T4 Quad Headlight Project .......... latest update

[TURK]

Yeah, that's why it's taking me an eternity to get them right !

I've got close a few times, I actually had a working set on my van a couple of years ago ........ I wasn't very happy with the finish though. If I can find faults with them, I'm sure prospective customers would !


They worked bloody well though .............. I could see where I was going at night >>




This is the 'Classic' Series in low beam .......................... the 'Premium' series that I showed on the other page are far superior. I haven't tested them yet as I never had the opportunity of mounting them. I guess we will all see the results in a couple of weeks.




TURK

[Grubb05]

Think i did see a pic of them in your van! Selling those ones cheap??

Sent from my LG-H870 using Just T4s

[T4Timmy]

Like Jo I'm watching even though I'll never afford these (I wish I could but lately can't drive 20 miles without something breaking!). I can't believe the amount of work you're putting into this Turk. Amazing job fella. I can't wait to see how you fill your time when this project finishes..... I reckon we should all start thinking of a new project for you, there has to be another age-old problem you can sort. Maybe luxuries like electric sliding door and tailgate/barn doors, or full length electric sunroof, or something simple like..... Can't have you sitting down watching telly in your spare time!

Old not retro.

[Snowrider]

Like Jo I'm watching even though I'll never afford these (I wish I could but lately can't drive 20 miles without something breaking!). I can't believe the amount of work you're putting into this Turk. Amazing job fella. I can't wait to see how you fill your time when this project finishes..... I reckon we should all start thinking of a new project for you, there has to be another age-old problem you can sort. Maybe luxuries like electric sliding door and tailgate/barn doors, or full length electric sunroof, or something simple like..... Can't have you sitting down watching telly in your spare time!

Old not retro.

That’s easy... Electric replacement engine!!


Sent from The Alpine Express using Just T4s

[T4Timmy]

Top idea.

Old not retro.

[T4Timmy]

VW TDCi - Turk Direct Current injection...

Old not retro.

[arfur fox-acre]

But what ? ................... fear of upsetting me cause I'm French ? .................. It so happens that I agree with you Cars built for the common people like Citroen, Renault, Peugeot and the like are vehicles affordable to the masses. Usually when a comparison is made people tend to think British made cars are far superior, but they are looking at Aston Martin, Bentley and Jaguars ! ......... slightly different kettle of fish me thinks. Think more 'British Leyland' ! Now when you look at the cheaper British cars manufactured in the UK, the Reliant Robin springs to mind !

Ever heard of the Citroen DS ? .................... Decades ahead of it's time.





Fire away mate ...................... like you I'm thick skinned

As for German cars ............... well, what can we say !? apart from the headlights are garbage !!!





TURK

I had no idea you were French. And while I'm here, why Turk for a username....I know you mentioned before it has nothing to do with Turkey but I have always wondered. Should maybe do a thread on usernames.

[TURK]

There was a thread on the other forum a few years ago for 'What's in a Username ?' .......................

Proved very popular, and an interesting read, particularly the reasons why people choose a username. Like having a CB 'handle' it's usually something that means something to the user. I explained on there why I have always been known as TURK ( quite a few years now ). I'll give you a clue ................. it's a figurative expression, and nothing to do with Islam or being a native of Turkey, or even an acronym. You would have to do a little research ! Winston Churchill used the word to describe a certain type of people ; )



TURK

[Sirfbum]

There was a thread on the other forum a few years ago for 'What's in a Username ?' .......................

Proved very popular, and an interesting read, particularly the reasons why people choose a username. Like having a CB 'handle' it's usually something that means something to the user. I explained on there why I have always been known as TURK ( quite a few years now ). I'll give you a clue ................. it's a figurative expression, and nothing to do with Islam or being a native of Turkey, or even an acronym. You would have to do a little research ! Winston Churchill used the word to describe a certain type of people ; )



TURK

Aaaaaaah, I see. You a “Young Turk”?


Tom.

[TURK]

Aaaaaaah, I see. You a “Young Turk”?


Tom.

BINGO !!!!

"A young person, full of new ideas and impatient for change" ....................... I dropped the 'Young' bit because, well ....................... I'm not young anymore !
Someone described me as that a long time ago, it stuck ever since.

I also had an ex-employer who described me as a 'Paradox' !

But I don't think that username would of stuck !






TURK

[TURK]

I can't believe the amount of work you're putting into this Turk. Amazing job fella. I can't wait to see how you fill your time when this project finishes..... I reckon we should all start thinking of a new project for you, there has to be another age-old problem you can sort. Maybe luxuries like electric sliding door and tailgate/barn doors, or full length electric sunroof, or something simple like..... Can't have you sitting down watching telly in your spare time!

