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Old 04-01-2010, 10:28 AM
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Z5Roadster Z5Roadster is offline
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Default How to make a Buck??

Full Body Buck

What is a Buck.

IMO a Buck is a master pattern that give all the profile data visually and mechanically required to make repeat panel shapes for body/shell manufacture. These can be wooden, sheet metal, resin, foam or a combination, the list is endless.

My initial train of thought is to make plywood profile slotted together to give a full size framework which can be stored flat after use.
This is the type I am suggesting.



jaguar-c-type-buck_small.jpg
Photo courtesy www.3dengineers.co.uk
  • Body Profile to copy
  • When is a full Buck required
  • Which medium should be used to get the data
  • Material to make the Buck from
  • Accuracy
On offer to me is the loan of a Southern Roadcraft fibre glass body shell of a 427 Cobra complete with all bolt-on panels, purchased 18yrs ago and stored. Have not seen it yet but the offer has been made for the use of taking measurements and return.

As I will only have the body shell fore a short time I am of the opinion that a Buck is the only option I have to be able to go forward.

How should the body be measured. In 2010 laser measurement to the greatest of accuracy is available, almost like a human body scan, but to try and get these laser boffs to think out of their little cocoon is impossible. They want to send a team along to produce the data to .0001", give me a CD to read all the info from. Thats not what we are about, is it.

Even asked the question 'How would they have done it 10yrs ago' still waiting for an answer on that one.

Sorry to rant but I need to come up with a simple way to achieve the profiles. Tape and string will do some of it.???

My intention is to use plywood for the profiles. Not sure how thick at this stage, but should they also be contoured thru there thickness once assembled.

Should I be worrying about accuracy too much, the profiles will be cut to a line and sanded back, thats a by eye process

Yes a lot there to think about, but we have to start some where. Yes a full body project in ally is a bit daunting for a first off, but nothing esle pushes the right buttons. I have a plastic car, a TVR, but must be the building where the rewards lie.

Happy Times.
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Last edited by Z5Roadster; 04-06-2010 at 10:54 AM. Reason: Ref. comment from photo owner
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Old 04-01-2010, 11:00 AM
David Gardiner David Gardiner is offline
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You need to build yourself a measuring bridge. A simpler way would be to take some molds off the body and build yourself a body to use as a buck. this will work well. This is what Lazzy and many others have done. I have made wings (fenders) from fiberglass wings on many occasions.

David
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  #3  
Old 04-01-2010, 11:26 AM
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Hi David.

I am thinking of making a crude CMM framework which I think your measuring bridge would be, but I would still require something to measure with which was why I contacted Leica about there Disto range of laser meters.

Your other comment sounds like I would be better to obtain an old body shell and use that as my buck.

Please correct me if I'm wrong and thanks for your quick response.

Cheers
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Old 04-01-2010, 02:09 PM
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Kerry Pinkerton Kerry Pinkerton is offline
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Hi Tom. I think you've hit on most the issues. I don't have all the answers. However, I will recommend you buy Ron Covells DVD:

Scratch-Building a Fender

What do you do if you have a car with a fender that is damaged beyond repair, or missing? Ron shows how to use the opposite fender to design a buck, pointing out the features required to make a new fender that perfectly mirrors the model. You’ll see him analyze a ’36 Ford fender, determine the number of pieces to make it from, and exactly where to place the seams to accommodate the intricate details, including the running board bulge and the rolled edge of the wheel opening. This is a fascinating, in-depth look at the start-to-finish construction of a challenging project!
119 minutes, $40
Shipping weight for #1000-24 is .25 lbs.


This DVD shows how to measure a fender and create a buck for the other side. I wish I had this information before I started on my roadster.

Hopefully some others will chime in but if I were approaching it today, I'd lay out a grid line on the floor that was larger than the car. Perhaps 6" grid. I'd use numbers for one way say lengthwise, and letters for the other. This way you have intersection points. Build a square and perpendicular framework that spans the car, locate off the vertical and horizontal and measure down/over.

In theory, that should allow you to collect your data which could then be transferred to the buck material.

