It is a result of, what I am sure was, a classic case of lost keys. Instead of using the proper dead bolt, one was adapted. It was Jerry rigged and I fucking hate to do that.(Sorry, it is my blog and that is how I feel about fucking assholes that do things half ass. Sorry, it is my blog and sometimes I speak my mind)
As you can see the back side has the same gap. So I asked folks on the forums as to what they would do. I got some good feed back. I was surprised that the high acclaimed California professional Airstream restorer, parts mogul and axle emperor told me to put a bead of vulkem over it. Now that is exactly the non professional look I was trying to get away from. So a plan was hatched and SoldierMedic thought it was a good one. That was the one vote I needed, thank you Steve,
So I got out a piece of 2024 T3 .032 and contact cemented a star photo copy to it. I punched a center to give my dividers somewhere to seat and drew out the out limit of the beauty ring I was going to make. Next I drew the center line of each point of the star. Drew out the star to the full diameter of the ring. I then created a inner ring 1/8" larger than the diameter of the dead bolt. The hole in the back of the dead bolt was 1 3/8" so I drilled out the center with a sharp Forstner bit.
I next went at it with my super fancy hand shears. Wish I had some cool tool, but sharp shears and patients cuts it out real well. My hand break came in handy for flattening the edges and points out. A heavy hammer on the cast iron table saw top took out every ripple. Next I used a combination of bench top grinding wheel and fine files to smooth and straighten (or curve) all that cuts.
The other half of my bench grinder has a doubled cotton wheel on it. A little brown rouge, and a few minutes... BAMMMM!
Even thought it is raining, I just had to dry fit it into place. Vulkem and five Olympics will hold this new beauty ring in place. I just need to wait for it to stop raining and it will be installed.
For the inside hole, I will be making an even more funky shape, stay tuned for that...
5 comments:
A plan was hatched and I thought it was a good one? I didn't know you had thought of this, I thought it was my idea!!!!!
It looks great anyhow, and on the inside, you need to go with an Airstream bubble template.
Frank,
Looks awesome!
-Sig
Very cool.
Kinda looks like an old time U.S. Marshal badge. ("We don't need no steenkin badges!")
dc
Frank,
With your great mind at work, there is no limit to what you can accomplish.
Looks like it came directly from the Lonestar State.
Kevin
Frank:
Great job of thinking outside the box. Looks Awesome! I added your blog to my newsreader and I enjoy reading the posts.
Some folks may have thought your forum post was suggestive becuase fo the "Anna Lumanum" name, perhaps they thought you were a chick.
BTW, I was listening to an older VAP podcast the other day and some crazy called into the show and railed about home much they "loved" polishing their trailer, I have a feeling I know who it was!
Dennie
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