Project Log update 4

BaDassumption

Created by: dutchcedar
Worklog link

I'll leave the introduction to the man himself! "A few of us were chewing the fat in the back halls of WizD Forums and thought it would be fun to come up with a design for a new rig. Well, ideas flew around, one thing led to another and the next thing you know, I started a design in SketchUp. We talked about building an animated mech, a rig designed with a motorcycle style frame or one based on hot rods."

"After a couple of weeks of bouncing ideas around with the forum wizards, the result was this design of a bubble-topped, multiple pod creation…"

The design is pretty outrageous - but you can see that, only days into the project, it was already coming together well. Of course, when you're making a motorcyle themed mod, it helps to have some connections in the business! Dutchcedar explains, "It just so happens, that many moons ago one of my jobs was an estimator at Bayfab Metals in San Leandro, California. They have a fine reputation in the circles of metal forming. So I got in touch with them and they sheared and formed these pieces for me. This is what they looked like right out of the press brake." Sweet, huh?

There are plenty of metal parts to be machined if the final article is to look anything like the concept design. This PSU holder has been machined, drilled, polished, you name it - the worklog has the excruciating detail with some great photography to go with it.

"This is my favorite component so far. It comes from Billet Specialties and is usually used in custom cars and hot rods as a radiator overflow tank. It goes so well with the parts Alpine Machine turned for the pump and bulkhead fittings, I couldn't pass it up. Its going to mount on the bubble top ring, so when the bubble gets lifted, the radiator falls back and the reservoir lifts up, so the reservoir becomes the highest point, perfect for filling."

A crazy idea - but doesn't that reservoir look the business?

Something big is... afoot? (Sorry.)

The bubble pod, reminiscent of old retro car designs, was done by a friend at a vacuum-forming workshop. With many of the metal pieces now being machined and half-built, the project is coming together and looks, frankly, fantastic.

As we mentioned, there are some amazing photos of the metalwork being carried out - if you're a fan of shiny auto parts, you absolutely owe it to yourself to read through the whole thing. It really is a work of art.