Billet Aluminium

[ZHead]

Hi Guys,

At a barbecue recently I was chatting to a friend of mine and asked "so what exactly do you do then ?" and it turns out he is involved in reverse engineering components, producing drawings and having them made out of billet aluminium.

You will not be surprised to hear that my interest picked up VERY quickly.

There are a few "one off" parts that I will get made from billet for my car but I wondered what sort of parts anyone else might be interested in..... not a group buy as such because they go sour but more food for thought ....

Anyone fancy any billet parts ? Which bits ? Possibly or definitely ?

 

[SeanDezart]

Enlighten me - I'm all curious ! What bits are 'ripe' for 'billeting' (is that proper English) ?

 

[SeanDezart]

Enlighten me - I'm all curious ! What bits are 'ripe' for 'billeting' (is that proper English) ?

 

[ZHead]

Not sure Sean, that's why I asked for opinions.

There are the obvious things like mustache bars similar to the US made ones and all the associated hanging hardware, one thing I want is a heater control panel made from billet if it can be done (or carbon, another creeping fetish).

Anything on the car really that could be reverse engineered then CNC machined from billet aircraft aluminium. Maybe badges ?????

Was just asking if anyone would be interested and if they were which parts would they be interested in.

 

[Nigel Brook]

What exactly does "billet" mean?

 

[Tony 260Z]

Billet means one solid lump I think!

Also interestingly, I met a chap at a trackday recently who said "My son is at university studying motorsport engineering and has lots of contacts so if you need any bits made for your brakes give me a call"...

a) Why the heck wasn't there a great course like THAT when I was thinking about uni...

b) I wonder what sort of clever brackets could be useful for fitting modern calipers onto my Z!

 

[SeanDezart]

Was just asking if anyone would be interested and if they were which parts would they be interested in.

I get it - you're fishing for ideas on what you'd like done...if you knew what could be done.

Someone make me a Minilite copy that weighs grams

In fact, how dense is aluminium compared to steel, magnesium, carbon etc ?

Gear lever, window-winder arms, strut braces, wheel centre caps, battery surround holders, discreet chassis rail length cover to hide all those wires and fuel lines.....bumpers ?

 

[ZHead]

Sean you old cynic

And wildly off base .........

What was actually going through my mind albeit very vaguely and very loosely was to have a few of each bit made and offer them for sale, that way if 10 parts cost x amount and I divided x by 9 and sold the rest I would get my bit free for doing the work and running around.

Was thinking things like billet hubs both 4 and 5 stud, mustache bar, window winder handles, heater console panel, hanger for finned diff cover etc. As I am not an engineer but know a man who is my mind was open to any suggestions. Maybe even the surround for a jdm fron grill and have it filled with stainless mesh - who knows ? Have thought of gate for the gearstick and straight stick with billet knob on top with the gear pattern cut in.

I can of course get my stuff made one off, I would have the part and the cnc program so could do runs whenever appropriate.

Does not seem to be a lot of interest so maybe I should stick to one off pieces

 

[SeanDezart]

Great idea to offer up goodies to members, if you decide upon something, spill it here, maybe I'll have one ! Makes perfect sense to have one for yourself free whilst offering others the chance to have something exclusive at a fair price !

 

[ZHead]

trawling around stuff currently on offer from existing "billet" vendors I have found steering knuckles, both standard and 10mm shorter for "quick steering", front A arms and compression struts, Mustache bar, brace for finned diff cover, hubs, cv adaptors, rear disc brake brackets, wheel stud adapters, etc etc.

Zeeman pretty much has all billet stuff on offer already

If you search for billet parts for other marques like Porsche you will find pdals, door handles, lock pulls, switchgear, allsorts.

 

[grolls]

you will find pdals, door handles, lock pulls, switchgear, allsorts.

Don't tell Skiddy, he'll change his Carbon Fibre underpants for billet Ali!

 

[SKiddell]

Engine blanking plates (fuel pump and front top cover plate)
Gearknobs
Window winders
Camber plates
Tracking arms
Steering knuckles
Roll centre spacers
Suspension tops and spring perches
Wheel hubs
Diff mounts
Gearbox mounts
Roll bar mounts
Steering coupler

Dont get me started on billet titanium

 

[zeeman1972]

Zeeman pretty much has all billet stuff on offer already

Man can never have enough billet ali!

Besides I would really like a decent sized billet gear knob a little like my Accords or the S2000's except with the T56 shift pattern on

Also nicer door handles would be good, not fussed about winders as I'm going electric, S2000 type 'start' button, badges definitely, a 570Z badge in Datsun script would be a winner for me, if I think of some more I'll let you know, besides I need to give you a call about the bits anyhow.

 

[SKiddell]

Oh.... nearly forgot billet gated gear shift ala Ferrari

 

[SKiddell]

Oh and a range of billet horn pushes with the Z logo machine engraved on
to match the billet bonnet/rear spoiler and wing badges

 

[ZHead]

Wow ! So not much then

I will investigate the picing and what is available, it will be much cheaper to pick a component, have it 3d scanned and a drawing automatically produced by the pooter than have new stuff designed (plus the fact I am to technical design what Dame Edna Everidge is to undersea welding)

No promises here mind, just going on someone else's word but I will have a look. The way that it should work is ......

1) provide a part and £30-40 backhander to get it 3d scanned and a technical drawing produced in the guy's lunch hour
2) send to their manufacturing plant in the Czech Republic to have the drawing turned into a CNC program and have the part made
3)Apply any finish required such as anodising
4)Pay the bill........

The last point is the one that makes me smile - the going rate to have CNC programs written, skilled people to set up the machine and the tooling and a skilled operator to manufacture the part is .....................£6 per hour in the Czech Republic. Assume 2 hours to write the program, an hour to set up the machine and and 2 hours to make the part, you are looking at £30 labour for a ONE OFF. Make ten and it gets cheaper.

The material cost will be as much as the manufacturing cost or more.

Will do some digging to see how real this actually is and let you know