aluminum panels on the outside?

[turbomacncheese]

I smashed 3 more drill bits trying to get into some odd places tonight. Has anyone tried mounting the interior panels on the OUTSIDE of the chassis? Looks like you could seal them up just as well, but the drilling would be SOOOOO much easier. Maybe there is something later in the build that makes this a bad idea. I'll have to finish the book way because I'm not remounting those panels just to try, and I want both sides to be the same. But if I were starting over......

[Bob_n_Cincy]

I smashed 3 more drill bits trying to get into some odd places tonight. Has anyone tried mounting the interior panels on the OUTSIDE of the chassis? Looks like you could seal them up just as well, but the drilling would be SOOOOO much easier. Maybe there is something later in the build that makes this a bad idea. I'll have to finish the book way because I'm not remounting those panels just to try, and I want both sides to be the same. But if I were starting over......

I did my aluminum on the outside. Worked out great.
Bob

[turbomacncheese]

Ha! If it's a good idea, Bob already did it!!

[Bob_n_Cincy]

We were going for the race car look. On the next car I am putting carbon fiber wrap on the inside of the aluminum.

[lance corsi]

I plated both inside & outside, mainly for noise attenuation. Also, it gives me an alternative location for those gaudy product stickers!

[phil1734]

If you haven't already, pick up a pneumatic 90-degree drill. I got the Harbor Freight one (https://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-ei...ill-67474.html) for about $35 and after holding onto the receipt through my build assuming it would fail, it's still going strong. Was easily the best purchase I made for this project.

I then cut about .5" off the end of an 1/8" bit and put it all the way in the chuck of that thing and it's about the same size as my rivet gun. If I can't get that in somewhere to drill a hole, I won't be able to get the rivet gun in there anyway. Save that for the tight areas and plug away with a good electric drill everywhere else you have room to do so.

P.S. At least by me, most small-town hardware stores still have a bulk drill bit section for common sizes. Pick up at least 10 1/8" bits, or order them from McMaster. And a "W" for riv-nuts while you're at it. And an extra 3/16 and 5/16. So long as you have extras ready, the one you're using will never break. And 9/32 works great for just that little bit of extra slop on any 1/4" through holes.

[mikeinatlanta]

Can't answer for the panels. But I use one of these and threaded drill bits.
57003.jpg

[turbomacncheese]

If you haven't already, pick up a pneumatic 90-degree drill. I got the Harbor Freight one (https://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-ei...ill-67474.html) for about $35 and after holding onto the receipt through my build assuming it would fail, it's still going strong. Was easily the best purchase I made for this project.

I then cut about .5" off the end of an 1/8" bit and put it all the way in the chuck of that thing and it's about the same size as my rivet gun. If I can't get that in somewhere to drill a hole, I won't be able to get the rivet gun in there anyway. Save that for the tight areas and plug away with a good electric drill everywhere else you have room to do so.

P.S. At least by me, most small-town hardware stores still have a bulk drill bit section for common sizes. Pick up at least 10 1/8" bits, or order them from McMaster. And a "W" for riv-nuts while you're at it. And an extra 3/16 and 5/16. So long as you have extras ready, the one you're using will never break. And 9/32 works great for just that little bit of extra slop on any 1/4" through holes.

I was looking at one of these. I have 25% coupon, so maybe I'll go pick one up. I did by a bunch of 1/8 drill bits from HF, so I have some, but they aren't great. Hopefully they'll get me through the build. If not, I'll be some better bits. I like the idea for cutting one of them down.

[phil1734]

I've actually been surprised with the quality of most HF cutting tools and abrasives. I figure since they're going to dull and wear out anyway you might as well always give them a shot first.

The one exception to that is drill bits. I see those coupons and the shiny new drill indexes there for $15 and think to myself "How bad could they be? I'll only use them when I need a weird size" and then I remember the one time I bought some:
drillbit.jpg

[STiPWRD]

I'm with Phil on this one - HF sells surprisingly good yet cheap tools but their 1/8" drill bits couldn't cut butter. I remember spending hours trying to drill and rivet the aluminum panels with the HF bits; they'd just become dull or break constantly. I got some dewalt bits and never looked back. Fastenal has some good bits too.

[mikeinatlanta]

FYI: The rivets will fit and pull better with a #30 bit. One high quality bit will do the entire car.

[turbomacncheese]

I've actually been surprised with the quality of most HF cutting tools and abrasives. I figure since they're going to dull and wear out anyway you might as well always give them a shot first.

The one exception to that is drill bits. I see those coupons and the shiny new drill indexes there for $15 and think to myself "How bad could they be? I'll only use them when I need a weird size" and then I remember the one time I bought some:
drillbit.jpg

hahahahahahahahahah, I posted this picture to facebook this past weekend....
drill bit.jpg

I agree, the 1/8 inch drill bits are underwhelming. But at 7 for $1.99, I don't feel too bad about it.