3-D printing TR2 beading correctly

[irrational]

I have seriously started finding a local company to scan my original beading sections to be able to 3-D print complete replacement sets.

I have not found anyone that already does this around the world (although here has been talk around the forums).

 

I was wondering if anyone either knows someone that already can do this, or if not, people would be interested to obtain these if I can get it done?

My rear sections are original and the fronts are not, so I decided to find a full replacement set with the correct half-circle profile as I do not like the available replacements everyone uses.

 

Dirk

 

[RogerH]

Hi Dirk,

I understand that Baines in Tunbridge UK made the original and can still make them. But the quantity may be an issue.

 

I may have this wrong but the earliest beading was cotton covered.

Then it went to colour coordinated rubber/plastic.

And now it is Stainless steel.

 

ADDRESS

COH Baines Ltd
Unit 3
Buckingham House
Longfield Road
Tunbridge Wells
Kent
TN2 3EY
United Kingdom

TELEPHONE

Phone: 01892 543311

Roger

[Don H.]

https://www.coh-baines.co.uk/

[irrational]

That is a useful site, thank you!

 

My wing beading is solid green plastic.

Modern recreations, including the metal, have the beading rounded at the top and often hollow as well.

The original TR2 is about the top 2/5ths of a circle at the top, making a flattened curve that is much closer to the body.

 

Here is a nice photo showing the cross section.

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh260/TR3driver/Misc%20parts/tr2_beading_profile_1.jpg~original

 

3-D printing this is not an issue per se, just the size. Not many people have large enough size printer to print a full beading section.

 

Dirk

[John McCormack]

I am after original beading for my long door restoration. If someone can please confirm that Baines can reproduce the original cloth covered beading that is painted body colour I will contact them by phone, from Australia.

[Charlie D]

Hello Dirk,

 

I’d be surprised if it were possible to 3-D print wing beading.

Originally it would have been produced by extrusion. – Pushing molten plastic through a suitably shaped die.

 

That way it just comes out like toothpaste out of a tube and in theory could go on for miles (well, at least until the plastic supply runs out.), at quite high speed.

 

With a 3-D printer you are putting layer upon layer of plastic. The Z axes of the machine would limit the length of beading that could be made. Plus, being such a small section, I would think that it would fall over after about 12 inches tall. 3 D printing is generally very slow (and time is money with any engineering process.)

 

As the section is very simple I would have thought that it would be relatively cheap (Less than £500 ?) to get a die made, and then one of the thousands of plastic extruding companies somewhere could produce it. Just a matter of using the right type of plastic and the right colours.

 

Charlie D

[Lebro]

+1

 

Bob.

[RogerH]

I am after original beading for my long door restoration. If someone can please confirm that Baines can reproduce the original cloth covered beading that is painted body colour I will contact them by phone, from Australia.

Hi John,

send them an e-mail https://www.coh-baines.co.uk/pages/Contact-Us.html

 

Could you aso ask about the colour coded beading and the various quantities.

 

Roger

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

Why not scotch bright the later stainless bead and have it painted body colour? The factory seemed to think that process was OK for TR5 and '69 TR6. You will have to correct its length in a couple of places, but not too difficult. There is an olive TR2 around with this done, and soon two red TR2's I am acquainted with.

Peter W

[EdwinTiben]

Why not scotch bright the later stainless bead and have it painted body colour? The factory seemed to think that process was OK for TR5 and '69 TR6. You will have to correct its length in a couple of places, but not too difficult. There is an olive TR2 around with this done, and soon two red TR2's I am acquainted with.

Peter W

 

i did the same with my ice blue tr2. but if target is 100% originality this is not correct... the later stainless beading is a bit wider, because the original cloth covered is very small and wont cover the panel gaps unless the edges of the panels are redone. the cloth beading is very very small, only seen it on the tr2 of hans kooy.

 

i havent seen any cloth beading available?

 

i understand that for a beetle, the beading is available and is a bit thinner than whats available for the tr's. this is in flexible material which makes it difficult to have in a straight line and painted without breaking?

Edited January 30, 2018 by EdwinTiben

[RogerH]

Hi Edwin,

in my search for TR2 beading back in 2016 I spoke the VW classic caravan/beetle supplier in Shoreham and they use rubber/plastic beading that has a full round head.

Do you know of another source of VW 1/2 round beading.

 

Roger

[irrational]

The die and plastic extrusion is something I had not considered.

I will definitely follow up on that!

Sign of the times!

 

The 3-D print guys came back and said they can do it. The cost is quite high, but they think around 200 gbp for a set. (And another 200 to scan the car to shape it, as the 3-D plastic is hard and needs to be shaped).

 

One thing I have not checked of course, is the original plastic beading shaped or just a straight piece that is then fit around the curve somehow?

Surely you can't bend a straight piece of plastic around such a long curve however soft it is?

 

Dirk

[Tom Fremont]

I know this is going to disappoint a few people, but " 3-D Printing " doesn't begin to resemble the image most people ( OK, most millennials anyway ) have. It's not a revolutionary, recent discovery but something which has been evolving all along and which suddenly acquired a new name and futuristic cachet.

 

Metal parts can literally take 1000s of hours each. Nothing like clicking a mouse and watching it pop out before your eyes in the next instant.

