My Chassis is folded

I got my chssis folded over the Holiday weekend. I did two because the first one didin't turn out as expected, I need deep sides to eventually mount my filter caps and the first one ouldn't work. Folding .080 Aluminum was a bit of challenge so I learned a couple of things doing the first one.

The green template in the picture is 2-7/8 x 9" so I have more than enough for two turret boards 2.5" x 10" which is way more space than I'll actually need.

I just started my layout process but I have to wait for a few more parts to arrive before I can proceed. The chassis is 8" x 20" x 2" so I have plenty of room inside for future experimentation.

EDIT:

My PT and OT weigh a bit over 8 lbs each, plus I have a 3.5 lb choke and 1lb reverb transformer yet to install so a sturdy chassis is a must have.

Not bad! This is coming from an aircraft sheet metal pro, so that says a bunch. I am surprised you didn't get more cracking as you didn't burnish the edges. But it worked and that's what counts.

What did you use to cut the chassis?

CT: burnish which edges?

I respect your craft Sir.

The heaviest I have folded with this little brake was .062 "6061" and this .080 was a match for me. I have a sheet of .090 and I can see that's never going to happen. If I did a 3rd one It would be a lot better I learn something each time I fold one like this.

I used a basic jig saw with a metal blade for this project. I have air shears and air saws etc, but this is the quickest & easiest for me.

Looking good! I wish I had a workshop with cool stuff in. One day, one day.

Kat, any edge that is going to get folded should be burnished by using first a riffle/vixen file and then draw filing with a basic fine flat file. That means holding the file at 90 degrees to the work and "drawing" it toward you. Then go ovee it with a hard tool such as a small screwdriver or similar. This greatly reduces any stress risers that can cause cracks. I did notice on these pieces Casey drilled a hole at the corner. Hitting both sides with a countersink twisted by hand will relieve the stress well enough to keep from cracking.

You don't miss a thing LOL..

What I messed up on the second one was that I did not drill out the "intersetions" where I provoded the tabvs for riviting. I would have been able to push the tab pieces back just enough to make the end caps flush.

I am still not happy with the outcome so I may try a third one or find a compromise.

If you do a 3rd, may I recommend bending some 90 degree angles out of scrap to hold the corners together? This would save time and if you put them on the inside of the box you'll never see them. Plus you can get a lot more accurate in your bends.

Another thing to consider is cutting all of your holes before bending. Use one of your prototypes to the the location correct, cut holes, then bend. Waaay easier. Specially if you have access to a turret punch.

I think I am going to go back to the first chassis and just add an end plate to attach the caps to and save myself some work.

I sorta get the concept, but the rest doesn't look like it's in English. I'll read it again tomorrow and look up a few terms, read it a few more times and see if it starts making sense to me. I've seen a few episodes of "How It's Made" and similar shows (they call it something else now) on the Science Channel where they bend metal and they always do it in one fell swoop and they do it so fast I can't really see what's going on. They make it look so simple.

Sorry, I'll try to make sure I use terminology that someone without experience in this field can understand. Type of aluminum makes a difference. As tight a radius on the brake he's using means use of 7075 T6 wouldn't be good. 7075 0 would work if he can heat treat and age harden after bending. 2024 T3 is better:poke:

Sorry, I'll try to make sure I use terminology that someone without experience in this field can understand. Type of aluminum makes a difference. As tight a radius on the brake he's using means use of 7075 T6 wouldn't be good. 7075 0 would work if he can heat treat and age harden after bending. 2024 T3 is better:poke:

Oddly, that made more sense. I'm slightly more familiar with some of that. There's a term used that evades me at the moment (too much noise around me causing distractions) that has to do with that (heat treating, as well as hammering and folding), as well as using different grades of aluminum.

Sheesh, what a week already.

^^^^^^^^^^^

Maybe cold working or annealing? Cold working is when you bend metal back and forth till it breaks. Annealing is basically softening the metal or taking out all heat treatment. Kind of the anti Viagra of the metal world. 0 is the designator for aluminum that needs Viagra. Maybe that's a door I shouldn't open!!

You know. Buns of steel and, well you get the idea.

Annealing. That was the magic word. I've had problems remembering words over the past year or so. It's due to a medication I take. It messes up my short-term memory, particularly when I need a specific word. I pride myself on choosing just the right word in particular situations and it's really {censored}ing me over. In this case, it really wrecked me. I remembered later when I was in the shower. I need a waterproof laptop. GRRRR.

I know how you feel. I have had to take methadone for chronic back pain for the last 9 years. I had a few years where I was taking 200mg a day:eek::eek:I swear I burned part of my brain. You know whats even scarier? I was in college taking MACHINING standing at lathes and {censored}:facepalm: I was able to get my pain levels down enough to back waaaaaayfar back on the dosage, and it took a couple years for the absentmindedness to alleviate. I still loose words and the like specifiaclly if I am talking one on one with people. word games and and other little mind exercisers they sell for the nintendo DS and the like really help to keep the brain sharp:thu: getting older doesn't help the memory loss either:p and I just hitthe big 4 0 this past May

I too am affected, memory wise. Too many years of alcohol abuse and, uh, what was I gonna say? Oh yeah. I like Casey's idea of putting the caps in a separate box. This also solves another problem. Seeing as many people recommend replacing caps every ten years, you could make an identical box and have a set of caps ready to go. Pull one off, replace it, get out the Variac and have it ready to rock in a hurry.

7 preamp tubes...?

One is an "orphan" socket for future use, my current design only needs 12 triodes at this point. I might add a couple more for the same reason before I am finished. I have enough room to install two 11x2.5" boards side by side for future expierimants or additions. I will later add some relay switching so some of the extra space will be used for that purpose.

I am just planning ahead...

I just naturally can't remember knots. I have to relearn my knots about every 6 months