Bumper Pattern- and how-to

[killbucket]

Print this at 300 dots per inch, and it will be actual-sized. This is a pattern to make two bumpers.


I'm making these from .063" ABS sheet from www.interstateplastics.com ,
but you could also use this pattern for sheet metal.
I covered my plastic with premium blue tape from 3M., so removing the prints later won't be a problem.
NOTE: Do NOT use clear or Scotch tape for this- it will NOT peel off easily, or in any small number of chunks. Stick (HA!) with paper tapes or Contac paper.
The printouts were stuck down using Super90 spray adhesive, also by 3M.


Using a TINY bit (so any error is tiny), pilot-drill all the hole locations.
I cheated and used the band saw to hurry this along, but the old



Score deeply and snap will work just as well. Try to get your cuts as straight as possible, and you will be able to just 'fold' the panels into position, rather than have them break completely free.
you're looking at this bumper 'upright':
the panel with six holes ends up facing the sky, and the panel with five holes, faces things you wish to head-butt into oblivion.

Note that a few holes are not well-centered...I skipped the center-punch step, and the bit wandered a little. It won't matter, but this is why center-punches are made...


Well, the bottom panels wanted to come free completely. No biggie, they'll go on just fine, just take a tiny bit more fiddling.
You can roughly see what you're making now. I kept the shapes simple on purpose, but the basic envelope can be customized from here.

I think mine will need teeth...I mean a winch and bull bar.


Hard to see here is the bit of glue (Oatey Black ABS Cement) I applied using a cake decorating bottle:

Wilton
http://www.wilton.com/
makes these plastic bottles for rich Old Hoidy-Toidy* Ladies to decorate cakes with. I've had this one ($1.50 well spent) for almost four years now. I pour the Oatey Cement into the bottles, and it keeps the mess, and more importantly, the FUMES to a minimum.
I 'tack-weld' the panels into position working from the middle.
The cement 'grabs' fast, and you can work fairly quickly with it.
You could also just use cyano.

*..yes, Wifey's H-T...but not old


So, once you fumble everything into happy positions (the glue remains soft, you can actually 'tweak" stuff nicely), let them set for an hour or so to toughen up.
Then, paint the insides with a coat or two more cement, to reinforce the welds.


Tah-Dah- We got bumpers. These are 3.40" at the widest point, they are one inch tall, and 1.06" front to back. Each one weighs just 10 grams.


Of course, these will go onto Mega Willy.
Willy King