There is actually, called cheap off shore labour.

It’s what our North American lifestyle depends on :-)

> On Aug 3, 2022, at 11:23 AM, Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net> wrote:
> 
> What, no magic machine that does it all in minutes?  
> 
>    Paint sounds good to me compared to that polishing description!
> 
> Eric 
> 
> 
>> On Aug 3, 2022, at 10:34 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.
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>