Dome light repairs... How Ford should have done it
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- Ranchero50
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Dome light repairs... How Ford should have done it
The demise of my poor plastic dome light lens and some spare time today gave me an oportunity to get my machine shop skills refreshed. After starting with a 6" x 2" x .375" chunk of aluminum from the scrap bin and a couple hours of 'play' time I made one. Check it out, the pictures suck because I was using my cell phone, sorry.
In the mill, I used a 1/4" mill bit and a couple different countersink bits to get the bevels. There ended up being a lot of metal chips on the floor.
The finished lamp next to the old bezel / lens that disintegrated when I took it off to paint the interior.
A pic showing the recesses milled into the back so the lamp holder would fit flush under the bezel.
The lens is a piece of 1/4" lexan that I milled a step in to fit through the bezel's face. To make it opaque I taped off the front face and bead blasted the back side.
Mocked up in the truck after getting a five minute pollish job on the buffer with white compound.
Hooked up to see how much light it was going to throw out. It works pretty darn good, a lot better than the stocker.
What's hard to believe is even for a part as simple as this there were around 40 different steps that had to be done correctly or it was junk. I screwed up bad one time and broke a bit when I was cleaning off the excess from the back and didn't pay attention to the feed rate and hammered the bit into the stock because the rate was around 28fpm instead of the 7fpm I was milling at... I did get the refresher I needed so all around it was a good day.
Jamie
In the mill, I used a 1/4" mill bit and a couple different countersink bits to get the bevels. There ended up being a lot of metal chips on the floor.
The finished lamp next to the old bezel / lens that disintegrated when I took it off to paint the interior.
A pic showing the recesses milled into the back so the lamp holder would fit flush under the bezel.
The lens is a piece of 1/4" lexan that I milled a step in to fit through the bezel's face. To make it opaque I taped off the front face and bead blasted the back side.
Mocked up in the truck after getting a five minute pollish job on the buffer with white compound.
Hooked up to see how much light it was going to throw out. It works pretty darn good, a lot better than the stocker.
What's hard to believe is even for a part as simple as this there were around 40 different steps that had to be done correctly or it was junk. I screwed up bad one time and broke a bit when I was cleaning off the excess from the back and didn't pay attention to the feed rate and hammered the bit into the stock because the rate was around 28fpm instead of the 7fpm I was milling at... I did get the refresher I needed so all around it was a good day.
Jamie
'70 F-350 CS Cummins 6BT 10klb truck 64k mile Bahama Blue
Contact me for CNC Dome Lamp Bezels and Ash Tray pulls.
Contact me for CNC Dome Lamp Bezels and Ash Tray pulls.
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:stupid: those would sell good. how much does the aluminum run?
wondering if that could be done to make the cargo lamp have two brake lights in itr one on each side.
wondering if that could be done to make the cargo lamp have two brake lights in itr one on each side.
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I don't want to give em a heart-attack. That is what would happen if I answered the door in the buff. Heck it almost scares me to death when I step out of the shower and look in the mirror.~Mancar1~
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'70 f250 4x4 Crew cab 460/C6 '72 F100 390/C6 9.8 MPG AVG. '89 Mercury Cougar LS Dual Exh. V6 . 18.9 MPG AVG. In Town.
I don't want to give em a heart-attack. That is what would happen if I answered the door in the buff. Heck it almost scares me to death when I step out of the shower and look in the mirror.~Mancar1~
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- seattle67
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re: Dome light repairs... How Ford should have done it
Too cool Jamie.
I'm with Fordman, streamline the production, have them anodized and you might have a winner. I would buy one, and knowing the depths of my Ford dementia, I would probably pay an exorbitant amount without batting an eye.
I'm with Fordman, streamline the production, have them anodized and you might have a winner. I would buy one, and knowing the depths of my Ford dementia, I would probably pay an exorbitant amount without batting an eye.
Dan
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i have plans for people with this ability. it involves an elusive switch bezel.... one that i will likely never find, though there are now 2 sightings of it.
