What is the best way to make circular patterns on the stainless firewall?
What is the best way to make circular patterns on the stainless firewall?
Eric Therrien
Nicolet, Qc. Ca.
In preparation.
One way is to use a Scotch Brite pad on the end of an appropriate diameter wooden dowel chucked in a drill press. Move the steel sheet in a pattern under the pad and bring the pad down with the desired amount of pressure at each pattern location.
Jim Ott
Portland, OR
Kitfox SS7 flying
Rotax 912ULS
It's called pearling, pearlage or engine turning. I just saw an article on this in Kitplanes this month. They were claiming that using a wire brush works better than a scotch bright pad on stainless sheeting.
But is the 1/2'' pressdrill has enough clearence to do all the width of the fire wall?
Eric Therrien
Nicolet, Qc. Ca.
In preparation.
That may take a little creativity…
This could be done with a hand drill if you are careful.
Lay out all of your target points with a sharpie pen and all you need to do is touch the firewall (laid out flat) with the spinning brush/scuff pad.
On a firewall, with all the wires, cables and stuff attached, if the swirls aren't totally perfect, you will probably never notice… Maybe.
Take a piece of 1/4" HDPE drill with a hole saw the size swirl you want, if you want criss cross overlap , lay out all the rows, do every other row with reversible drill, then do all other rows with drill in forward 👍, usually overlap 1/3rd of diameter of swirl , Id do a practice piece to figure what patern you want 😎
Chase
Model 5 OutBack
912 UL
Buy using a piece of HDPE, make it square a little bigger then desired swirl hole saw hole, this way you can clamp a straight edge and use it as a guide, mark the side you choose as top just in case the hole in the HDPE isnt perfectly in the middle
Chase
Model 5 OutBack
912 UL
Ok Comprendo!!! Thanks for the info!!! I will practice that on scrap metal....
Eric Therrien
Nicolet, Qc. Ca.
In preparation.