stock tower to the aluminum and trace it out and drill thru the holes with the proper drills. Do you have a good hand held jig saw? Clamp it to a piece of plywood (use those holes you just drilled, with screws and nuts or an unused area with bigger hardware). If you have a bandsaw it’s easier but a jig saw will work fine. Cut it out using a little wd40 as coolant/lube. Use your dremel or peanut grinder to smooth out the edges. The abrasive will get loaded up with aluminum, use a little wd40 to help this out. The most important area is where the bulkhead fits in. This should be nice and snug. Since you material is thicker than stock you will need to angle the tower with your dremel so the diff cap will come off without removing the whole tower. Good luck!
 
Yeah for me PASS. I've hacked through a piece of 7075.. ONCE.. I'll pony up the coin and purchase something already CNC'd.

My son and his friends spy on me while I'm working in the garage with their phones on record looking for new cuss word phrases and laughing at me. (just recently found this out) I make up a bunch of lovely cuss combo's just screwing in a shock if it back talks me. I cant even imagine the filth that would fall out of my face doing what you plan on doing.. Long distance high ✋
 
that is good stuff right there.. @Jimbobjr beat me to the punch.. i too would be using a jig saw.. it will cut just fine if you run the saw slow-med speed and let the blade do the work.. less teeth per inch the better.. fine tooth blades will clog up.. but any blade will clog if it gets heated so slow is the key.. honestly, with everyone locked down, i say go for it, it will keep you occupied.. as stated above id go the 6mm route, because the tower notch in the diff case will be your biggest challenge to get the fit correct.. it can all be done by hand if you have patients..
 
CNC is so easy though.
This sounds like my black belt guys I work for now...There’s not too much that easy about it. Maybe pushing the green button.

Drawing up a concept, converting it to cad, making the program with proper speeds and feeds, choosing and setting up your tooling, designing your fixturing and then getting it all to run smoothly....
 
I think I'm going to go for it..? ,cheers for the info's guys..??
When I filed my M2C chassis for my Truggyfied I couldn't believe how soft the 7075 was..?

I cut some 2mm thick Titanium sheet with a handsaw it can't be harder than that surely...?
 
I think I'm going to go for it..? ,cheers for the info's guys..??
When I filed my M2C chassis for my Truggyfied I couldn't believe how soft the 7075 was..?

I cut some 2mm thick Titanium sheet with a handsaw it can't be harder than that surely...?
All aluminum is soft. The temper only really affects it's rigidity. 2024 t3 would put you in the same general ballpark. I am not an engineer, but the two are very commonly interchangeable. @Jimbobjr 's recommendations are rock solid, one thing to add though. Whatever hardware you use to clamp your template to your work, make sure they are tight in the hole with as little slop as possible. A small shift can make a huge difference with a small hole.
 
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