Billet Aluminum Machining

[71 CA Bronco]

Anyone know where I can get billet machined without breaking the bank?

I want to make a custom frame/faceplate for my double din stereo and also make an engraved cowl vent cover. I'm not running the vent box and would like the cover, so I have access to my Dakota Digital stuff.

I can draw it up on CAD if that would help.

 

[Apogee]

Billet what? Aluminum? Steel? If you have the ability to make up part drawings in CAD, then do that and talk to some local machine shops about getting a quote. In general, you would probably be better served to create the drawings or models, see if you can generate interest here so that you can make more than one or two of each item, and then take advantage of the economies of scale.

Certain things cost the same whether you're making one part of 100, including programming, fixturing, tooling, setup/teardown time, etc, so the more parts you have to share those costs, the better. For my business, it's common for prototyped parts to cost upwards of 10X the production cost of the same part in regular, higher volume production.

 

[71 CA Bronco]

It would be aluminum. I'll draw it up and post. Hopefully, it will be a bit more clear.

Yep, volume might be the way to go.

 

[71 CA Bronco]

Take a look at the attached.

 

[71 CA Bronco]

These are two items I have had a tough time finding.

No one makes a decent double din stereo frame for flat dashes and I've only seen a few of the cowl covers but they appear to have been custom.

 

[71 CA Bronco]

Version II already. ;D

 

[56f100bbw]

Cnc shop

A friend in Tucson has a CNC shop at his house he makes license plate frames for me send me a pm if interested

 

[Broncobowsher]

CNC goes fast. But the setup time is what costs. I've helped a few setup some CNC and programming all the tools, zeroing everything out. That takes time. Time is money. to sit back and watch it turn out the same part time after time is pretty amazing.

The above example of a custom liscense plate frame. The tooling to cut the frame and the setup time I am sure is rather extensive. that just gets to the blank frame. Now have one tool come in and do the final engraving, that's easy. the last lines of code for the personal touch. Everything is setup, zerod out, just the last few moves are a little different.

 

[56f100bbw]

71ca bronco sent you a link to his web site

 

[71 CA Bronco]

Cool thanks guys. Version III is attached. I'm thinking this might be better as a group purchase. If anyone is interested feel free to chime in.

Also, I'm kicking myself as to how to design the top of the vent cover.

Current considerations are:

AMERICAN BAD ASS
AMERICAN MADE
MADE IN THE USA
FORD LOGO (BLUE OVAL) Not sure if I could get away with it though.
BRONCO WITH THE HORSE BUCKING

Open to other ideas.

 

[Silver dollar]

Would 1/8" thick aluminum work for the vent cover? It would cut the cost of material and machining.
What finish for the panel, polished, mill finish or satin anodized.
Is there a market for the vent covers?

 

[Rustytruck]

never used them but may be an option.

Thank you!

Dan Barsness
VP Pdct Mgmt & E-Commerce, Bus Dev & Prod Mgmt
P 877-479-3680
news@protolabs.com | protolabs.com

 

[71 CA Bronco]

I'm no expert but I would think 1/8" might make it harder if someone wanted to engrave it. The pool of potential buyers is limited although I think enough would be interested to run a small batch.

Not sure about finish. Most likely just mill finish. Gives people options if they want to finish to match their rig.

 

[Silver dollar]

1/8" will be easy to engrave. It must be a hard enough alloy to engrave, the soft alloy does not machine well.
The 1/8" will be flat and hard to bend. I have engraved aluminum many times.

 

[71 CA Bronco]

1/8" will be easy to engrave. It must be a hard enough alloy to engrave, the soft alloy does not machine well.
The 1/8" will be flat and hard to bend. I have engraved aluminum many times.

Your right on the thickness. I just measured and 3/8" is a bit thick for the faceplate. I'm thinking 1/4" because the stereo faceplate will be right at the thickness of the protruding double din stereo. The stereo actually sets out slightly more than 1/4". I think 1/8" would set too far into the dash. Thickness wouldn't be much an issue with the vent cover.

 

[71 CA Bronco]

never used them but may be an option.

Thank you!

Dan Barsness
VP Pdct Mgmt & E-Commerce, Bus Dev & Prod Mgmt
P 877-479-3680
news@protolabs.com | protolabs.com

Thanks for the info. I'm working with Apogee above aka Tobin. I would like to give him first shot. He has already invested time and created drawings and I don't want to cut him short.

 

[Silver dollar]

I was referring to the vent cover for 1/8".