toob nube (or - I'm in over my head now!!)

[Big Mike]

...rather than continue to poach space in Pinchflat's build thread (sorry dude) I made up a new one.

This is my first foray into the world of tubing and it has been quite a learning experience so far.

I've had a Hi-Lux cab for months. Just staring at it wondering what to do. A few other builds lately, Pinchflats and a couple others, have inspired me to ditch the lexan body and fabricate something I can truly call my own.

So step one has been learning about the tubing bender (I've learned enough to really want one of OSF's setups. Hopefully he's still working on them) learning where to line up measurements in relation to the marks on the tool so things line up like they should. I wasted about 8 feet of brakeline learning, but I know a lot more than when I started. It's getting easier as I go.

Here's what has come together so far, "tack-welded" with CA so I can get an idea of how it will look and if it all lines up. I'm going for more of a dedicated crawling truck look vs. a "flatbed", so I'm just going to cage up the rear and make a spot for the spare and the basic trail tools. Trying to keep it fairly simple and hopefully unique looking at the same time. Now that the main structure is for the most part there, I'm starting to think about where to add smaller tubes for bracing (you can see 2 different brace tubes in each pic. Only the main shape is really final, and it's even subject to change depending on what else happens) It is a beeee-atch making things symmetrical, especially the main "hoop" behind the cab.

Crappy images from my cell:





Any and all opinions are welcomed...

[poorboyrc77]

I think bracing in first pic is best. An X brace for the spare tire to sit on may work good.

[poorboyrc77]

Looking good so far. You gonna do nerf bars & front bumper too ?? What about an Exoskeleton.

[davidthestud09]

Far better than my attempts. Very nice looking so far actually

[Big Mike]

Originally Posted by poorboyrc77

Looking good so far. You gonna do nerf bars & front bumper too ?? What about an Exoskeleton.

Originally Posted by davidthestud09

Far better than my attempts. Very nice looking so far actually

Thanks guys.

Yes, rock sliders and a front bumper are definitely in the plans. I'm at the point where I need the sliders to secure the body to the chassis, then I can plot out the front bumper.

I had planned an exo-cage at first, but my tube bending learning experience has sort of smacked some of my enthusiasm out of me! Pulling it off artfully might be out of my league as of yet. I also can't think of a way to secure an exo-cage to the body so they're both removeable and still have it "blend in" with the tube work that is secured to the chassis. I might still do a tube around the front fender wells, it could be made as part of the sliders and front bumper and stay on the chassis when the body comes off...

[poorboyrc77]

I like the tube around the fenders idea. Yeah an exoskeleton would be alot of work & you don't want to go overboard. just bars from bumper to sliders would look good.

[pardonmyn00b]

Looks good to me. May I ask what color you are going with?

[Big Mike]

Originally Posted by pardonmyn00b

Looks good to me. May I ask what color you are going with?

Thanks. Right now I'm not really sure about a color. I'm sort of thinking maybe the green primer I've seen on a few 1:10th and 1:1 trucks lately (almost Army green) with black tube work.

I might pick a "pretty" color before I'm done though, like a bright blue. I've got a long way to go yet...

[Big Mike]

Originally Posted by poorboyrc77

I think bracing in first pic is best. An X brace for the spare tire to sit on may work good.

Yea, in the second pic it looks like it ain't really doing anything. In the first pic it looks like it's actually supporting the upright.

I'm planning an "X" brace in between the two uprights, out of 3/16". IF I can pull off a straight X that is...

[poorboyrc77]

Originally Posted by Big Mike

Yea, in the second pic it looks like it ain't really doing anything. In the first pic it looks like it's actually supporting the upright.

I'm planning an "X" brace in between the two uprights, out of 3/16". IF I can pull off a straight X that is...

Just notch both pipes where they would cross each other & make them fit together then you don't have to worry about them being straight. Yeah sounds easy enough. I've built real 1:1 crawlers but I think scale is harder.

[69CrazyHorse]

Great start. I just started my first tube attempt also and I think yours is better.

[Big Mike]

Originally Posted by poorboyrc77

Just notch both pipes where they would cross each other & make them fit together then you don't have to worry about them being straight. Yeah sounds easy enough. I've built real 1:1 crawlers but I think scale is harder.

I was thinking the same thing - the same way I'd make an "X" out of two 2x4's, by notching both of them 1/2 way through.

What I'm really wondering about at this point is how I'm going to jig all this together so I can braze it. I got my oxy/acetelyene rig back together again and got some gas and rod this morning on my way to work, so tonite I get to see if I remember how to brass-braze. I haven't done it in 10 or 12 years. Hopefully its like riding a bike.

Originally Posted by 69CrazyHorse

Great start. I just started my first tube attempt also and I think yours is better.