 

Cheers,

Tom

[Guest]

Not sure it's the same, but check the Saab 96 suppliers as well.

 

Menno

[Nick Webster]

Mention had been made of the fabric piping. The reason this is not much advertised is that most trimmers will make it themselves from off cuts. It can then be color co-ordinated to choice. There are various thicknesses of piping cord available and then vinyl or leather is simply sewn round it. It can even be done on a home machine, but for best results will require a piping foot which compared to the standard foot is off-set. Cost about £15. Whether round piping or flattened is correct for TR2 wings has been the subject of previous debate in this forum.

 

Nick

[RogerH]

 

 

One thing I have not checked of course, is the original plastic beading shaped or just a straight piece that is then fit around the curve somehow?

Surely you can't bend a straight piece of plastic around such a long curve however soft it is?

 

Dirk

 

Hi Dirk,

the beading isn't rigid. It is a flexible rubbery plastic material. So it will easily form around the curves.

 

 

Roger

Edited February 5, 2018 by RogerH

[RogerH]

Mention had been made of the fabric piping. The reason this is not much advertised is that most trimmers will make it themselves from off cuts. It can then be color co-ordinated to choice. There are various thicknesses of piping cord available and then vinyl or leather is simply sewn round it. It can even be done on a home machine, but for best results will require a piping foot which compared to the standard foot is off-set. Cost about £15. Whether round piping or flattened is correct for TR2 wings has been the subject of previous debate in this forum.

 

Nick

Hi Nick,

I have sent you a PM

 

Roger

[John McCormack]

I have emailed Baines, awaiting a reply.

[John McCormack]

I have emailed Baines, awaiting a reply.

The text of Baines reply below. Still looking!

 

"Hello John,

 

I’m afraid we don’t have a match for this item. If you’re able to send a small sample in to us, we can investigate producing a bespoke item for you, though there would be a tooling charge and a minimum run involved, so it may be worth taking this on as a project between yourself and some of the other interested parties."

[iain]

SDF? Not that I am sure how or who you need to contact.

 

I am sure Roger can help

 

Iain

[RogerH]

Hi Iain,

I forwarded Dirk and John all the info that we have at present.

 

The problem is one of size - too few rebuilds and too large a minimum order level.

 

Correct me if I am wrong - I understand that after the original fabric covered beading it went over to colour co-ordinated plastic.

To order anything you need to look at the combinations/permutations of what is going on

 

How many TR2 rebuilds

How many colours

How often are they rebuilt

Minimum quantity from the supplier.

 

The numbers start to get silly.

If you seriously wanted a super duper concours TR2 then there is nothing stopping you getting the beading made.

Ignore the cost it can be done.

However somebody has to pay for all the costs and that is normally spread over all the purchasers if there is only a handful of purchasers will they be willing to empty their wallets.

 

Have you spoken to the big suppliers - there are some quantities out there but in limited colours.

 

Roger

Edited March 2, 2018 by RogerH

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

I know we used to stock wing piping on the roll at Cox & Buckles - but only ever black.

Here is a supplier of the same sort of stuff - in Black. available in 3mm or 6 mm core. (that's metricated 1/8" and 1/4")

 

You could make your own using Rexine Vinide material and piping core if black was not your choice - both from this supplier.

http://www.martrim.co.uk/car-trimming-supplies/piping.php

http://www.martrim.co.uk/car-trimming-supplies/wing-piping.php

http://www.martrim.co.uk/car-trimming-supplies/vinide-leather-cloth-rexine.php

http://www.martrim.co.uk/car-trimming-supplies/piping-core.php

 

Peter W

[Charlie D]

Peter,

 

I’ve been looking at this sort of stuff recently as I intend to (try to) make my own seat covers, with homemade beading.

 

The only thing I would say about using Rexine/Vinide/leathercloth for wing piping is “Is it weatherproof?”

 

Rexine/Vinide/leathercloth is a much thinner material than that used for hoods etc, and I believe it is made in a different way.

 

I may be wrong about it’s use for external items, but it would be a shame to make up coloured wing beading, fit it and then find it’s rotted away in a year or so.

 

Has anyone ever tried it?

 

Charlie D.

Edited March 6, 2018 by Charlie D

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

Peter,

 

I’ve been looking at this sort of stuff recently as I intend to (try to) make my own seat covers, with homemade beading.

 

The only thing I would say about using Rexine/Vinide/leathercloth for wing piping is “Is it weatherproof?”

 

Rexine/Vinide/leathercloth is a much thinner material than that used for hoods etc, and I believe it is made in a different way.

 

I may be wrong about it’s use for external items, but it would be a shame to make up coloured wing beading, fit it and then find it’s rotted away in a year or so.

 

Has anyone ever tried it?

 

Charlie D.

Send Martrim a question about weatherproofing and Rexine.

Peter W

[roger murray-evans]

I have yet to address this area of my longdoor TR2 'bits to acquire' list.

Does anyone have an idea when the use of rexine/piping beading ceased

in favour of the 1/2 round plastic section?

As I was never aware that the piping was ever a production item, I'd be very happy

if it was.

My car is quite early (TS70L Nov 1953).

Could I be in luck?

I've had loads of such piping made up over the years, and it's a dead easy option.

 

Roger Murray-Evans