Which Saw would You Use?

[kennyw]

It would be cheaper if your design was 8x identical angled shims and you made 4x flat 1/2" x 2 flat bar spacers yourself to add to one side for extra thickness. You can weld the tapered and flat spacers together to make one thick unit if preferred.

 

[kennyw]

But going to both thick and thin, you add about $300 total.

 

[kennyw]

PM me your email and I'll send you the step files. I quoted these through Xometry.com using the online quote tool. You can pay with a CC and have them shipped to your door.

 

[kennyw]

And I lied, that took more like 10 minutes to model and get a quote.

 

[nvrenuf]

@kennyw Your drawing in the first reply is exactly what I need and I really appreciate your putting time in to this but honestly $500+ just isn’t in the budget for shims only, I’m hoping to be around that amount for the crossmembers and all.

 

[kennyw]

The only way to do better is if you had a buddy with a manual mill and you buy the 3/4 x 2" rec bar, predrill the bolt holes, and have the angle machined. Setup time is where all the cost is for machining. You are looking at $100-200 just to buy the 1018 Cold Finish steel for the shims right now unless you have something laying around.

 

[nvrenuf]

I definitely understand the cnc cost, this is why I was hoping to find someone with the ability to manually cut these.

 

[anwat]

I know you both are very mechanically accomplished. I just want to point out that your driveshaft will be spinning 3 or 4k rpm and a U-joint is only going to tolerate so much wobble. These shims need to be a close as possible to identical. I think 0.005 may be a little excessive, but I don't think you're going to get anywhere near that with a saw. Hard decision, but I know that "good enough for now" usually ends up being more expensive down the road. I like the idea of making thinner wedges and addng your own spacers , that would cut material costs somewhat.....

 

[nvrenuf]

@anwat see post #11. This is not for the tcase adapter, it’s for a skid plate and front mount for a traction bar.

 

[Blue85]

I still feel like you could fabricate the wedges you need.

Here's an option: Buy 4 of these (~$25 total) and cut the width down to 2". Weld 2 on top of some 5/8" flat stock, drill 2 holes and you've pretty much got your bottom piece. Drill 2 holes in the other 2 to make the top plates. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F42MMVQ...rial&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWwy&th=1.

2 custom cut flat pieces is <$20:
https://www.onlinemetals.com/en/buy/carbon-steel/0-625-x-2-carbon-steel-rectangle-bar-1018-cold-finish/pid/9551?variant=9551_12_0&msclkid=5682e331d1ff1e6fd4ef8ac2601c270e&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=[Rithum] [Shopping]- Top Materials&utm_term=4580634180087603&utm_content=Carbon Steel

 

[nvrenuf]

I still feel like you could fabricate the wedges you need.

Here's an option: Buy 4 of these (~$25 total) and cut the width down to 2". Weld 2 on top of some 5/8" flat stock, drill 2 holes and you've pretty much got your bottom piece. Drill 2 holes in the other 2 to make the top plates. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F42MMVQ...rial&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWwy&th=1.

2 custom cut flat pieces is <$20:
https://www.onlinemetals.com/en/buy/carbon-steel/0-625-x-2-carbon-steel-rectangle-bar-1018-cold-finish/pid/9551?variant=9551_12_0&msclkid=5682e331d1ff1e6fd4ef8ac2601c270e&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=[Rithum] [Shopping]- Top Materials&utm_term=4580634180087603&utm_content=Carbon Steel

I missed those in my searches, that’s a good idea! Thanks!

 

[Blue85]

I'm thinking that a slight change in height won't really affect skid plate mounting. You could potentially bend the end of plate or it might bring things into alignment as you tighten the bolts.

 

[nvrenuf]

I'm thinking that a slight change in height won't really affect skid plate mounting. You could potentially bend the end of plate or it might bring things into alignment as you tighten the bolts.

I agree that for this use there’s probably close to 1/8” or so of fudge factor.

 

[kennyw]

I still feel like you could fabricate the wedges you need.

Here's an option: Buy 4 of these (~$25 total) and cut the width down to 2". Weld 2 on top of some 5/8" flat stock, drill 2 holes and you've pretty much got your bottom piece. Drill 2 holes in the other 2 to make the top plates. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F42MMVQ...rial&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWwy&th=1.

2 custom cut flat pieces is <$20:
https://www.onlinemetals.com/en/buy/carbon-steel/0-625-x-2-carbon-steel-rectangle-bar-1018-cold-finish/pid/9551?variant=9551_12_0&msclkid=5682e331d1ff1e6fd4ef8ac2601c270e&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=[Rithum] [Shopping]- Top Materials&utm_term=4580634180087603&utm_content=Carbon Steel

He would need 8 to do what he is asking for, but it will work well and can all be fabricated in a drill press by stacking and tack welding everything together. I wouldn't even trim the edges of the shims. Just offset the holes to one side if needed inside the frame. The short edge stackup is .743", only .007" short of your drawing.

 

[kennyw]

Where you are a little farther off is the thick side of the shim. Your target rise was 3/8" from thin to thick ends across 4.625". You are going to be shorter at .3543" over a longer distance of 4.7244". That means your desired angle was 4.64 deg but you end up with 4.29 deg instead. Overall, probably less than you can measure with a tape measure anyway and you will not notice the difference.

 

[nvrenuf]

Thanks! @Blue85 and @kennyw , this is probably the route I’ll take.

 

[Blue85]

I know you both are very mechanically accomplished. I just want to point out that your driveshaft will be spinning 3 or 4k rpm and a U-joint is only going to tolerate so much wobble. These shims need to be a close as possible to identical. I think 0.005 may be a little excessive, but I don't think you're going to get anywhere near that with a saw. Hard decision, but I know that "good enough for now" usually ends up being more expensive down the road. I like the idea of making thinner wedges and addng your own spacers , that would cut material costs somewhat.....

Even if this was the main crossmember holding the transmission mount, I think you could drop one side 1" and leave the other side alone and the drivetrain would work fine. You'd just have some preload in the motor mounts. I do agree that a bandsaw is not going to make a perfectly flat cut through 2" steel bar.

He would need 8 to do what he is asking for, but it will work well and can all be fabricated in a drill press by stacking and tack welding everything together. I wouldn't even trim the edges of the shims. Just offset the holes to one side if needed inside the frame. The short edge stackup is .743", only .007" short of your drawing.

I was assuming just 2 wedges on each side, for 1 crossmember is 4 total, but it's true you could start with 8 wedges and use a pair in opposite directions to make a flat block of the exact height you want. I've done this in carpentry with those packages of tapered shims they sell. You know, slide the top one left and right until you have the height you want, then trim to length (or don't)

 

[nvrenuf]

Just to clarify, the reason I need 8 of everything is because I’m also using the factory risers that bolt to the top lip of the frame.