Bockscar 2.0

[Stainless1]

Just for fun, I put the new hoop next to the old hoop so I could see how much more helmet room we have.... I looks like we will be able to move our heads.... going from 6 inch CL radius to 7.5 and planning to be about a 1/2 inch taller.  We will see what we get.

[Stainless1]

I am trying to figure out how I'm going to cope the bottom of the hoop legs to fit the bottom rail.  So far all of my cuts have been with the mill but I can't find a way to hold the hoop to cope the legs, they are too short to clear the mill table support.  I guess I will drop by Max's or Turk's place and borrow a drill press tomorrow.
I did get the top rail coped for the hoop.  As soon as I cope the legs, I can do a little more welding on the frame and get the seat back welded.

[WOODY@DDLLC]

Just for fun, I put the new hoop next to the old hoop so I could see how much more helmet room we have.... I looks like we will be able to move our heads.... going from 6 inch CL radius to 7.5 and planning to be about a 1/2 inch taller.  We will see what we get.

Just don't get a big head over your results! 

[Ron Gibson]

I don't supose Stainless stopped to think of it, but a smaller head would give less frontal area and better AERO, and everyody like a little head.

Ron

[Stainless1]

While a little head is always good, as we all know.... it is the size of the head receptacle that we all have a problem with.... especially when working in tight spaces....

How that for an answer Ron.... enough innuendo or should I try harder       

[Seldom Seen Slim]

I was waiting for you to call out the poster a couple back -- a guy named "Woody".   I mean, c'mon, too easy?

[Stainless1]

Back to building... didn't have to go anywhere to use a drill press, turns out Ross (MC2032) had one sitting around, yep that's it in the background.  Rear hoop is coped at the bottom and tacked in place... Was planning to make 1/2 inch more headroom to the top.... turned out to be 5/8... close enough for me. 
The seat back supports are also tacked in...  although I have a little checking to do before final welding.  I will pop the seat in and do a little seat belt checking.  Right now it looks like I will put the belts outside the supports, that was one of the problems with the original, the belts were really tight on your neck.  Outside puts 8 inches between the belts.  So I need to make some belt structure and figure out an attachment spot.

[SPARKY]

SS1 are you guys going to a 9 point system? If so that makes your attachment points simpler in some ways.

[floydjer]

another use for a rotary table

[Stainless1]

Sparky, We had a 7 point for years before it was mandated for lay down cars.  Not sure where you would put 2 more points... what are the other 2?  I tried google, saw reference to 9 points, but no illustrations or examples.  The belts are running out of room with all the devices.....
Jerry, only 2 copes so far have been done on anything other than the mill.  I did figure out how to do those 2 on the mill, but using the drill press was a lot quicker. I think all the others will also be milled, I like the rotary table clamp idea for the angle cuts. 
I picked up a HF tube notcher... I guess we will see it I use it or if it goes back 

[manta22]

Stainless;

I used a HF tube notcher to build my roll cage. It worked just fine but it needed to be shimmed a bit to get the axes aligned properly. The key to success is to use a good quality hole saw and a slow speed drill. I found the hole saws from Dewalt, Milwaukee, etc are good while the HF ones are trash. A good cutting oil is, of course, a necessary thing. Getting a drill with a slow enough speed is necessary, too. A 1/2" variable-speed drill will work; I have a two-speed 1/2" pneumatic drill that worked very well. I used a speed of about 200 rpm to cut the tubes.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[bearingburner]

I built a notcher using hole saws .Have to get speed of cutter show enough. I used a drill press smallest pulley i could find for motor an largest I could get inside guard on spindle. Bi metalic are the cutters I had the best results with. Finner teeth wotk better. Never tried cutters with abrasive edge but they might work,at least you wouldn't catch a tooth and break it off the cutter.

[kiwi belly tank]

A HF notcher will last a whole build if you grease the $hit out of it & run it slow. Before I had the mill I built a jig using a hole hog drill to drive it. Nice & slow with lotsa power. I still use it for quick jobs.
  Sid.

[Stainless1]

working a rethink on the seat bracing after talking to Sparky... maybe run a tube behind the seat... and use that tube to attach shoulder belts. 
Ross came over and we did a little looking with John Goodman's helmet.  The shoulder straps hang through the slots in the seat when you are in position.  Yes, we may need to build another seat before it is all over, but placement of belts will be in the same places as the original. 

[kiwi belly tank]

Sleep is really overrated. :-P
  Sid.