Not A Copy/Paste Tacoma Build

I wish I could dedicate time to the craft like this. After work I'm just so burnt out I turn my brain off. I need to teach myself Fusion. I'm certified in Solidworks, and so far it seems similar, but it takes a minute to find where all the stuff I'm used to is.

Build looks awesome and can't wait to see it out ripping up the BC!

 

I feel you dude... Some times I get time to work on the truck and I just sit there staring at it thinking of all the stuff I should be doing but just don't have the energy.

Why don't you just use solid works if you already know it? I've just taught myself fusion from playing with it and watching a lot of YouTube videos

 

Same dudes.. same. 12 hour days at the shop and last thing I want to do is work on anything truck related.

And if you're familiar with Solidworks, I found Fusion to be very similar and user friendly.. as far as the CAD side goes. The CAM side though.. leaves a lot to be desired. I tried using Fusion's CAM for work since it's cheaper and I already had it, but ultimately ended up spending the 16k for MasterCam again...

@WormSquirts definitely hit me up if you need any custom work done. I know it's far, but I've transitioned to being a co-owner and VP of our own family CNC shop, so I can save you some here and there.

That goes for anyone needing or wanting any machine work..

 

I only use the cam side for the plasma table which has been fine, but I don't really know anything else so maybe I don't know what I'm missing.

I will 100% let you know! I still have to redesign that brake handle mount and send to you, just hasn't been a priority yet.

What do you think about machining some alu uca's? I was gunna do them from plate, but machined would be very sick. Just might be way outside my very small budget

 

Because I don't want to pay for it.

 

I use solidworks at work and fusion at home and its not that big of a deal. The only thing thats kind of annoying is I mix up the keys like rotating, translating, and zooming into the parts. I probably could change it on fusion but my wife also uses it so thatd piss her off.

 

Yeah, it's just taking time to get used to. Like it took me an embarrassingly long time to find how to remove material from a solid. Then I finally found it under extrude. I swear Solidworks had a separate function for that.

 

Yeah that's fair, I don't know how much sw is. I used the free version of fusion, but it wasn't long before I started paying for it since I use it nearly every day

 

Just seeing this.. the wife and I have been out in Jamaica for the last week.

2D CAM should be easy peasy.. just like other softwares. When you start getting into 3D and intuitive toolpaths, etc.. that's when I noticed the differences and MasterCam is just too good.

UCAs would be dope.. one of the many things in my head to make at some point. Would definitely be costly with the stock size vs material removal, fixturing, etc.

 

'Extrude Cut' tab in SW.

 

Seats are hereeeee!!!

Corbeau DFX. Finally found a seat that's tall enough for my lanky torso. I find them quite comfortable considering how much containment they have. Won't know for sure how they are on long drives until it's running though. Super stoked on them though! Their harnesses are really nice too. I threw them on just for fun. The dfx also have side or bottom mount which is gunna be helpful for me considering how tight the space is. I made the outside mount today, but I don't know if I'll actually keep that one because I don't think I can make the inside mount have that much adjustability anyway.

 

Also, seat heaters aren't an option for these, but they were nice enough to install them in my front two seats anyway

Now I can finally get all the seat mounts done, get all the harness bars and other tube work done, then sheet metal the entire interior.

 

Is this truck going to be relatively street legal in BC?

 

It's a pretty grey area. But it will be legal until a grumpy cop pulls it over and issues and inspection on it, then I probably won't pass, but it's hard to say. I know they won't like the anti intrusion bars for sure.

 

All the seat mounts are done and 90% of the front harness mounts are done. Redid the front mounts too. Once all the harness mounts are done, I have 6 interior tubes to do and a couple gussets, then the floor and back wall are ready for sheet metal!

Rear seats are tight, but I'm taller than anybody who will be back there, and honestly I could ride in the back and not be too uncomfortable for less than an hour. Anybody shorter will be fine!

I also made the rear seat side mounts removable so if I take a seat or two out of the rear, to make room for extra storage or something, I don't have those big plates there.

Really stoked to be making some forward progress. The Corbeau DFX are sick. The fact that they are side or bottom mount has made it so much easier for me since it it super tight in the front with the trans tunnel and drive shaft. I actually am bottom mounting the inside and side mounting the outside.

I do have a referral link for corbeau if anybody is interested. Not sure what it does, but here you go. https://corbeau.com/?rstr=25355

 

I don't know enough to comment on this build but I just want to say I think its amazing fabrication work. I can see the hours and hours spent on the little details. I'm thinking if someone was to pay for all this it would be a 200k truck.
love this build.

 

Looking good! Also looking like there's a lot of welding in your future lol

 

Thanks man! Comment any time haha I like the discussions. I'm learning as I go, I had barely notched a tube before starting on this build. Had never tig welded before either. Also learned how to use CAD on this truck. And so many other things. It's actually kind of crazy when I think about it.

 

So much haha. Gunna have to start doing the silicon bronze where you can't see it and finish where you can so I can learn on the way haha

 

Sick build!