Bodywork Muppetry: Warts an All
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2006 5:08 pm
Sometimes (often in fact) I'm such a dummy.
Putting the TR front wing on (another of many trial fits) I thought 'there's no way I'll get a decent doorgap out of that'. No problem, the dimensions around the wing are fine, so it's obviously the (pattern) wing itself. Again, no problem, I'll lengthen the rear of the wing: build it up with the TIG, tidy up,jobs a good-un.
Problem is, there's now a tiny bit of distortion, just behind the welded area. Beat it down, and promptly moved the distortion another two inches into the wing
. Ah ha, no problem (!) I'll heat shrink it, as per Contour's instructions. So I shrank it with spots about four inches apart, down the rear of the wing. Now the whole of the rear section 'flip flopped' 
. By this point, I had gone from a wing that fitted pretty well, with a nice gap, to one that flipped or flopped by half an inch across the whole panel. Now I'm worried.
Can't have shrunk enough: double checked the technique on some scrap: certainly shrinking O.K. Hmmm Must still need a bit more shrinking ... oh blimey that's torn it. Time for a think. By now the whole of the flat rear section of the wing is flip-flopping by an inch!!
Finally I engaged brain cell: I suppose it had actually stretched in the first place, and so did need shrinking: what if I should have deliberately stretched it a bit ... Therefore worked backwards, and re-stretched each shrink spot: result: worst place using a two foot rule, is 1mm low, and the main shape of the wing better than when I started: time to leave well alone.
Do I get the bodywork wooden spoon yet, or shall I keep trying?
Putting the TR front wing on (another of many trial fits) I thought 'there's no way I'll get a decent doorgap out of that'. No problem, the dimensions around the wing are fine, so it's obviously the (pattern) wing itself. Again, no problem, I'll lengthen the rear of the wing: build it up with the TIG, tidy up,jobs a good-un.
Problem is, there's now a tiny bit of distortion, just behind the welded area. Beat it down, and promptly moved the distortion another two inches into the wing
. Ah ha, no problem (!) I'll heat shrink it, as per Contour's instructions. So I shrank it with spots about four inches apart, down the rear of the wing. Now the whole of the rear section 'flip flopped' . By this point, I had gone from a wing that fitted pretty well, with a nice gap, to one that flipped or flopped by half an inch across the whole panel. Now I'm worried. Can't have shrunk enough: double checked the technique on some scrap: certainly shrinking O.K. Hmmm
Must still need a bit more shrinking ... oh blimey that's torn it. Time for a think. By now the whole of the flat rear section of the wing is flip-flopping by an inch!!Finally I engaged brain cell: I suppose it had actually stretched in the first place, and so did need shrinking: what if I should have deliberately stretched it a bit ... Therefore worked backwards, and re-stretched each shrink spot: result: worst place using a two foot rule, is 1mm low, and the main shape of the wing better than when I started: time to leave well alone.
Do I get the bodywork wooden spoon yet, or shall I keep trying?
.