Notices
General Miata Chat A place to talk about anything Miata

my first attempt at a fan shroud

Old Dec 9, 2007 | 04:52 AM
  #1  
trito's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 213
Total Cats: 0
From: San Jose
Default my first attempt at a fan shroud

Here are some pics of the fan shroud I made for the Godspeed radiator and ebay fans. I decided to use aluminum vs lexan because I could get away with a thinner sheet. Also the alu sheet was around $20. I didn't have a jig saw so I ended up using a dremel to cut everything :(

t.t.

Name:  Fan_Shroud2.jpg
Views: 732
Size:  86.3 KB

Name:  fan_Shroud1.jpg
Views: 714
Size:  105.4 KB
Old Dec 9, 2007 | 07:09 AM
  #2  
soflarick's Avatar
Senior Member
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 884
Total Cats: 0
From: Floriduh
Default

Nice. What fans are those?
Old Dec 9, 2007 | 07:32 AM
  #3  
neogenesis2004's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (12)
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,413
Total Cats: 20
Default

Don't you want the shroud to be spaced off the face of the rad like 1" (with the sides enclosed obviously)? Otherwise, how would air move through the rad anywhere other than the fan openings.

I've never have a shroud on a car rad, but I've watercooled MANY pcs and my shrouds there are always space the fan off of the surface.
Old Dec 9, 2007 | 09:03 AM
  #4  
mtncrvr's Avatar
Junior Member
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 246
Total Cats: 0
From: NC
Default

Gotta say it - that's remarkably clean for dremel cutting such a large piece :-)
Old Dec 9, 2007 | 09:33 AM
  #5  
lwindridge's Avatar
Junior Member
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 57
Total Cats: 0
From: Leicestershire, UK
Default

Originally Posted by soflarick
Nice. What fans are those?
They look the same as mine from http://www.siliconeintakes.com/index.php?cPath=15.

Nice and cheap for 2x 10" fans and they shift the air like a twister!

I've just had my aluminum sheet arrive on Friday so I'll be making a very similar shroud very soon too!

Are you going to fold the sides in at all or leave them open? Looking at the PWR shroud there's is folded over so I might try and copy that if I can get it right - just need to get the old jigsaw out and get cutting next week at some point
Old Dec 9, 2007 | 10:43 AM
  #6  
kotomile's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (24)
 
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,537
Total Cats: 42
From: Monterey, CA
Default

Originally Posted by mtncrvr
Gotta say it - that's remarkably clean for dremel cutting such a large piece :-)
+1!
Old Dec 9, 2007 | 12:10 PM
  #7  
cjernigan's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (13)
 
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,091
Total Cats: 7
From: Atlanta, GA
Default

Originally Posted by neogenesis2004
Don't you want the shroud to be spaced off the face of the rad like 1" (with the sides enclosed obviously)? Otherwise, how would air move through the rad anywhere other than the fan openings.

I've never have a shroud on a car rad, but I've watercooled MANY pcs and my shrouds there are always space the fan off of the surface.
I think the standoffs on the GS rad are tall enough that this will be fine? I haven't seen one in person though.
Old Dec 9, 2007 | 12:25 PM
  #8  
neogenesis2004's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (12)
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,413
Total Cats: 20
Default

Oh, I didn't know there were standoffs. As long as he folds the sides over then he should be golden. I have a large Al sheet here at the apt, I think I'll take it home and fab this up during the motor swap as well.
Old Dec 9, 2007 | 12:53 PM
  #9  
kotomile's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (24)
 
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,537
Total Cats: 42
From: Monterey, CA
Default

where do you all buy your sheetmetal? All I know of is homedepot but it's usually crap for selection.
Old Dec 9, 2007 | 01:14 PM
  #10  
cjernigan's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (13)
 
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,091
Total Cats: 7
From: Atlanta, GA
Default

Lowes has a pretty sweet selection of aluminum sheet. They're expensive as hell though. I get it for free from my schools lab. Otherwise you should go hit up some local sheet metal shops. HVAC places and things like that. Call them up and see if they're willing to sell scrap. A 3x3' piece of scrap isn't worth much to places like that. Even if it's not aluminum, you could just paint it.
Old Dec 9, 2007 | 01:23 PM
  #11  
trito's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 213
Total Cats: 0
From: San Jose
Default

yeah the GS rad has about 1" standoffs. Actually I'm thinking about using insulation for the sides to keep the air from escaping from the sides.
Old Dec 9, 2007 | 01:41 PM
  #12  
AbeFM's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,047
Total Cats: 13
From: San Diego, CA
Default

I second that, awesome cuts for a dremmel. Look better than my bandsaw cuts. :-P

I'm curious about the fans, though - the OEM's are pretty good, so it seems not worth upgrading unless I get something ridiculously good. And that means $400 on SPALS or something?
Old Dec 9, 2007 | 02:10 PM
  #13  
kotomile's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (24)
 
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,537
Total Cats: 42
From: Monterey, CA
Default

CJ - thanks I'll try Lowes

Abe - The OE fans are good, but BIG. The ebay fan seems to work perfect for everyone here who's using it.
Old Dec 9, 2007 | 04:53 PM
  #14  
Oscar's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,022
Total Cats: 120
From: Bolton, UK
Default

looks nice, my dremel cuts are never that good
Old Dec 9, 2007 | 05:06 PM
  #15  
patsmx5's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (16)
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 9,406
Total Cats: 559
From: Houston, TX
Default

Looks good man. Still don't believe you used a drem for those cuts though....
Old Dec 9, 2007 | 05:31 PM
  #16  
cjernigan's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (13)
 
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,091
Total Cats: 7
From: Atlanta, GA
Default

No kidding. It takes soooo long to cut anything with a dremel. I'd have lost patience quickly with a dremel.
Old Dec 9, 2007 | 06:14 PM
  #17  
AbeFM's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,047
Total Cats: 13
From: San Diego, CA
Default

It's all about the air tools. A cut off wheel is like the world's best dremmel. And when you positively need to dremmel something, they make little air dremmels, very thin and good for getting in tight places.
Old Dec 9, 2007 | 09:07 PM
  #18  
Loki047's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (6)
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,143
Total Cats: -5
From: Chicago
Default

www.metalexpress.com
Old Dec 9, 2007 | 10:35 PM
  #19  
y8s's Avatar
y8s
DEI liberal femininity
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 19,338
Total Cats: 574
From: Fake Virginia
Default

check your yellow pages for local metal scrap yards. I used to go to the same place the mythbusters use because it was across the street from my work (http://www.alcometals.com/). now I got nothin but mcmaster.com
Old Dec 9, 2007 | 10:44 PM
  #20  
neogenesis2004's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (12)
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,413
Total Cats: 20
Default

I get my scrap on EBAY son! Seriously though, you can find some big pieces at great prices.

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:57 PM.