[Metalcloak]

At MetalCloak, we listen to you, the user, constantly improving our products and processes, striving to not just meet, but beat your expectations.

EDIT: This thread is focuses on our Original Arched Tube Fenders for TJ, but the information applies not only to the Arched Tube Fenders for TJ/LJ and YJ, but also to our Overline Tube Fenders for TJ/LJ, YJ, CJ & JK.

This thread is a response to the request for more detailed information regarding why we have such great confidence in the quality of our product.

Confidence not only in the ability of the product to achieve its primary function - the greatest level of clearance possible without body modifications - but also in the level of quality we have at every point of the manufacturing process.

A previous thread showed via animated diagrams the clearance we achieve vs. other typical tube fenders. You can view this thread here: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f9/metalcloak-clearance-diagrams-metalcloak-vs-others-842196/

This new thread will follow the development of a set of fenders for one member of JeepForum.com. This member, known as FireKite will receive these fenders and then give a full, honest and independent analysis of the full customer experience including the bolt on installation process.

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The First Steps....

To ensure the best possible consistency and quality of manufacture, every individual part that makes up a MetalCloak product is laser cut, bent, and machined on CNC equipment.


Laser Cutting Parts


Bending Facility


Laser Cut and Bent Parts Waiting Assembly

However, all welding is done by hand, keeping to the traditions of craftsmanship and ensuring the highest level of quality of each assembled part.


The true craftsman in action


A Close-Up of the just-completed welds


The Completed Tube Fender

Once the MetalCloak product is completed, it is stored and ready to be shipped out. We strive to always have product on the shelf to avoid back-orders whenever possible.


Products On Shelf and Ready to Go



To be continued... Coming Next: Preparing Your Order...

[Metalcloak]

The next chapter in our story will be posted tomorrow. Thank you for your PMs!

[Deacon]

Personally, I think this is an awesome idea, seeing how your stuff is made from start to finish. There are only really a handful of vendors I can think of that would be both able and willing to do something like that. For those of us who aren't fabricators and depend on companies like yours to build the things we rely on for various functions, it's very cool to see, before we begrudgingly let what's left of our credit cards slide across the table, that there's quality work going into it. For me personally it sure makes me feel a helluvalot better about it, that I'm getting a legitimately good piece of work made by people I might one day actually get the chance to talk to and shake hands with, not buying junk that's slapped together in a factory half way around the world before being packed onto a boat across the Pacific.

And I'm really interested to see what exactly the next "chapter" entails

[nriver]

cool........

[sandjunkie]

Awesome process to share.

[LandoCommando]

too rich for my blood

[UltimateCC]

they look awesome...i could see these in the future on my jeep...

[ChitwnGrnJP]

These are by far my favorite fenders on the market...too bad they are way outta my price range.

[Metalcloak]

As promised, here is the next stage in the process:

Preparing Your Order...

When your order comes in, we don't simply take it off the shelf and pack it up, if the product is not ordered with powdercoating, we DA the metal, creating a consistent finish, ready to be prepped for painting.



But, in the case of the order for FireKite, we are applying our Cardinal Textured Semi-Gloss Black Powder Coat before shipping.

The first step is to media blast every product using a natural mined media to ensure a quality finish and a stronger bond with the powder.


Fender Just Coming out of the Media Blaster... and a close-up of the blasted welds.


The powder coating is applied at 2.0 - 2.5 mil thickness, creating an incredibly strong finish. No cracking or flaking!


The powdercoated fenders then go into the oven for baking.


The finished powdercoated fender


A closer look



EDIT>>> We now have a video showing our Powdercoating process which now includes a Zinc Primer Coat...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc01V4MMC2U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc01V4MMC2U

To Be Continued... Up Next: Shipping

[missionAvs]

Hey, if you guys ever need to send one of these fenders to Central Florida for free, i'll be glad to accept them . Just kidding, the fenders look awesome, by far my favorite on the market and might eventually gather up the bills to pay for a set.

[dendrophobe]

Wow, that powdercoating looks great! I got my driver's side fender and my rear flares in the mail today, bare steel... Nearly makes me wish I had gotten them coated instead of deciding on Hammered black!

Great to see where it all comes from, thanks!

[techna]

This is a great thread......Except that it makes it that much harder waiting on mine to get here.

[Metalcloak]

Originally Posted by techna

This is a great thread......Except that it makes it that much harder waiting on mine to get here.

[Imped]

I will now call those "Sexytime fenders."

[bobthetj03]

Those fenders are "Da Bomb" dude! Wish I could afford em. Looks like you'd need at least 35's to cover up some of that wheel well though! Darn!