Rack build is on the way

[Morpheus]

use self etching primer and then a good coat of automotive paint with hardener mixed in.

[Bender]

2 part epoxy primer and sandblasting is the BOMB!

[HolidayNation]

2 part epoxy primer and sandblasting is the BOMB!

Ya, what Bender said.....he had that done to my rear bumper and it is wearing really well.

[Morpheus]

2 part epoxy primer and sandblasting is the BOMB!

Ya, what Bender said.....he had that done to my rear bumper and it is wearing really well.

Bender did what to your rear?

[Simon]

Ya, what Bender said.....he had that done to my rear bumper and it is wearing really well.

Bender did what to your rear?

That's none of your business, and Eric and Jay thank you for staying out of their personal affairs!

[Bender]

[JAS]

Thanks for the input. With Pete's help this weekend we were able to do another test fit and figure out the fairing.

I have called a few finishing shops and am waiting for prices on sand blasting and 2 part epoxy primer with a top coat. I am also getting prices for powdercoating with a topcoat.

Original post is updated with progress pictures.

[JAS]

Well the rack is complete and on the X for the last two weeks. So far I am very happy with it but I am experiencing a little wind noise - I have some ideas on what I will do to improve that.

For finishing I had the rack sandblasted and then I did the POR15 three step process. It was a PITA to do the painting by hand but I am happy knowing that I was able to get into all the tight spots and corners on the expanded metal floor. Time will tell if the POR15 is as good as they say it is.

[Simon]

Beautiful work JAS.

POR-15 is excellent, as long as the prep is done right. Given that you had it sandblasted, then coated in POR-15, you should be covered in that respect.

[the x kid]

Wow,nice.

[Sgt_B]

Looks fantastic! Wow - a lotta work went into that puppy... Great job.

What'd you think of the PowerFist Pipe Bender? I remember seeing it at PA and thinking it'd be good if you had to put a simple, single arc in a pipe, but saw no end of headaches if you were trying to do the kinda work you're doing. Your lines match up so nicely, you make it look easy! Easy to set up horizontal/vertical matches form one bend to another? Easy to predict the bending radii? Or are you just that good?

[Sgt_B]

Questions for you, since I've often imagined building something similar:
- can you estimate your cost and how many hours did it take?
- for those who like attaching a ski bullet / cargo pod on the roof, have you figured out any manner of attaching moveable cross-members to the top of the rack, similar to the stock ones?

[Snafu]

Bender uses self etching primer but I am not sure which brand or where he buys it.

Powder coated would last.

[JAS]

Thanks for the compliments!

This was my first big metal work project and I learned a pant load. I feel that I could write a book with a chapter dedicated to the PA bender. This is my only bending experience and I learned on a few scrap pieces. I think that you get what you pay for and that is why all the other benders I looked at were at least twice the price with only one die. I looked at making one as there are a lot of resources on that. I decided to make a die out of wood (Ash) and 1/4 plate. This way I could control the tolerances and get an acceptable bend. In theory the PA bender is simple, but in reality it doesn't bend evenly (45deg bend on one side doesn't mean a 45deg bend on the other side), it rolls the tube as it bends it so that you have to pay attention as you are bending so that you can get two bends on a single piece in the same plane, it crushes the tube where the rollers contact it, and it crimps the tube at the start of the radius if you go over 90deg. To make it work I would recommend three dial indicators, two for each side of the bend and one for the roll of the tube. I didn't have any and used a string with a plum bob and held up a mitre gage to the string. One saving grace was the fact that I was using 1" CREW tube with 1/16" wall, so any mistakes and over-bends could be fixed by clamping the tube and adjusting it by hand. All that said, for the amount of bending that I will be doing it is workable. The dies are for pipe, not tube, so keep that in mind if you ever buy it.

I am proud that I did it and am glad that it is done. My skills need a lot of work and all I see are mistakes or things that I would do differently. I wrestled with many ideas on cross bars, adjustability, and brackets for accessories and have a lot of ideas that I would implement but I will do that on as needed basis. I welded in a cross bar for rigidity and support on mine. If you ever want to get into specifics then PM me. I have a 3D cad drawing that I will share as well as the material list such as it is. I have spent around $750 - it adds up fast with sand blasting, POR15 coating (not cheap), materials around $300, stainless fasteners etc. I didn't keep track of time as that would only frustrate me, but the project was done in February working evenings and weekends. I know that it took 25 hours to paint it as there is three coats of POR and the expanded metal is a major PITA.

[Snafu]

Looks great! Love the tool in the shop too...looks like some serious wood working happening

[Sgt_B]

Thanks for the compliments!
... but in reality it doesn't bend evenly (45deg bend on one side doesn't mean a 45deg bend on the other side), it rolls the tube as it bends it so that you have to pay attention as you are bending so that you can get two bends on a single piece in the same plane, it crushes the tube where the rollers contact it, and it crimps the tube at the start of the radius if you go over 90deg....

I didn't keep track of time as that would only frustrate me, but the project was done in February working evenings and weekends. I know that it took 25 hours to paint it as there is three coats of POR and the expanded metal is a major PITA.

You just confirmed everything I was thinking...
Again - great job! Thanks for sharing!

[nathan]

That looks great. I would send a pic to gobi and rub it in their faces

[JAS]

Ahhh Nathan - If I were to send anything to Gobi it would be a thank you for their ideas and for making their info available on line. I did a lot of research on their site as well as other user sites to form a base of ideas. I don't think anyone is getting rich over at Gobi and feel their prices are reasonable for what you get. I would be happy if someone likes the look of my rack and it results in one more sale for Gobi. Thanks for the compliment though and I hope to hook up with you sometime this summer.

[deeker]

I followed the link to this thread from your camping trip thread.

I wanted to let you know that the rack looks great. Very much like a Nissan version of the Safety Devices racks used on Land Rovers for the Camel Trophy and G4 Challenges.

POR 15 is very well regarded in the old-school Land Rover circles. Guys restoring or reconditioning old frames and bulkheads swear by the stuff - all the while cursing the blokes at the factory in Solihull, England. It is interesting stuff to work with, but give it a shot. If it can keep 50+ year old Series Rovers on the trails, it must be okay stuff. Enjoy the Kool-Aid!