Time to get back to working on the rear endcap!
Here's where we started:
Here's where we started:
You can see the copper-colored Clecos in place still. Our rivet gun wasn't working correctly the last time we worked on Maude, so we got a new one. HOLY COW what a difference! We don't think the old one ever worked properly. This one does rivets with just one pull of the trigger, as opposed to the old one which always took at least 2! So we started by getting caught up on the rivets.
Tada! Super pretty!
Time to add more panels!
And another!
And another! But oh no! You see that central gap? Turns out it's wider than our last sheet of aluminum. #&@^$%!&!&^%$&^@$! Somewhere we miscalculated <sigh>. Again.
As opposed to ordering a new cut sheet from the metal shop, we decided to try our hand at cutting a new sheet ourselves. Luckily, we have all the cut-offs from having the shop cut the panel pieces for us, and a couple of them were large enough. In the past we'd had terrible luck at getting smooth edges with both the electric shears and the manual ones. Both made really ugly/raw-looking edges.
So, Mike came up with a different plan:
As opposed to ordering a new cut sheet from the metal shop, we decided to try our hand at cutting a new sheet ourselves. Luckily, we have all the cut-offs from having the shop cut the panel pieces for us, and a couple of them were large enough. In the past we'd had terrible luck at getting smooth edges with both the electric shears and the manual ones. Both made really ugly/raw-looking edges.
So, Mike came up with a different plan:
Above is the sheet we were going to cut, with a scrap piece of aluminum being used as a straight edge.
Mike used a razor knife to "cut" the sheet. Cut and cut and cut and cut. I'm not sure how many passes he made, but it was a LOT.
But it WORKED! We were finally able to bend the aluminum along the cut and snap off our sheet! Some sanding along the cut edge and it's ready to be installed! I can't believe that worked LOL! I'm REALLY glad we didn't have to do them ALL this way, but SUPER glad it worked for this one sheet!
We had hoped to finish the endcap this round, but Maude just never cooperates, does she? LOL The number of curse words that flew out of my mouth (and I'm GENERALLY a potty mouth!) was fairly substantial. I may have also crazy-cackled because of the absurdity that has been working on these stupid end caps. I swear, if I never have to do an endcap again, I'll be a REALLLLLLLY Happy Camper!
Until next time, <3 Becca
We had hoped to finish the endcap this round, but Maude just never cooperates, does she? LOL The number of curse words that flew out of my mouth (and I'm GENERALLY a potty mouth!) was fairly substantial. I may have also crazy-cackled because of the absurdity that has been working on these stupid end caps. I swear, if I never have to do an endcap again, I'll be a REALLLLLLLY Happy Camper!
Until next time, <3 Becca