Thanks. I can't really call this my first attempt if you factor in the amount of tubing I wasted getting to this point! Any tube you see that has a bend in it is at the least a third attempt. The main hoop is my fourth try, making it symmetrical was very hard. That is probably the toughest part of it, factoring the radius of each bend into the overall dimension so things line up properly. If you mis-place a bend there's no straightening it back out and trying again, it's time to start over with a new tube. I'm usually very good at "eye-balling" things, but that doesn't apply here it can't be done w/o tons of experience. You have to be meticulous and consistant, and triple-check everything before any cutting or bending of a real piece takes place. And its much easier to remove more material from a too-long piece than add material back to a too-short piece!

[Big Bill]

Mike I think you are doing a great job on that rear- half. I think a piece of tubing or an X between the rear cab hoop, slightly below the rear window would help to keep things tied together. You could also mount a hi-lift jack or another piece of recovery equipment there. You are right tring to get all the tubes bent evenly is a bear,I have a few 4-foot brake line pretzels on my shop wall

[poorboyrc77]

You could try a small ( like 1") C clamp to hold the tubing in place until you get a small spot brazed together. Then if it draws on the other end you can still bend the joint back in place. I'm sure you know all this just trying to be helpful.

[Big Mike]

Originally Posted by Big Bill

Mike I think you are doing a great job on that rear- half. I think a piece of tubing or an X between the rear cab hoop, slightly below the rear window would help to keep things tied together. You could also mount a hi-lift jack or another piece of recovery equipment there. You are right tring to get all the tubes bent evenly is a bear,I have a few 4-foot brake line pretzels on my shop wall

I'm planning a horizontal bar right under the rear window, maybe another underneath. For mounting the jack and tools.

Originally Posted by poorboyrc77

You could try a small ( like 1") C clamp to hold the tubing in place until you get a small spot brazed together. Then if it draws on the other end you can still bend the joint back in place. I'm sure you know all this just trying to be helpful.

Magnets would be helpful, IF I could find small ones that have the right angles and whatnot. Or maybe tie stuff together with wire? Thanks man, I need all the help I can get here.

I am stoked right now though, after brazing a successful test joint. Like ridin' a bike baby! I was worried about some of my tubing being galvanized, I could'nt remember if it was just don't breathe the fumes or if was it won't braze period. Apparently it's just don't breathe the fumes, because I got a hella strong joint with no prep work to the surface at all. This project is about to kick into high gear...

[JOOTZ]

i was at harbor freight yesterday looking for supplies to try my hand at brazing and saw magnets with different angles for $3.99
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=93898
i didnt buy it cause i kinda need to reasearch more on this bending and brazing thing.
good luck on your rig, it looks great already, patience bro.
subscribed

[Big Mike]

Originally Posted by JOOTZ

i was at harbor freight yesterday looking for supplies to try my hand at brazing and saw magnets with different angles for $3.99
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=93898
i didnt buy it cause i kinda need to reasearch more on this bending and brazing thing.
good luck on your rig, it looks great already, patience bro.
subscribed

Those would be sweet if they were about 1/4 of that size!
I'm sort of starting from scratch myself. You can do it dude

Rear section mock-up is done!! Doesn't look too terrible either
I was afraid to get a bunch of tubes bent up and then end up not liking how it looked. I'm thinkin' this is actually gonna work out:



Next is the sliders, and deciding if I want to try a tubed fender. Then on to the front...

[PinchFlat]

Originally Posted by Big Mike

...rather than continue to poach space in Pinchflat's build thread (sorry dude) I made up a new one.

Ehhh... no problem... That looks great BTW.

[JUGGARNAUT]

Originally Posted by PinchFlat

Ehhh... no problem... That looks great BTW.

I agree,LOOKS GREAT!

[Crawln Coles]

Originally Posted by Big Mike

This is my first foray into the world of tubing and it has been quite a learning experience so far.

I've had a Hi-Lux cab for months. Just staring at it wondering what to do. A few other builds lately, Pinchflats and a couple others, have inspired me to ditch the lexan body and fabricate something I can truly call my own.

So step one has been learning about the tubing bender (I've learned enough to really want one of OSF's setups. Hopefully he's still working on them) learning where to line up measurements in relation to the marks on the tool so things line up like they should. I wasted about 8 feet of brakeline learning, but I know a lot more than when I started. It's getting easier as I go.

Here's what has come together so far, "tack-welded" with CA so I can get an idea of how it will look and if it all lines up.

You never know what you can do until you try man. And it's looking good so far. How does the CA hold the brake line? I've never mocked up a cage before. I just stare at it till I come up w/something!

1/8" solid rod is a perfect fit inside brake line & comes in handy when pieceing things together like an exo

Originally Posted by JOOTZ

i was at harbor freight yesterday looking for supplies to try my hand at brazing and saw magnets with different angles for $3.99
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=93898
i didnt buy it cause i kinda need to reasearch more on this bending and brazing thing.
good luck on your rig, it looks great already, patience bro.
subscribed

Those magnets are perfect. I have a few of them and some bigger ones. Don't know what I would do without them!