Recut Top Right Door Bracket, Tapped Other Brackets, Widened Door Holes, Countersunk Lower Left Back Door Hole

Back to work on the back door.

I cut a replacement bracket for the one that I snapped the end of my #4-40 tap bit in.



I used the original bracket as a template for the mounting holes used to attach the bracket to the frame. I drilled through the holes and through a 1/2" scrap piece of plywood.



I used the block of wood as a guide for where to drill the replacement bracket.



After drilling the new bracket, I countersunk the holes.



Unfortunately, I was not immediately able to screw the bracket onto the frame. This is the ill-fated bracket that I also snapped off the drill bit on the upper hole the other day. The digging with the pliers to pull the drill bit out left enough slop that I wasn't getting a tight fit when I tried screwing down the replacement bracket.



I decided to use wood glue to glue a toothpick in the hole, and then I covered the mess I made with the needle nose pliers using JB Weld. An hour or two later, I smoothed this over little more, and I will sand it smooth once it's all dry.



In the meantime, I got to work on widening the holes on the door. Previously, I had drilled these holes with a #43 drill bit, so that when the drill bit drilled through the door and the bracket behind it, the hole in the bracket would be the rights size for tapping for a #4-40 screw. I used a 0.116" drill bit to widen the hole to be large enough to allow a #4 screw to pass through.



I also bought a replacement #4-40 tap bit (two of them actually). Rather than attempt to tap the brackets while they were still in the frame, I removed them, put them in a vise, and tapped them there instead. Much better, no broken bits today.



I reinstalled the three brackets, and screwed the door in place. The upper-right bracket isn't installed yet, until the JB Weld and wood glue dry and have been sanded smooth.

I was able to countersink one of the four holes on the door, the lower-left hole. I need at least two diagonally opposing screws to keep the door on, so this was the only hole I was able to countersink tonight.




Hopefully I can install the upper-right bracket tomorrow, drill and tap it, finish the countersinking on the door, and be done with the door installation. Then all that's left is installing the rear power coupler.

Finished Attaching Door Brackets, Drilled Back Door for Mounting Screws

Work on installing the back door continues.

I taped the door back onto the body, so I could locate where the two bottom brackets go, and trace their locations.


After tracing where the brackets belong, I removed the door, and used the holes on the brackets to trace where to drill. (Blindly tracing the bracket when the door was on also produced to nice scribbles.)



I drilled the holes and installed the two bottom brackets.




Now all four brackets are installed.



I taped the door on yet again, in preparation for drilling through the door and brackets as pairs, using a #43 drill bit for the #4 1/2" machine screws I plan to use to secure the door. I then got to work drilling.



Close enough.



The location of the vertical ribs on the frame dictate where the brackets go, which in turn dictate where the holes get drilled. I'd prefer that the holes were a little closer to the edge of the door, but there's not much I can do about it.



Next, I started tapping the holes with a #4-40 tap.



What's worse then snapping a drill bit in the wooden frame, like I did last night? Snapping a tap bit in a metal bracket.



There is virtually no part of the tap bit sticking out of the hole I was tapping. That segment will be in there until the sun consumes the earth, billions of years from now. I will need to cut a new bracket, drill and install it, and I'll need to replace my #4-40 tap bit.



Disgusted with my handiwork, I decided to call it quits for tonight. I still need to finish tapping all the brackets, and I also need to widen the holes on the door to fit the #4 screws, and then countersink those holes.

Attached Top Two Door Mounting Brackets

Tonight I got started installing the door mounting brackets on the frame.

I lined up the left top bracket with the line I traced on the frame last night, and marked where to drill one of the holes.




I repeated the process for the right top bracket as well.



I then drilled a pilot hole for one of the two #4 1/2" wood screws that I'm using to attach the bracket to the frame.



Here's something I don't recommend, snapping the drill bit in the hole.



About 20 minutes later I managed to pull the sucker out, and switched to a larger bit. This one was 1/16". Not the first time I've done this, and probably not the last.



With the first screw in place, I drilled the hole for the second screw.




Time to do the bottom two brackets.

Oh, wait. I can't. The intersection of the horizontal and vertical ribs is uneven on both sides. I thought I had finished work on the frame a year or two ago, but it was time to break out the sand paper again.



Now it's smooth, but in the process I sanded off my bracket alignment mark. I'll need to tape the door down again and retrace it.



Same thing for the right side.




As much as I would have liked to finish up the bracket installation tonight, it started getting late, and I decided this can wait, hopefully just a day.

Worked on Back Door Angle Brackets

Tonight I spent a little time working on the brackets used to mount the back door.

First, I drilled a pair of holes into each bracket for the #4 1/2" mounting screws, using a 0.116" drill bit.



I then countersunk the holes.




Next, I used a hammer to slightly bend the brackets, to accommodate the curve of the door.




I taped the door in place, and traced with a pencil where the brackets should be mounted.




I ran out of time, so next I'll screw the brackets in place, and then I'll be ready to do some drilling on the door, and the brackets behind it.

Abandoned Pins and Magnets for Back Door, Started Cutting Brackets

Well, I suppose deep down I had a feeling this might happen. I decided to back off using the magnets and pins to secure the back door, and I'll go with the screws and brackets that I used on droid #1.

I started the day by jamming the wooden segment that will go on the frame onto the pin that's in the wooden segment on the door. I held the door in place, and traced where the wooden segments that go on the frame should be.



I then used the two holes on the wooden segment to mark where to drill, by spinning the drill bit lightly manually.



Then I drilled the holes and screwed down the segment. The magnet is not yet glued in.




I repeated the process for the other side, and did a test-fit of the door.



With a little fidgeting, I was able to get the pins on the door segments into the holes on the frame segments. However, I did not like the fact that I almost needed to flex the door in order to get the pins to line up. Even then, the fit was very snug.

I could have kept adjusting things, but I decided that it was more grief than it was worth. When I started this process, I figured if it worked easily, then great. If not, I'll back off and attach the door like I do on droid #1. So that's what I'll do. I haven't removed the pieces I JB Welded to the door yesterday. I can probably just twist them off, or if need be I'll Dremel them off. They actually aren't posing any problems, so for the moment I'll just leave them there.

In the evening, I cut four segments of 1" angle iron. These will be screwed onto the frame, holes will be drilled, and the door will be attached, just like on droid #1.

JB Welded Wooden Segments to Back Door

Today I finally had a little time to work on the back door mounting.

I am using JB Weld to attach the wooden segments I cut earlier. These segments have a steel dowel pin and screw head attached on them. A matching wooden segment on the frame will have a corresponding hole for the pin, and a magnet for the screw head.

I applied some JB weld to the side of the wooden block that gets glued to the inside of the door. Afterward, I spread it around a little.



I then applied it in place on the door, where I had made guiding pencil marks earlier when I did a fit inside the droid. The pin is just pressed in for now. It will be glued in later.



After the JB Weld on the first block had a chance to cure for a while, I worked on the other one. The block is sitting a little above the pencil alignment marks, ready to be flipped over and glued down.



And down it goes.



I'll let the JB Weld cure overnight, and then I can work on the matching wooden segments that get attached to the frame.