New light hood project

[BMW Rider]

Originally Posted by Murminator

WOW thats pretty sweet......almost looks like you knew what you were doing

Well, I thought about it for a few minutes before getting started Actually, I spent more time planning than building.

I'll post more once I get to the wiring and such.

[Delphinus]

Wow. That's awesome.

What did you use to cut the circle cutouts for the fans?

How did you cut the pieces to have such straight edges? Do you have use a press or something like that?

[BMW Rider]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Wow. That's awesome.

What did you use to cut the circle cutouts for the fans?

How did you cut the pieces to have such straight edges? Do you have use a press or something like that?

I cut the circles with a router and a circle cutting jig. Aluminum is easy to rout with a carbide bit. I bought most of the pieces pre cut to size, the outer skin is just roof flashing that I had left over from years ago. I have a sheetmetal break that I used to make the nice straight bends.

[hawaiiguy]

wow... that looks nice! I wish I had metal working tools. All I got is woodworking stuff and that just won't cut it for making a hood.

[BMW Rider]

Originally Posted by hawaiiguy

wow... that looks nice! I wish I had metal working tools. All I got is woodworking stuff and that just won't cut it for making a hood.

Other than the sheet metal break, not too many tools required beyond the pop riveter and a hacksaw. I used my router to cut the holes in the ends for the fans. The vent holes were drilled with a forstner bit. You could easily have the metal cut and bent for you at a metal shop, then just do the assembly part.

Perhaps I'll take orders once I'm done

[golfbomber]

looks great!

[BMW Rider]

Got the VHO sockets enad of last week, so yesterday and today I finished the project.

this is the buisness side with everything installed



All the wiring junctions. I made all the cords equal lenght to the ballasts now (they were unequal lengths due to the socket locations and how I had routed them), and spliced the two fans onto a single cord instead of seperate.



Here it is installed in the cabinet.



And here is what I am replacing. I think this new one looks much improved.

[niloc16]

that setup looks awesome, congrats. looks like alot of planning, but darn cheap by the sounds of it

[BMW Rider]

Not too bad for cost. The most expensive part is the VHO bulbs, but I needed 1 new PC anyway. Well under a hundred for the rest. Of course I all ready had all the really expensive parts; ballasts, fans, MH sockets and bulbs, etc.