Strokermjcomanche Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 I guess you could say I'm floored to have found it . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dzimm Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 Wow that's cool, is that a never used pan or someone cut it out of a truck? How does one go about getting that into the cab? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 I'd totally hang that on the wall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepSchmidt O'Guinness Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 Now you know where to hang your extra factory floor mats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglescout526 Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 I see a tool for mass reproduction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strokermjcomanche Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 1 hour ago, Dzimm said: Wow that's cool, is that a never used pan or someone cut it out of a truck? How does one go about getting that into the cab? Brand new Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strokermjcomanche Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 56 minutes ago, Pete M said: I'd totally hang that on the wall. Maybe it's better on the floor lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strokermjcomanche Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 30 minutes ago, JeepSchmidt O'Guinness said: Now you know where to hang your extra factory floor mats Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strokermjcomanche Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 5 minutes ago, eaglescout526 said: I see a tool for mass reproduction. I doubt that will ever happen , won't be enough needs to support them getting remade . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepSchmidt O'Guinness Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 6 minutes ago, Strokermjcomanche said: I doubt that will ever happen , won't be enough needs to support them getting remade . Couldn't hurt to have a digital 3d scan of it though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 1 hour ago, JeepSchmidt O'Guinness said: Now you know where to hang your extra factory floor mats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amsuco Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 1 hour ago, JeepSchmidt O'Guinness said: Couldn't hurt to have a digital 3d scan of it though My floor needs attention that it hasn't gotten yet. So this comment got me to thinking. Would it make any sense to try to use this as a pattern of some sort? The last I read, there were no patch panels specifically made for Comanches. Everything available new requires some degree of "tweaking". This may be a really dumb idea, but I'm wondering if a 3D printer could make floor patch panels that would be a better alternative than the metal parts available to us now. I've managed to get hold of some NOS body parts for a postal jeep that I have no intention of using. I just want to make sure there's a perfect, new part available, in case someone ever tries to reproduce it. So obviously I've given this sort of thing a little thought. I've just never done any research. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogmorgo Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 1 hour ago, Strokermjcomanche said: I doubt that will ever happen , won't be enough needs to support them getting remade . Even if there's no call for the full floor, it could still be useful for repops of the sections that commonly rot out, if some company was interested in selling pieces that actually fit. But you're undoubtedly right. Making a custom metal pressing die even the size of just a footwell is likely going to be prohibitively expensive. How do you track down a thing like that to being with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strokermjcomanche Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 12 minutes ago, gogmorgo said: Even if there's no call for the full floor, it could still be useful for repops of the sections that commonly rot out, if some company was interested in selling pieces that actually fit. They'll probably just say look at all the people that used XJ panels and made them work . How do you track down a thing like that to being with? I'm not sure what you're asking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogmorgo Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 2 minutes ago, amsuco said: My floor needs attention that it hasn't gotten yet. So this comment got me to thinking. Would it make any sense to try to use this as a pattern of some sort? The last I read, there were no patch panels specifically made for Comanches. Everything available new requires some degree of "tweaking". This may be a really dumb idea, but I'm wondering if a 3D printer could make floor patch panels that would be a better alternative than the metal parts available to us now. I've managed to get hold of some NOS body parts for a postal jeep that I have no intention of using. I just want to make sure there's a perfect, new part available, in case someone ever tries to reproduce it. So obviously I've given this sort of thing a little thought. I've just never done any research. Thoughts? I haven't really figured out whether the problem with the aftermarket stuff is related to the differences between MJ and XJ floors, or if the aftermarket just sucks. Stamped sheet metal parts aren't ideal for reproduction by 3D printing. Sintered metal doesn't have the inherent strength necessary for such a task, it's a lot like comparing a sheet of plywood to a sheet of partical board. I'm sure there's some kind of cnc machine out there capable of taking a raw sheet and hammering out one-offs in a fashion akin to hand-beating, but it would be in a highly specialized shop, time consuming, and probably incredibly expensive. It could be CNC milled from billet, but that's also ridiculous