Beer can tail light bezels
- Thread starter widman
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MrQuackers
Site Donor 2025
Pretty sweet. Kudos.
Well done. How's that for recycling?
Wow dude! Always impressive stuff.
heres the link to his site, month 30 for the pickup
http://www.widman.biz/Mini/English/progress/m30.html
http://www.widman.biz/Mini/English/progress/m30.html
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Isn't this a pickup bodied Mini?
yep. 1975, but it is getting a 94 saloon front and doors, 1.3 engine, disc brakes, etc.
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That is so cool! How did you make the rough castings?
Straightened the one that was semi-usable, tamped it into damp clay, dried the clay, and added melted cans.
I figure if you don't have rockets, you don't need rocket science.
Isn't this a pickup bodied Mini?
yep. 1975, but it is getting a 94 saloon front and doors, 1.3 engine, disc brakes, etc.
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That is so cool! How did you make the rough castings?
Straightened the one that was semi-usable, tamped it into damp clay, dried the clay, and added melted cans.
I figure if you don't have rockets, you don't need rocket science.
Richard, you're my hero! Very cool!
But what kind of beer was it? Was it at least British?
But what kind of beer was it? Was it at least British?
Originally Posted By: widman
Straightened the one that was semi-usable, tamped it into damp clay, dried the clay, and added melted cans.
Did you encounter any significant shrinkage or other distortion as the clay dried and the aluminum cooled? If so, how did you deal with that?
Did the ink and other impurities from the cans just skim off the molten aluminum?
Straightened the one that was semi-usable, tamped it into damp clay, dried the clay, and added melted cans.
Did you encounter any significant shrinkage or other distortion as the clay dried and the aluminum cooled? If so, how did you deal with that?
Did the ink and other impurities from the cans just skim off the molten aluminum?
Quote:
Did you encounter any significant shrinkage or other distortion as the clay dried and the aluminum cooled? If so, how did you deal with that?
Did the ink and other impurities from the cans just skim off the molten aluminum?
Yes, you skim off the impurities that bubble up to the top of the molten pot. Just a little shrinkage, so I had a little more filing to do in the interior for them to fit over the lenses, but not more than 1/8" or so.
Did you encounter any significant shrinkage or other distortion as the clay dried and the aluminum cooled? If so, how did you deal with that?
Did the ink and other impurities from the cans just skim off the molten aluminum?
Yes, you skim off the impurities that bubble up to the top of the molten pot. Just a little shrinkage, so I had a little more filing to do in the interior for them to fit over the lenses, but not more than 1/8" or so.
I didn't notice who the OP was when I clicked on this, so I was expecting something round.
Nice job!
Nice job!
Originally Posted By: Rick in PA
I didn't notice who the OP was when I clicked on this, so I was expecting something round.
Nice job!
Yah , me too. Holy Cow ! You started with a hulk and a bunch of spare parts. The yellow mini you started with is what my parts cars look like when I scrap them. Does this Hacked up rust bucket have any deep significance for you ? I am very impressed with your total renovation of a classic car shape. In Bolivia, no less. Is it the last one in Bolivia? You are the patron saint of lost car causes, Sir
I didn't notice who the OP was when I clicked on this, so I was expecting something round.
Nice job!
Yah , me too. Holy Cow ! You started with a hulk and a bunch of spare parts. The yellow mini you started with is what my parts cars look like when I scrap them. Does this Hacked up rust bucket have any deep significance for you ? I am very impressed with your total renovation of a classic car shape. In Bolivia, no less. Is it the last one in Bolivia? You are the patron saint of lost car causes, Sir
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Very nice indeed.
Drink beer, make trim. Drink more beer, make more trim.
Drink beer, make trim. Drink more beer, make more trim.
Thats just plain awesome!
Originally Posted By: widman
I figure if you don't have rockets, you don't need rocket science.
My instinct to reply with "You sir, are a steely-eyed missleman" was reinforced when I scrolled to this comment. Well done.
Kevin
I figure if you don't have rockets, you don't need rocket science.
My instinct to reply with "You sir, are a steely-eyed missleman" was reinforced when I scrolled to this comment. Well done.
Kevin
Originally Posted By: widman
When parts are longer made, you have to make them. Here are the tail light bezels I made out of melted beer cans. Details of the project are on the site for my Mini.
What did you use as molds for the melted beer cans to perfectly fit the plastic bezels?
When parts are longer made, you have to make them. Here are the tail light bezels I made out of melted beer cans. Details of the project are on the site for my Mini.
What did you use as molds for the melted beer cans to perfectly fit the plastic bezels?
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What did you use as molds for the melted beer cans to perfectly fit the plastic bezels?
I had one bezel I straightened and filled with putty to be able to use as a mold.
No, it's not the last one in Bolivia. I know of two more, but one is in much worse shape, the other rotting but running with a Suzuki engine. I know of about 4 Mokes (that don't really interest me), a few Saloons, and a three of Clubman wagons (one of which may come home with me some day for restoration, since the owner only wants the engine out of it for his Moke, so I may build him an engine instead).
I currently have one German car (1988 325ic), one French (1962 Dauphine), one American (1960 Corvair) and this English pickup (1975)
What did you use as molds for the melted beer cans to perfectly fit the plastic bezels?
I had one bezel I straightened and filled with putty to be able to use as a mold.
No, it's not the last one in Bolivia. I know of two more, but one is in much worse shape, the other rotting but running with a Suzuki engine. I know of about 4 Mokes (that don't really interest me), a few Saloons, and a three of Clubman wagons (one of which may come home with me some day for restoration, since the owner only wants the engine out of it for his Moke, so I may build him an engine instead).
I currently have one German car (1988 325ic), one French (1962 Dauphine), one American (1960 Corvair) and this English pickup (1975)
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