Engine-Turned Accessory Covers
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Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: OFallon IL
Engine-Turned Accessory Covers
Been working on some stainless steel, engine-turned accessories for my C5. Got most of them done so thought I'd post some pictures.
This my idler pulley cover:
My alternator cover:
And this is the manifold cover:
Battery, fuse box, power steering, and brake fluid reservoir are done, too.
Been kind of a fun project. Have door sills and inner fender covers to go.
This my idler pulley cover:
My alternator cover:
And this is the manifold cover:
Battery, fuse box, power steering, and brake fluid reservoir are done, too.
Been kind of a fun project. Have door sills and inner fender covers to go.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: OFallon IL
[QUOTE=SilverBullit02]Nice job!! Tried something like that myself last year.
Did the butt plate, too but the 1/2 circles really don't show up well from the normal viewing distance. Looks like you used 1" circles. Much better for that location. Looks good.
Did the butt plate, too but the 1/2 circles really don't show up well from the normal viewing distance. Looks like you used 1" circles. Much better for that location. Looks good.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: OFallon IL
Originally Posted by dkdonkim
any plan for marketing them? looks good too!
Thread Starter
Intermediate
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From: OFallon IL
Originally Posted by Zilla
Looks good 
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Looks very good.
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Originally Posted by raylat2002
Thanks. I'm off to my stainless supplier for the pieces to do the tops of the inner fender well . Appreciate the compliment.
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Originally Posted by yellowvert
I like that! Maybe a dumb question, but how did you do that? What tool do you use?
I've always wondered how it was done. Nice job!!! Can't wait to see the door sills. 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: New Smyrna Beach Fl
[QUOTE=raylat2002]
Actually...a 2" diameter abrasive pad in a drill press....on .032 aluminum...then clear coated. overlap the previous swirl.
Originally Posted by SilverBullit02
Nice job!! Tried something like that myself last year.
Did the butt plate, too but the 1/2 circles really don't show up well from the normal viewing distance. Looks like you used 1" circles. Much better for that location. Looks good.
Did the butt plate, too but the 1/2 circles really don't show up well from the normal viewing distance. Looks like you used 1" circles. Much better for that location. Looks good.
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Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: OFallon IL
Originally Posted by yellowvert
I like that! Maybe a dumb question, but how did you do that? What tool do you use?
You use an abrasive stick held in a drill press. You can get the abrasives from Eastwood.com in two sizes: 1/2 in and 1 in.
Each time you press the abrasive to the stainless steel you make a little circle the diameter of the abrasive.
Unless you overlap the rows of circles you leave little "squares" between the adjoining four circles. So, you have to go back over each row and fill them in.
For example, the plenum cover is roughly 8 1/2 in by 18 in. There are 17 rows on the first pass and 15 rows on the second pass. Each row is 36 circles long. So, that's about 1150 little circles on the plenum cover alone. It took about 5 hours to cut the design and it's the third one I've done. The first two weren't satisfactory.
The variables are the pressure you use, the length of time you hold the abrasive in contact with the stainless steel, and how the abrasive wears. You have to "freshen" the abrasive rods every row at least.
So, that's maybe more than you wanted to know. Or maybe not. If you want to do this, drop me a note and we can correspond directly.
Everybody, thanks for the feedback.