One thing on the buck is the actual surface side. You have to consider the wood is flat across the cut but the actual body points will be on one side of the wood. Just one more thing to complicate things.
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Old 04-01-2010, 04:22 PM
TheRodDoc TheRodDoc is offline
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Just one way it can be done. I posted this a couple years ago on mm. and still have the drawing. Should give a pretty good idea of how it works.

Tracks fastened parallel to each other on floor. leveled with transit. both must be flat length ways and the outside one must be straight sideways too. body center line must be parallel with these rails too.

frame stick holder slides in onto the two rails. slides in till it stops by outer rail.

end dowel ends up exactly on body center line.

lower the wood dowels to body and lock into the frame by tightening the bolts holding the split frame.

slide the stick holder frame out away from car. stand plywood sheet up against the dowels and draw point to point.

push stick holder back in to and on rails again but slide back to next station and repeat and etc.

buckgage2.jpg
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Old 04-01-2010, 05:18 PM
BashingTin BashingTin is offline
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Oh man, you are talented with a 3D Cad system. Beautiful.
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Old 04-01-2010, 06:35 PM
David Gardiner David Gardiner is offline
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Richard, that is a measuring bridge or half of one. Mine spans the car but other that that is is the same as your drawing. I should have known you would draw one!.

David
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Old 04-01-2010, 08:58 PM
A Glause A Glause is offline
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Hi Tom,
Everyone is giving you some very good information. I built a buck for a 427 Cobra a few years back, am half way through making the second body. Just got busy with other things. Now that I'm getting older I need to get back with it.

My buck is made mostly with plywood, and the wheel openings are defined with a metal band. This just didn't work out like I was planning. I also made a wire buck (1/4 inch rod) for a 34 Buick convertible. Well only from the cowl back, I started with a cowl and hood from a 4 dr car. This was easier to build then the plywood and will give just as good of detail. I wish I had Richard's measuring device.

I had to be carful not to damage the finish on the Buick so I made temperary card board stations, from the outside of the body and transfered this to the wire form. This took forever. The Cobra I used a glass body,(a very poor body). I had to check everything and then chose which side was the best to use for patterns. My wheel openings I had to guess, because they were cut open way to big. So I just made them fit the tire.

My buck is not as pretty as the picture you show but it works. I never finished the lower front of my buck, because my glass body was so poor. That's part of the reason I don't have my second body done. And I have been to busy doing body work when I'd rather be metalshaping.

I should see about digging my buck out of storage, maybe I could get a picture for you, mine is glued and nailed or screwed together. I am not a good enough wood worker to make one that would fit together in slots.

Andy
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Old 04-01-2010, 08:59 PM
TheRodDoc TheRodDoc is offline
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David,

That is about what it is. I figure one would only need half the car. Then duplicate the other half from that. Half of one lets you tip it up and pull it sidways away from the car after all the rods are set to touch the body. Then all you have to do is put your sheet of plywood up against the side of the rods and mark along all the points to draw out the shape. The frame of it would have a way to hold the sheet of plywood in the same place each time while drawing the shape on it.
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Old 04-01-2010, 10:08 PM
TheRodDoc TheRodDoc is offline
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I drew it in drawing position.

Just draw from point to point.

buck4.jpg


You can also put down some press and seal where the station goes on the body. Then use two strips of square foam weather strip one on each side of where the dowels will hit the body. This will be the dam for the bondo.

Now but some bondo in one end and push the first two or three blunt tipped dowels down into it a little and lock each of them in the frame. Then more bondo and two or three more dowels down into it and etc.

This time when it cures and the frame is pulled away from the car you just cut off the weather strip then you will have an exact form of that station to trace along onto the wood as above.

Now just saw all the dowels off just above the bondo to get ready for the next station. Repeat the process.

If you would rather save that form use a small piece of plywood and glue to all the dowels just above the bondo. Now saw them off above the plywood you added to hold it all together. Dyna hair type bondo would stronger I guess.

buckgage5.jpg
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Last edited by TheRodDoc; 04-01-2010 at 10:20 PM.
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