I cant remember if i even have a lens on my light. im thinking i dont, will know this weekend. Anyway, I would easily pay for one like that, considering it will never break... and plastic would....
If you dont decide to make them.... I have a shop who could make the bezel.... the lens i dunno bout.
I cant remember if i even have a lens on my light. im thinking i dont, will know this weekend. Anyway, I would easily pay for one like that, considering it will never break... and plastic would....
If you dont decide to make them.... I have a shop who could make the bezel.... the lens i dunno bout.
Drew
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re: Dome light repairs... How Ford should have done it
jamie,
Sharp job for sure! IMO you should put it down on paper, apply for the patent! It only takes one change from original to apply, (the one change is already there from plastic to aluminum). Several sites on-line to get a proposal for mass production costs can show you what you'd have to sell them for.
I'd buy on for sure!
Basketcase
Sharp job for sure! IMO you should put it down on paper, apply for the patent! It only takes one change from original to apply, (the one change is already there from plastic to aluminum). Several sites on-line to get a proposal for mass production costs can show you what you'd have to sell them for.
I'd buy on for sure!
Basketcase
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SOLD-71 F-350 dually flatbed, 302 / .030 over V-8 with a "baby"C-6, B & M truckshifter, Dana70/4.11 ratio, intermittent wipers, tilt steering, full LED lighting on the flat bed, and no stereo yet (this way I can hear the rattles to diagnose)! SOLD!
Many Ford bumps / one 76' EB / and several dents through the years.
A lot of "oddball" Ford parts collected from working on them for 34 years now!
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re: Dome light repairs... How Ford should have done it
Impressive!
Greg
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My last 1971 "Highboy" pics
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re: Dome light repairs... How Ford should have done it
Nicely done! Being able to say, "I made that." is pretty cool.
It looks like you still got it. Being a machinist definitely has it's advantages.
It looks like you still got it. Being a machinist definitely has it's advantages.
John Member #1549
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re: Dome light repairs... How Ford should have done it
I hate you.
Really, I do.
You have access to machines I can only dream about.
... yup... still hate you...
Eric
Really, I do.
You have access to machines I can only dream about.
... yup... still hate you...
Eric
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re: Dome light repairs... How Ford should have done it
now you got something there very nice piece for having a few hours of play time (time well spent) same here if you decide to make more I'll buy one.
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- Ranchero50
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Wow, thanks for the compliments, I just did it because I figured I could. I have no desire to fab up a bunch of them even though I'd do it for you guys. It took a good bit of time, I figure I could whittle it down to an hour each, plus fifteen minutes of buffing or more and it becomes a monster. If you want I'll do up a better drawing and post it.
Dbarker, send me a picture of your elusive switch bezel and I'll see what I can do.
Jamie
Dbarker, send me a picture of your elusive switch bezel and I'll see what I can do.
Jamie
'70 F-350 CS Cummins 6BT 10klb truck 64k mile Bahama Blue
Contact me for CNC Dome Lamp Bezels and Ash Tray pulls.
Contact me for CNC Dome Lamp Bezels and Ash Tray pulls.
- Supermike
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I want one, too!! Give us a price!
I'd love to not have to spend money on the crappy plastic ones they sell... yours looks so much better and more durable! I wish I had the tools and skills to do something like that.
I'd love to not have to spend money on the crappy plastic ones they sell... yours looks so much better and more durable! I wish I had the tools and skills to do something like that.
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- Darlingtonpride
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re: Dome light repairs... How Ford should have done it
A drawing would be great. I could get the guys in the shop to make me one..
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- kaptnkaos
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re: Dome light repairs... How Ford should have done it
Veryyyyy Niiiiccceee....
Put me on the list if yer gonna make them...
KaptnKA S
Put me on the list if yer gonna make them...
KaptnKA S
Washington...The land where rust is like the family pet...Ya learn to live with it and clean up after its mess... KaptnKAOS
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