Not that I ever sit around watching garbage on tv, but I'll hardly have time to do anything else ................... I've got hundreds of quad headlights to make. I've got a few 'luxuries' on the drawing board right now, so I have to find time for some more prototyping. I wouldn't even consider wasting valuable time developing electric sliding doors or electric sun roofs, I tend to concentrate on must have options .................. particularly safety features as in decent headlights for seeing where we're going in the dead of night. Or items for the van's interior that'll make our lives just that bit more pleasurable.

BTW ............... have you ever waited for an electric door ( or window ) to open ? Push a button, then wait 20 seconds for the damned thing to slide open ! There's nothing more frustrating ! I can slide my door open in a fraction of a second, I can also open it just a tad .................... with an electric motor, you have to wait until it's fully opened the door !

Ah, the joys of having hands !




TURK

[T4Timmy]

Haha, I'm sure a 'Turk' electric door would have a fully open, closed, 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 position and sedate, quick and holy sh#t speed settings and probably a bi-fold option or even splitty-esque side barn doors!

Old not retro.

[TURK]

Thanks Timmy.

You all give me far too much credit guys .................... but it's appreciated all the same




TURK

[Ben Marshall]

Great progress, I was flicking through the pages and thought for a second that you'd gone carbon fibre!

Got a solution for the large hole cutting yet?

Few thoughts...
-Fine pitched hole saw at low speed (potentially with coolant?), you could add a centralised bushing into the plug/ create another jig. If you swap out the usual terrible drill bit from the holesaw and replace it with a spigot that sits into the bushing you'd have a repeatable process even with a hand drill.
-Do the same as above but use a sharp edge/ scribing tool similar to a squirrel cage tile cutter, again using a plug mounted central spigot to control the cut.
-create a bolt on guide for the router based upon the hella metal plates you already have.. bolt the guide to the formed frame using the mounting holes, use a router table (probably too large a bit), or a dremel DIY router table to do the cut

I think a small milling bit on a dremel would give a clean cut, and remove enough material that you don't get the two sides re-fusing together...

Thanks guys, glad you liked the update [ATTACH=CONFIG]6046[/ATTACH]


You mean a 'Laser Cutter' Grubb ? ................. or for SuperMan to give me a hand !?
Yup, looked into that already my friend. There's a new hand held one available, still a very very expensive solution. A tool like that would only be effective if mounted into a CNC machine, and that's another 3 to 4 grand !

Cutting and trimming plastics effectively is a major problem, with ABS it either melts ( or fuses ) it's self onto the cutting blade clogging the blade up within seconds, or even re-fuses it's self back behind the cutting blade. HIP's ( High Impact Polystyrene ) is even worst, as it's more brittle than ABS ( ABS contains more rubber ), with HIP's being more brittle it tends to shatter if you are not careful while trying to cut it !

A lot of my current processes are still in the development stages, it's really only through testing that you are able to see what works and what doesn't. That's what I meant by working on my 'workflow'.


TURK

[TURK]

Got a solution for the large hole cutting yet?

Hi Ben,

Nope, at least nothing that I would consider to be effective ...................

-Fine pitched hole saw at low speed (potentially with coolant?)

I like your way of thinking ............ couple ideas there I've already tried, the one above, I couldn't find a fine toothed circular saw, most seem to be rough cut circular saws for woodworking, and it needs to be 92mm in diameter.

-Do the same as above but use a sharp edge/ scribing tool similar to a squirrel cage tile cutter, again using a plug mounted central spigot to control the cut.

This idea I like .............. haven't tried it yet, it's got potential. I posted ( I don't know if you've it yet ) and it's probably on the other forum, I'm looking for a machinist to make a tool for me, that's the cutter I need making, as you can't buy them in the size I need.

I think a small milling bit on a dremel would give a clean cut, and remove enough material that you don't get the two sides re-fusing together...

You'll burn the Dremel out very quickly Ben, I've already burned one out ! This 3mm ABS material is very very dense. That's why I have to make a jig ( like the router table I made ) to hold my milling machine upside down. My Proxxon milling machine is basically a variable speed motor that's much beefier than a Dremel type tool. But unlike a router trimmer, is capable of running as low as 600rpm ....... a router runs at a minimum of 10,000rpm, much too fast for cutting plastic. Not to mention dangerous ! A router bit will 'grab' into the plastic and fling it across the room, or worst still, in your face ! And shattering the part of course.

Currently I'm having to cut the headlight mounting holes ( 92mm diameter ) with my scrollsaw, still much better than using a coping saw like I did last time. But it's really time consuming and really not that effective as there's loads of finishing to do afterwards.


I'm using my carbon fibre stock for prototyping at the moment as I want to use it up, I'm not going to use it on the finished parts, it's awful stuff ! The carbon fibre effect is actually a thin film that's adhered to the ABS, so it blisters when heated and tears when you drill it ! And no doubt it will also peel off in time if it were used on the finished headlight covers.


Many thanks for the tips mate




TURK