Workin' aluminum for a change.

[Eric Hurt]

Hello to the forum,
I have recently purchased a 1974 Safari Airstream and plan to redo it for my business. I'm very comfortable with the basic steel and wood work that will go into it, but the aluminum shell (fabricating, fixing and making custom parts for) is something I have no experience with, so here I am. Some pics of the AS are posted here if anyone is interested:http://www.flickr.com/photos/67098289@N02/
There's also a 1970 Mercury Monterey I'm currently working on too (390, love that thing).
With the Airstream there are belly pans and several skins (interior and outer) to deal with which are all riveted together and I'm excited to learn about these things here on this board if possible.
Thanks
Eric Hurt

[Peter Tommasini]

Welcome to the site Eric

[HEATNBEAT]

Welcome to Allmetalshaping Eric!

[Eric Hurt]

Glad to be here. I was looking around and it seems there are plenty of very talented people to possibly connect with and maybe have some custom work done by them. That's a plus if people are up for that kind of thing since I have so many projects and have a few ideas for things I would love to make out of sheet aluminum for the Airstream, but don't have the talent (yet ).
Already have found some great stuff on here and have an idea of the basic things I'll need for the aluminum skin work, so thanks!
Best,
Eric

[Overkill]

Eric,

You might want to google "vintage trailer" as there are a lot of supplies available. www.vintagetrailersupply.com

Also, www.perfectpolish.com if you want to buff it out.

As I recall there is a youtube video showing polishing an airstream with Nuvite products that you might want to look up. Of course, this assumes you want to polish it out.

Welcome to the site.

John

[Eric Hurt]

Yea, there is a lot of stuff out there for sure. ALready have an order in for a random orbital buffer too!

I'm actually interested in shaping some of the parts on my own for several reasons:
1- I would like to learn it
2- The price for the pre done sections of aluminum are very high from any airstream place, and the main body pieces I need are the belly, so I don't have to make them perfect perfect.
3- I would like to make a few custom parts, add-on plates, designs and such that can be polished up. I assume most all of the aluminum people shape can be given a mirror shine??
This is why I'm looking to learn a bit about annealing aluminum and working basic shapes out of it.
Cheers!
Eric

[Eric Hurt]

I guess while am introducing myself I might as well get any advice on what people think the most simple way (and choice of tools would be) to work aluminum into basic shapes such as these: http://odmrv.com/catalog/index.php?m...roducts_id=767

Thanks all.
Eric

[Kerry Pinkerton]

Wow $400 for that panel!

Get an Ewheel first then a set of Lancaster style (including the ones from Horror freight) shrinker and strether, send the jaws to Neil Dunder at Gitzit and he will return them stippled and working better so they won't tear up your aluminum. Don't waste your money on the HF thing they call a wheeling machine.

[Eric Hurt]

Thanks Kerry,
that seems doable for sure. It will be great to add those things to the workshop.
Cheers,
Eric

[TheRodDoc]

The reason the panels are expensive is that they are stretch formed pure aluminum alclading. And they are pretty good sized panels that are pre polished.
(alloy aluminum under with a thin layer of soft pure aluminum on top) Same as on polished aircraft. Considering the price of aluminum now days that isn't that bad of a price already formed.

Using regular alloy aluminum won't polish up or shine near as much as the original panels and using pure AL sheet would be to soft and very easily dented..

The Airstreams from 1982 on were a satin finish and used plain alloy panels.