Modern-day Miura: seeking buck making information

[heinke]

If you're not already familiar with my Miura project, the build diary is here: Modern-day Miura

For this project, I'm having a 3D model created for the body design and then having the model sliced into jig/buck stations. I will get the cutting instructions and then have the jig/buck stations water jet cut. I've already engaged professional help with the above but there's a set of answers/information I need to provide to the person doing the modeling work.

Let me state up front, I've done a fair amount of metal shaping but have yet to make a full blown buck. I'm hoping to learn from you all that have experience with buck making so I can avoid rookie mistakes

My initial questions are:

1. What material (e.g. plywood, MDF, masonite, etc.) that can be water jet cut is best to use for making a buck?
2. What is the best material thickness for buck stations?
3. What is best spacing for buck stations?
4. Should all buck stations be spaced the same or are there areas where buck stations should be closer/farther apart?
5. What other considerations should I pass along for inclusion in the buck station design/definition?

I have a choice of either making the buck free standing or making it to sit on the chassis. A free standing buck sounds simpler to me but there might be advantages to using the chassis as a buck foundation. Is one of these approaches more advantageous? What are the considerations of going free standing or on chassis?

If freestanding, I've been thinking a multi-piece buck might work best. The Miura body is composed of a one piece flip-up front clip, a one piece flip-up rear clip, and the middle section. Making a separate buck for each of these sections seems logical to me. If done right the three could be joined together to form the whole car body buck. Has anyone made a buck like this? What are potential pitfalls with this approach?

[Kerry Pinkerton]

Joel, I can't answer any of your questions but applaud your decision to make a hard buck. I've wasted YEARS of work and rework because I did not take the time to make a hard buck which would have forced my panels to be symmetrical.


I love flexible shape patterns but without something to tell you HOW they fit to the next panel you can get out of symmetry in about half a heartbeat. Ask me how I know...


I'm at the point where I'm still not sure if I should continue on with work that I'm not happy with or bite the bullet, scan one side, have someone make it symmetrical, and get a buck made and start over. I'm not sure it wouldn't be faster even as far along as I appear to be.


Good luck. Your project is going to be awesome.

[Marc Bourget]

Isn't it RockHillWill that posted a series of hard bucks from European shops and/or museums? Check those threads?

[Kerry Pinkerton]

No, it's Bill Longyard that has posted all the photos from his travels while researching his books.

[heinke]

So I now have confirmation that using a buck aids the metal shaping process (thanks Kerry). What I don't have yet is input from those who've done this before. If that's you, please share your knowledge.

In addition to the questions in the initial thread post, I'd like advice on best tool for cutting buck stations. At first, I was thinking water jet because I'd heard that mentioned a couple of times. In poking around the last few days, I've also seen CNC Router mentioned. Does anyone have experience that would help to say which of these is the better tool/process?

[Steve Hamilton]

Hi Joel
Kerry is correct about Bill getting info in Europe, but Rockhill Will, did post a lot of info on CAD and water jet to make bucks. I saw the bucks and remember that they fit together very well.

The bucks were to be used for the Bugatti project that Jim Henry is building. Not sure of the best way to search for them.

I found this in the automotive projects
http://allmetalshaping.com/showthread.php?t=15200

Steve