for the size of block you'd have to start with only to retain about 5% of it in the finished piece. The best way of reproducing sheet metal panels is unfortunately the same way the factory did, stamping it out in a gigantic press with a custom die. The expense there is the machine to do it, and then making the expensive dies, but having done that, it's really no different to stamp out 100 panels than it is to make just the one. A 3D scan would go a long way towards the production of a die, but the trick would be finding someone with the necessary press and convincing them it's worth their while to go to the trouble and expense of making dies when they're not likely to sell out a batch of 100 floorpans in the next 20 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogmorgo Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 6 minutes ago, Strokermjcomanche said: Autocorrect strikes again. I meant to ask how you found the floorpan. "to begin with?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepSchmidt O'Guinness Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 3d printing is the answer to costly set up costs for low volume items, however it remains to be seen if this particular instance would prove an economical advantage. But here's my google gurgitation for the day ; https://gpiprototype.com/metal-3d-printing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strokermjcomanche Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 47 minutes ago, gogmorgo said: Autocorrect strikes again. I meant to ask how you found the floorpan. "to begin with?" It was posted on a Facebook Comanche group , I just happened to be the first to respond. The guy lives in Canada and met me in Michigan because he's attending the autorama . 7 hour round trip but it was worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogmorgo Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 2 hours ago, JeepSchmidt O'Guinness said: 3d printing is the answer to costly set up costs for low volume items, however it remains to be seen if this particular instance would prove an economical advantage. But here's my google gurgitation for the day ; https://gpiprototype.com/metal-3d-printing It's not so much whether or not it can be done, but whether it could provide an acceptable product. https://www.quora.com/Is-it-possible-to-3D-print-sheet-metal The properties that rolling and stamping give to the grain structure of sheet metals, notably the stretching and compressing of the grains together causing incredibly strong bonds between the grains, can't be replicated by 3D printing. Yes you can get excellent results quickly compared to casting or machining, and in many cases the laser sintered part will be sturdier than an identical cast part, but for sheet metal components, 3D printing is really only good for prototyping non-structural parts. There are ways to CNC "stamp" metal, for prototyping structural elements from sheet metal, but it's a highly specialized machine you won't find outside of shops that do a ton of prototyping of complex stamped-steel multi-iteration parts (like an auto manufacturer's design department) and a long process. https://newatlas.com/ford-f3t/28148/ Finding someone with a machine like this sitting idle and willing to assist in a handful of floor pans for a 30-year-old truck would probably be as tough as getting someone capable of stamping them and willing to make the dies to pop out a small batch that could take years to sell. That's not to say it's not worth the effort of trying. And for all you know the original dies might still be sitting in a warehouse somewhere, although that's also a slim likelihood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amsuco Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 When I threw out the possibility of 3D printing, I wasn't really thinking of the reproduction being in metal. So far, all I've seen 3D printers work with is a plastic type material. Would a "plastic" floor pan cause any kind of a problem that anyone can think of? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strokermjcomanche Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 36 minutes ago, amsuco said: When I threw out the possibility of 3D printing, I wasn't really thinking of the reproduction being in metal. So far, all I've seen 3D printers work with is a plastic type material. Would a "plastic" floor pan cause any kind of a problem that anyone can think of? Melting from heat , and being not structurally sound Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
13 Legion Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 11 minutes ago, Strokermjcomanche said: Melting from heat , and being not structurally sound I was thinking the high heat as being a drawback, as well as possible cracking from road/trail conditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 structurally sound? I think we've proven that the carpet is structurally sound enough for our trucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogmorgo Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 Yeah, the structure of the plastic is probably less of a concern except possibly in the event of a collision, but will definitely be better than not having floors at all. It would probably be fine to use as a replacement to keep water and exhaust out, and keep heat in, etc. If you have to undergo provincial/state safety inspections, it's unlikely the inspector will have good things to say about it. They will tell you the structure is critical, and that it needs to be metal. You'd also be about as well off laying in chicken wire and fiberglass, which would probably run you cheaper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minuit Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 I'd be curious just how much more rigid an MJ with solid floors is than one without. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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