Hey Alistair,

Anytime you are up for making some of those for sale, I will come
collect one all the way from Alaska. Orange, black, unpolished, I
don't care, they are a work of art!

Adam

On Wed, Aug 3, 2022 at 6:34 AM Alistair Bell <albell@shaw.ca> wrote:
>
> Eric,
>
> It’s expensive to polish any metal.  I’m not taking polishing after electro plating ( that’s not cheap either), but polishing from raw stock.
>
> You know the drill, work up thru series of finer abrasives, and buffing compounds….
> It’s tedious :-)
>
> Ab
>
> > On Aug 3, 2022, at 6:56 AM, Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net> wrote:
> >
> > Then again, this is Aluminum so maybe rust is not a factor so drilling the needed holes is no big deal?  I’m still learning!  I didn’t know it was expensive to polish Aluminum rather then paint for example.
> >
> > Looking forward to hearing how the orange bumpers look on the bus!
> >
> > eRic
> >
> >
> >> On Aug 3, 2022, at 9:49 AM, Eric Caron <ericcaron96@COMCAST.NET> wrote:
> >>
> >> Bumper dreams,
> >>
> >> Not practical but I  always loved the way the early Bay window bumpers curved around and became a step to get into the van.  I wonder why that was only for a couple years.
> >>
> >> On the practical side.  My second van has GW steel bumpers, but the front one had no holes for a from License plate.
> >>
> >> I’d recommend two holes in the correct place for a bracket so that they get pained and are ready. I hate drilling into a newly painted piece.
> >>
> >> Of course Alistair probably has a bunch of cool license brackets ready to go.
> >>
> >>
> >> Eric
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>> On Aug 2, 2022, at 9:57 PM, Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> If you want, yes :-)
> >>>
> >>>> On Aug 2, 2022, at 5:11 PM, Bruce Todd <beeceetee@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> Will they come with bottle cap removers?
> >>>>
> >>>> BT
> >>>>
> >>>>> On Tuesday, August 2, 2022, Alistair Bell <albell@shaw.ca> wrote:
> >>>>> Hey Bruce. I hope to make more bumpers, well I have to make at least 2 sets. We will see how it goes.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I’m kinda slightly regretting my orange choice before seeing it. But hey, live a little .
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Ab
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> On Aug 2, 2022, at 1:28 PM, Bruce Todd <beeceetee@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Or one side orange and the other side brown to compliment Alistair’s best
> >>>>>> in class colour scheme!
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Thebumper looks very nice.  I could also be a beta tester - and you know
> >>>>>> where my van currently lives.   I decided to to go with my stock bumpers
> >>>>>> and not upgrade to keep project costs somewhat in line.  Anyway if you
> >>>>>> begin to roll these off the Bell Industry’s assembly line - you have
> >>>>>> another client…I can even pick up factory seconds directly from the factory.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Bruce
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>> On Tuesday, August 2, 2022, David Boan <dboan@outlook.com> wrote:
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> I think you should paint one side white and the other orange, and promote
> >>>>>>> it as an example of the spirit of compromise in marriage,
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Dave B
> >>>>>>> Boise
> >>>>>>> ________________________________
> >>>>>>> From: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com> on behalf of Eric
> >>>>>>> Caron <ericcaron96@COMCAST.NET>
> >>>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, August 2, 2022 12:40 PM
> >>>>>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> >>>>>>> Subject: Re: Doing another rear aluminum bumper
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> I would love to have my van be orange!  But, white is so darn practical
> >>>>>>> for heat when camping.  Also, my wife is anti orange color for us.  Still a
> >>>>>>> orange 76 westy still fills my dreams!
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> The bumpers in Orange sound great to me!
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Still aluminum can’t just be pretty polished?  I don’t know these things
> >>>>>>> but simple care is appealing.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Eric
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>> On Aug 2, 2022, at 1:34 PM, Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Hey Eric,
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Got a line of beta testers waiting here…. But I’ll put you on the list
> >>>>>>> :-)
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> It’s 1/4” 5052 aluminum. Yes it’s strong enough to stand on, that’s
> >>>>>>> important to me too. And the top plate, the standing surface, is flat, not
> >>>>>>> slightly angled as in the stock steel. So less chance of slipping off in
> >>>>>>> the wet.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Took bumper to powdercoat today. Was going to be all black, a very
> >>>>>>> slight texture . But he showed me a gloss orange that so very closely
> >>>>>>> matches the orange doors I’ve got on van… so why not, encaps still black.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> I can repaint if the orange looks silly
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Ab
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>> On Aug 2, 2022, at 9:17 AM, Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net> wrote:
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>> Hey,
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>> Looking for a Beta tester?  I’ll pay shipping and more!
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>> Light, strong, rust proof, and stock like look?  What is not to love?
> >>>>>>> And, Bell Industries reputation behind it!
> >>>>>>>>> I’m happy with a not perfect version!
> >>>>>>>>> I only want to know is it strong enough for one  to stand on to get up
> >>>>>>> on the luggage rack or rear of bus?
> >>>>>>>>> My stock one on the front wants to bend if I try to step up on it.
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>> I’m blind, but why paint?  Would brushed or polished aluminum stand up
> >>>>>>> without need of touch ups?
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>> Eric Caron
> >>>>>>>>>> On Aug 2, 2022, at 11:08 AM, Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>> Four years :-)
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>> Well , since I measured the stock bumper and drew first model .
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>> Then this spring I had bumper 3D scanned. More or less fit my measured
> >>>>>>> model.
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>> Then more computer modelling , time wasting .
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>> The main part of the bumper is quite fast. Cnc router cut panels, 3,
> >>>>>>> then held in curve on a jig, top and bottom plates tacked on. Then full
> >>>>>>> weld. I tig welded this one, but I’d mig the next.
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>> Router a chamfer on top weld, flap disc grind the bottom weld to blend.
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>> It was the endcaps that took the most time. I have I think four failed
> >>>>>>> versions. Flat pattern cnc cut, then brake press to bend, then a front face
> >>>>>>> and a wee little rear face welded. Grind and blend etc.
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>> Now that the endcaps figured out, not so bad , or slow .
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>> So all the hard work done. I’d say less than 4 hours to make one , not
> >>>>>>> counting cnc machine cut time .
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>> Ab
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>>>> On Aug 2, 2022, at 7:59 AM, Stacy Schneider <vwcrewman@gmail.com>
> >>>>>>> wrote:
> >>>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>>> 
> >>>>>>>>>>> That is really nice, you must have 40 hours in it?
> >>>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>>>                    Stacy
> >>>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>>>> On Tue, Aug 2, 2022 at 7:54 AM Alistair Bell <albell@shaw.ca> wrote:
> >>>>>>>>>>>> Wanted something lighter than my previous and with no trailer hitch.
> >>>>>>> Trying to mimic the stock steel bumper.
> >>>>>>>>>>>> Got one made well enough to powder coat and use.
> >>>>>>>>>>>> https://shufti.blog/2022/08/01/vanagon-making-another-
> >>>>>>> aluminum-bumper/
> >>>>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>>>> Alistair
> >>>>>>>>>>> --
> >>>>>>>>>>> 1989 Swedish Tristar with Aluminum gates and Atiwe 16" Wheels.
> >>>>>>>>>>> Oldest son is an Eagle scout.
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>