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Old 07-13-2016, 08:11 PM   #21
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Salt Lake City Utah
Posts: 1,635
Year: 2000
Chassis: Blue Bird
Engine: ISC 8.3
Wow, that's a lousy deal. I'm sorry. I hope you can get some kind of concession from the shop -- if they'd take the parts back and refund the labor cost you'd be in a better position than what you're in now.

I don't know whether you mentioned what gauge you had those made from, but I disagree with Jolly Roger's suggestion to get a HF brake and bend them yourself. I actually have an HF brake (number 62518, 62335, or 91012 -- I'm not sure which I have; they all have the same pictures and specs). I tried to use it a time or two; it was such garbage that I went back to the old way of bending sheet metal using a rock and a hammer. Maybe it'll bend 16 gauge mild steel a few inches wide if a half-inch bend radius is acceptable. A tight 1/8 to 3/16 radius, and on a 36" wide piece? Not a chance!

As a price comparison, I had my hat channels made in Salt Lake City a little over a year ago. They were made from 14 ga galvanized mild steel; the price was about $27 each for 10 ft lengths. I bought twelve; mostly I cut them into 3 and 7 foot lengths back at home. I e-mailed the shop a dimensioned cross-section sketch to quote from, then delivered an actual piece of original hat channel to them with the instruction to "make it fit snug over this." They did a fantastic job.

It looks like the workmanship from your shop is really pretty good. Tight bends, parallel, good angles -- I just can't figure out what they were thinking with the sizing! It doesn't appear to fit the original hat channel in any way.

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Old 07-14-2016, 06:32 PM   #22
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Chicago
Posts: 37
Year: 1992
Coachwork: AllAmerican BluedBird
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Rated Cap: 84
Quote:
Originally Posted by family wagon View Post
Wow, that's a lousy deal. I'm sorry. I hope you can get some kind of concession from the shop -- if they'd take the parts back and refund the labor cost you'd be in a better position than what you're in now.

I don't know whether you mentioned what gauge you had those made from, but I disagree with Jolly Roger's suggestion to get a HF brake and bend them yourself. I actually have an HF brake (number 62518, 62335, or 91012 -- I'm not sure which I have; they all have the same pictures and specs). I tried to use it a time or two; it was such garbage that I went back to the old way of bending sheet metal using a rock and a hammer. Maybe it'll bend 16 gauge mild steel a few inches wide if a half-inch bend radius is acceptable. A tight 1/8 to 3/16 radius, and on a 36" wide piece? Not a chance!

As a price comparison, I had my hat channels made in Salt Lake City a little over a year ago. They were made from 14 ga galvanized mild steel; the price was about $27 each for 10 ft lengths. I bought twelve; mostly I cut them into 3 and 7 foot lengths back at home. I e-mailed the shop a dimensioned cross-section sketch to quote from, then delivered an actual piece of original hat channel to them with the instruction to "make it fit snug over this." They did a fantastic job.

It looks like the workmanship from your shop is really pretty good. Tight bends, parallel, good angles -- I just can't figure out what they were thinking with the sizing! It doesn't appear to fit the original hat channel in any way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
I've done extremely crucial measurements with a cheapo Lufkin tape.
But that's 12 years of constantly using it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jolly Roger View Post
He was trying to go as cheap and fast as his shop could?
It takes a lot more time to bend the metal to match a rib.
If he charged you 8 for that then you don't want him to do what you need cause he will want at least double even if/after you can make him say uncle.
The shop if organized spent 3-hours to make those total but it will take 6-7 to make what you are looking for.
That's two-men one cutting and one bending or both cutting and bending.
Because of a misunderstanding between both offer to pay shop wages for the correction and make sure you ask what the wages are if he says anything over 20 for one and 18 for the help he is ripping you off
For that kind of money you could buy your own sheet of metal a metal break and a jigsaw to do it yourself.
One full sheet will give you plenty of wiggle room to practice and is less than 150$
HF metal break that will be hurt but do it 150$
Decent jigsaw 40$
Blades for saw 15$
Rubber palm gloves 10$ for 10-15 pair
Good measuring stick not a tape for solid measurements. An old school stick ruler is awesome or a metal rule off of a sliding square/ruler is awesome.
Just my opinion.
I just don't have the time to be bending metal, Jolly Roger but if I did...
I would, no doubt.
Lessoned learned the hard way though! I made a rookie mistake here! Me rushing and not being clear with my instructions/details. Family wagon, I feel better now about the price I payed. I went to 3 different shops and they all quoted me around the same price. I'm in Chicago, close to downtown so everything is expensive! Anyways, the shop is going to charge me about half the price this time to remake the ribs. I have to take the parts back though, but I can care less if it helps with lessening the overall bill!! I'm going with 14 gauge, galvanized mild steel and made "fit snug" over the existing rib piece given". Ended up going EastCoastCB path, and making one rib first before making the whole batch. I want to get it correct this time!!! I'll keep you updated Skoolie's.

laters

-Gio
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Old 07-14-2016, 07:16 PM   #23
Bus Nut
 
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Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: North carolina
Posts: 651
Year: 1986
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Ford
Engine: Detroit 8.2
Rated Cap: 60 bodies
Sorry man.
I started mine knowing I had no money and only Sunday's so therefore no time constraint.
I have salvaged and dumpster dived for most of mine but I do work on commercial construction sites so seeing something and saying I want just tell me where you dump it or sit it next to my truck I will get what I want a dump the rest for you has given me a lot.
I also have a full sheet metal shop at my disposal through the company I spent 20-yrs with.
I didn't know if a HF break was worth a damn or not? I was just trying to offer a DIY starting point?
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Old 07-18-2016, 04:44 PM   #24
Bus Crazy
 
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Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Vacaville, Ca
Posts: 1,634
Year: 1988
Coachwork: Crown / Pusher
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Take them to Judge Judy & give us a Skoolie shout out.
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Old 10-18-2016, 10:48 PM   #25
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Chicago
Posts: 37
Year: 1992
Coachwork: AllAmerican BluedBird
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Rated Cap: 84
Roof raise help

Hi all my Skoolies, it's been a wild ride to say the most, when coming to this rehab. Anyways, I'm having problems finding the right contractor or welder to help with the roof raise. Looking to hire outside help. Let me know if anybody interested.

Thanks,
Giovanni
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