Door Skins

[toyrunner95]

I have pondered long and hard about this and I have yet to come to a decent conclusion on how to proceed. I have decieded that I want to use abs plastic sheeting, mainly because it's super light and really easy to cut with a cutoff wheel. The trick however is to figour out how to get the holes for the window crank, and the door opener thing.

I am going to start with cardboard or tag board and trace out the door then go from there. Is this a good way to do this? Does anyone have any tips? tricks?

[ntsqd]

Seems to me that ann abrasive cut-off wheel would load up pretty fast. I've always used jig saws or band saws to cut ABS sheet.

[toyrunner95]

Well i have a bandsaw, and that would work slick. Oh and while i'm thinking about it, where did you get your ABS plastic.

[ntsqd]

I mostly worked with it in college in the polymers lab. A guy made a form for the vacu-former to make door panels for a Samurai. Those of us interested pulled a panel or two just to see how it worked. Trimming after wards was done with the band saw.

[ToyFamily]

I'd use tag board, a dirty Sharpie and rub along the edges (or holes) needed to be marked. Trim out along the "lines" and test fit, a Vericle band saw should work awesome.

Nick

[Nullifier]

I made mine from Diamond press we had laying around the shop. I just dissasembled the door panel and then layed it over the sheet of dieamind press. Traced it around the perimeter as well as all the holes for handles cranks etc mounting tabs etc. Then cut and drilled it out/ Reinstalled al the factory pieces and presto Diamond plate door panels. It ook about 30 minutes per side.

Now if you are making new panels with fabric covering or adding in 3 dimensional "art" like flames etc. Then you need to factor in another 45 minutes per side to have areally slick custom fabric door panel. It is easy I can instruct you on it if that is what you want to do.