Morning coffee

RICH MUISE · 2013-12-19 19:10

Man...missed morning coffee several days.
I was wondering if anybody here has access to a cnc mill, or knows of a shop that is good, but affordable? I need to get a custom billet dash panel made. I had a blueprint at one time, if I can't find it, I can draw one up for an estimate. It'll be similar to the matboard mockup in the pic, but have a lip around the front face to fit against the dash.

410ranchero · 2013-12-21 13:04

I don't know of a shop in your area Rich. There is a little place in our town that is seasonal, but not CNC mills. They call it a "makerspace'. Its very similar to a auto-craft shop like they have on military installations, you pay a fee per hour or per month, but that place was full of FAB equipment. Mostly older stuff like mills/lathes ect. Maybe there is one close to you?

gasman826 · 2013-12-21 18:42

Take a machine class at the VoTec. Adult classes usually give unlimited access to the equipment.

RICH MUISE · 2013-12-21 20:14

Now there's an idea I hadn't thought of. I haven't run an nc, or manual for that matter, mill for 30 years. That would be a heck of a refresher course...kinda like going from model a's to Beemers. I hadn't heard of the local college having a machining class, but they may. They have automotive electrical and welding, but the Texas panhandle doesn't have a whole lot going on in manufacturing so i would be surprised if they had machining. That's an expensive facility for a small college to fund.
On a different note...a friend today told me about a collector here in Amarillo that just aquired a "pristine" low mileage '57 custom 2 dr. My friend hasn't seen it, but he said if this guy says it's pristine, you can count on it. Pat may know the collector...his first name is Bill (forgot his last name already), and he or his son owns Soncy Road Auto Body. I went by Bill's place today, but no one was there. I'll keep trying.
I did run into John Stromberg a few days ago. I talked of him before..he's one of the premier painters in the country, and a friend of Jeff Norwell. John still has his '57 Ranchero, and is planning on finally getting back to it the first few months of the new year.

Jeff Norwell · 2013-12-22 07:09

Well... just got back from my folks place for a Christmas visit.Massive snow and ice storm up here in the North East.
Left last Wednesday... Snowed 2 days straight until Friday night....then the ice storm moved in.My Daughter and I left saturday morning,... usually a 6 hour trip.. took us 9 hours to get home.We counted 14 wrecks on the Trans Canada... 3 included Jack knifed Transports...very messy.very bad road conditions.
Ahh.... now sitting down in front of the fireplace.. enjoying my morning coffee.
Our town is Frozen solid....ice melter is sold out....so is rock salt.Hopefully the power will hold on....

Jeff Norwell · 2013-12-22 07:10

Rich... say "Hi" to John for me when you see him.... we are in the same car club.. the Road Rockets.... he is a immensely Talented fella.

RICH MUISE · 2013-12-22 18:36

"Well... just got back from my folks place for a Christmas visit.Massive snow and ice storm up here in the North East."
Jeff, you're in Canada..doesn't that make it the south east? LOL

RICH MUISE · 2013-12-23 09:36

Morning guys...Getting close to christmas! I have it easy..mail one check and buy for my wife...she does all the other shoping. 25 degrees here this morning, but no wind. Still have most of the snow from a few days ago, but should be gone soon as it's gonna be in the high 40's the rest of the week.
I had two new year's resolutions last year I actually got done. The first was get at least the 2nd and 3rd sides of the house rebuilt on the outside, and the second was get my engine installed into the '57 so I could start on all of the associated stuff that goes along with it.

Zapato · 2013-12-23 14:01

Quote from: RICH MUISE on 2013-12-22 18:36
Jeff, you're in Canada..doesn't that make it the south east? LOL

This made me laugh and reminded me of a shipmate from Arkansas every time he got mad at our chief he would refer to him as the ''f#$%!&g Yankee'' and me being a smartass from Cuba decided to start calling him ''yankee'' to which he always had a colorful reply. My retort was that where I came from him and all his fellow ''northeners'' were yankees. Never did figure out which got under his skin more. After awhile he would just give me a dirty look, but he put anyone else in their place that dared to call him that.

hiball3985 · 2013-12-23 15:03

Zaps comment about being Cuban set me to thinking about Cuba being a classic car heaven. I wonder what will become of these now that they are allowed to buy new cars for the fist time in 50 years..

Zapato · 2013-12-23 17:16

I read a lot of blogs out of Cuba, those cars are really cobbled up and in really bad shape. they've been traded around for years and now to sell it one must prove they're the legal owner, legal as in titled to them. So now to sell them one has to track down the original ''titled' owner and negotiate a price so that the title can be transferred. So that old owner now has the current owner who wants to sell the car in a can't win situation.

And as of last week no one can't (legally) sell a new or used car unless its sold thru a government dealer. And one has to prove they earned all their money legally y the regimes stantard. Not really a relaxing of the market but actually another way to control and collect taxes.

Personally, don't believe the old US cars left in Cuba would be worth buying. Few years ago I met a bunch of cubans that were being resettled in the area, few of them were mechanics back home and their stories about Caddies running with Lada 4 bangers and home made brake linings and many other ingenious ways would lead me to shy away from them.

There is a Cuban online craigslist like site and the prices asked for those cars are ridiculous and usually than what a good driver would sell for here. Wish I could remember name of that site its pretty sad.

Zap-

Jeff Norwell · 2013-12-24 06:36

Happy Holidays all.

RICH MUISE · 2013-12-24 08:23

Merry Christmas to you as well, Jeff. and all the guys on this site. I've really enjoyed the discusions we've had on this forumn, and the help has been phenominal (sp?). I'd be lost without you guys to lead me in the right direction.

Frankenstein57 · 2013-12-24 20:16

:tree:Just an easy Christmas eve, had a huge party last Saturday , my mom, sisters and friends . Just came in from the shop, took the engine out of my snowmobile, burnt a piston last March and seeing how we have a foot of fresh snow with more on the way, might be a good time to fix it. Merry Christmas to you guys, thanks, Mark

hiball3985 · 2013-12-25 06:54

Remember Murphys Law doesn't observe holidays. My oldest son was hosting the Xmas eve party for the family and friends and during the preparation in the afternoon his plumbing backed up and the sink wouldn't drain. I went over to help so half my day was playing plumber. It's and old house with cast iron pipe and after some extreme muscle power and lots of cussing we got the thing apart and cleared the clog at the down pipe. All went well after that and the party went on as scheduled. Off to visit the wife's side of the family today. Hard to believe its Xmas when it's 75 degrees.

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