Dome light repairs... How Ford should have done it

Inside the cab...appearance, repair, upgrades

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Ranchero50
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Post by Ranchero50 »

Whoop Whoop, this thing is making parts, finally.

1/2" end mill ripping through the acrylic lens 3000rpm, 40 inches per minute, .170" depth of cut. All the white stuff is chips, most are in the air. Sounded like a chainsaw going through the material but had a really nice finish. This step takes about fifteen seconds from grabbing the tool to finishing the cut.
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Tool change @10 seconds cut to cut, 4 second tool changes.
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Cutting the bevel on the top of the lens, 3500rpm, 60IPM, very quiet cut takes about ten seconds
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The finished part, poor focus. All I had left to do was clean the paper fuzz off and put it on the stack.
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There's around 80 lenses in this picture. The big pile on the left is the first process that cuts to bottom to size and form so the vise can grip it for the process shown above. After fourty parts in fourty-two minutes I shut it down, 9pm, and it looked like it snowed inside the machine.
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I'm stoked. PM's will be forthcoming. I hope to get the rest of the lenses done and back into the bezels tomorow evening after work.

Guys, thanks for your support with this project
:fr:
Jamie
'70 F-350 CS Cummins 6BT 10klb truck 64k mile Bahama Blue

Contact me for CNC Dome Lamp Bezels and Ash Tray pulls.
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Post by ford4x4fun »

People like you that make :fr:
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Post by 1971ford »

thats alot of bezels :eek: in that picture alone there is 83 lenses! you had/have a genious idea on these bezels :thup:
also, i know your very busy, just wonderin how hard some shiny ashtray pulls would be? :)
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re: Dome light repairs... How Ford should have done it

Post by seattle67 »

Thats cool Jamie, you sure were having a frustrating time, it's good to see things going well!
Dan

"I plan to start procastinating immediately"

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Post by Ranchero50 »

A couple PM's sent this morning. The lenses are done and turned out a lot better than with the other machine. I hope to get into the bezels Sunday and maybe have some parts done Monday or Tuesday. I've also been thinking hard about vibratory polishers, gonna build one to debur the parts and start the polishing process.

Jamie
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Contact me for CNC Dome Lamp Bezels and Ash Tray pulls.
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Post by Supermike »

BETTER?! How so? LOL!

Have you thought about doing a black-anodized version of these?
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Post by Ranchero50 »

Better as in one hold for two processes (the step relief and the bevel cut). With one hold the two cuts line up perfectly. Before I had to do one cut on a batch, then change tools and redo the batch. More chance for error. in the cuts. This time out of 83 blanks I got 82 parts. First one was used for setup getting the bevel depth correct. My zero reference is .030" above the raw part so evn with changing the tool in the holder as long as I reset that zero reference the parts will come out the came with each batch.

I really want to set up an anodizing process, but it takes up a good bit of room that I don't have right now. I still need to get a good horizontal and vertical bandsaw and a decent bead blast cabinet as well as fab up a vibratory polisher.

Eventually I plan on relocating to the lower shed once I replace it with something newer and doing a complete manufacturing facility there.

Jamie
'70 F-350 CS Cummins 6BT 10klb truck 64k mile Bahama Blue

Contact me for CNC Dome Lamp Bezels and Ash Tray pulls.
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Post by Ranchero50 »

OK, been in the aluminum today. Managed to get the first process down to 4.5 minutes. Made 42 good parts out of 43 chunks of metal. Really happy with the machine and the finish. Hope to work on the second process tomorow afternoon.

I have some pics, but they are in the garage and I'm not...

Jamie
'70 F-350 CS Cummins 6BT 10klb truck 64k mile Bahama Blue

Contact me for CNC Dome Lamp Bezels and Ash Tray pulls.
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re: Dome light repairs... How Ford should have done it

Post by 427blackpearl »

:oops: ok now i know why all the replies.
i thought somebody was rewiring the dome light to make it brighter or not to get so hot if left on :doh: never even looked at the post till tonight.
after seeing all the replies if it is too late i understand, but i would like to get in line to get one also
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Post by Ranchero50 »

Blackpearl you have mail

Been a really wierd day, finally got some bezels done, but it was only around 50 degrees down in the garage and it was rainy out so I was pretty miserable.

25 good new ones stacked up and a nother bunch that needed some work (kept tweaking the program to get them how I wanted them and the fit was off on some so they wouldn't fit the fixture.)
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Fixture for the final outside cut and bevel work;
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Chips by the liter.. Actually it's just a 20oz bottle, but still a good bit of aluminum;
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'70 F-350 CS Cummins 6BT 10klb truck 64k mile Bahama Blue

Contact me for CNC Dome Lamp Bezels and Ash Tray pulls.
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re: Dome light repairs... How Ford should have done it

Post by 427blackpearl »

here are your pix of it in a black truck 8)
any chance of a cargo light bezel :?
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thanks again rancher50 well worth it
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re: Dome light repairs... How Ford should have done it

Post by H-DFord »

Just got mine in and hope to get it in my truck this weekend. Thanks again.
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re: Dome light repairs... How Ford should have done it

Post by 390F100 »

Swwweeeeettttttt!!!!

Ya I would pay for one, put me on the list, my 68 is coming along and that would just make the perfect touch.....
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Post by SillyValleyF250 »

Man, these are BEAUTIFUL.

GREAT work.

Please put me down for two, and also tally my vote for the cargo light bezel! :-)

Thanks,

--Silly
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Post by Ranchero50 »

Very cool. I'm getting ready to start yet another batch of lamp kits. It's been too hot to run the mill during the day so I'm looking forward to a couple evenings milling out parts.

Jamie
'70 F-350 CS Cummins 6BT 10klb truck 64k mile Bahama Blue

Contact me for CNC Dome Lamp Bezels and Ash Tray pulls.
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