Let's see some sheet metal shaping

What you're referring to as "aluminum killed" is actually drawing quality steel.

The drawing quality steels are more refined, so to speak. They have a lower carbon content and a more uniform grain structure than the commercial quality steels. Both are aluminum killed though, as it's part of the process.

Most of us who shape sheet metal professionally don't use the drawing quality steels, as there is no real advantage to it for how we shape. I've tried both types in a side by side test and could not see a difference. Progressive sheet metal shaping, done by hammers, beater bags, e-wheels, power hammers, planishing hammers, etc. is only moving a small amount of metal at a time, so it becomes a non issue.

This topic almost always seems to come up when sheet metal shaping in discussed. Go back in time a few hundred years, what kind of steel did they use????? some of those old fella's building suits of armor sure didn't have the luxury of ordering some deep drawing quality aluminum killed steel. He had to start with a big chunk of ore and make his own sheet. We have it far too easy!!!

Now, if you were to make dies and use something like this, you would want to go ahead a get the proper sheet metal for this type of operation, which would definitely be drawing quality steel. The drawing quality steel is designed for the stamping industry and should be used when stamping.

 

Thanks Randy! That is awsome information!!!

 

there were some Cobra go-kart bodies around out here at the swap meet,
maybe thats what he used for a pattern,

Beaulieu

 

I agree.

 

Randy

I wasn't getting the whole AK cold roll thing.Thanks for the explanation.

 

Amazing!

 

I had a hand in some of the rough shaping on Randy's Willys nose...but the finish work is definitely all him!

I worked on one of the fenders.......well, several of us beat the crap out of the sheetmetal it's made from. Once we started getting close to the pattern, Randy noticed we were making the wrong side

Going along with what Mr. Arial said about the fit of the flex pattern, Randy took the fender and a BFH and turned it inside out We had several hours in beating this thing into submission! Quite a sight to watch someone beat on it the other way! About 45 minutes later, we had it back where we started. Sure was a hell of a lot quicker than starting over!

I also started on the part of the hood circled in the pic:


Didn't get to finish it though.....had to head home to go to work the next day

Randy has taught so much to so many! If he ever mentions a get together at his place........join the caravan and check it out! Randy's get togethers tend to be hands on events though, be ready to work...and if he asks if you're working on something, hide! That usually means something heavy needs to be moved!

But don't look for any fancy tools in Randy's shop - there's a stump, a beater bag, a couple of e-wheels and an assortment of hammers and dollies. That really is about it, it's all hand work!

Johnny's progress has been inspirational! Hopefully I'll get to do some actual metalshaping in the garage over the next two weeks......instead of talking about it (keyboard metalshaping, as Johnny calls it). 'Sposed to be 48 degrees for the next 2 days.........but I need to sleep now or my results would be pure crap!

Tim D.

 

Tim,

You ain't doing anything! Come over here, I've got a job for ya!!

You aren't going to believe it, but all you guys needling me about not having any tools finally got to me, so I stole (well, got dirt cheap)this new tool to help speed up the process.




It's got some some electronics "stuff" I'd like you to look at. Rapid approach limit switches and whatnot that I'm not so sure I need/want. May be good stuff once I learn how to operate it, but for now, I'd like it to just go up and down at a constant speed (preferably slow!!)

Give me a call or send an e-mail.

618-553-9106
[email protected]

P.S. Thanks for the added info and the compliments.

 

Randy, I'll see what I can do. I'm off work until the 8th...but Christmas left me kinda tapped out. Looks like a fun project!

Tim D.

 

Tim I know all to well about shaping a piece inside out at Randy's.I did the same thing.


Randy when you posted the picture of the press earlier,I was wondering if that was your new press.Bill told me you got one.When I seen the picture,I thought that can't be it that thing is huge.Congratulation.


So what panels are you going to use it for.Will it do the inner structure of the trunk?

 

I thought I would chime in on this topic and show a project that may be of interest to HAMBers. The top for the 39 ford was made over a wireform and finished. After some time some cracks appeared. After attending a metalmeet ( Metalmeet.com ) I thought I would make an aluminum skin and remove the fiberglass.
With the help of many tallented folks at Metalmeet, I made a flexible shape pattern and started to shape the 10 panels. The smaller panels were made and some shape was rolled into the 4x4 top panel. Rather than take a chance of ruining the big panel, I worked with Randy Ferguson on his big wheel. Thanks Randy.
Fiberglass was removed and the parts were welded filed and finished.
The before and after pictures look the same but it weighs about 59 lbs. less.

 

I love that.

Is that you Paul?

 

Not a problem, Tim. I'm not in a huge hurry. It's 3 phase so I have to come up with a phase converter before we can get it under power anyway. That's not happening before the 8th, so sometime later in January would work fine. BTW, I don't expect any freebies.


Johnny, It's not huge, as far as presses go, but it is approx. 48"x30" between posts. Not large enough physically nor tonnage wise to do the deck lid inner structures in one piece, but I hop to be able to do them in as few as three pieces. This should cut down on a lot of hand work, especially on panels that have a lot of detail. Now I just have to start making dies!!

 

x2 !

 

Hey!

What th....

Somebody get this thread to rolling again. I know the holidays probably stalled the real contributers.

I'd post something cool here but I'm currently just a wanna be. I frankly don't even understand most of what I'm reading. It's still pretty darn cool stuff. Come on. Lets see the goods.

 

Get it rollin!

 

Go for it Shane. You got those tools, show us what you can do with them.

 

well it not sheetmetal shaping, but a little beadroller work.





johnny

 

Probably a little bit OT for the HAMB, but here's a few pictures to help kick start this thread again. This is a 4' long aluminum 1/20 scale model of an 80' ELCO PT-Boat from WW2 that I've recently resumed working on, and will be an operational R/C model when its finished.

Ken

 

Hey Ken,

Good to see some guys from Metal Meet on the HAMB.

 

THAT IS KICK ASS!

 

Thanks Johnny and Ken.

Next time we meet up(probably in April if you are having a meet this year)your going to have to show me how to do that!That is just awesome!


Ken I missed that you were going to make a remote control out of it.That's going to be sick.

 

Hi all I am new to the site but have been lurking for a short time now. This is a great thread and I look forward to more trolling of the site.
I have just been getting into metal shaping in the last few years and just a few months back I took my first classes from Lazze and Ron Covell (both are close to were I live) and here was my results from the 3 day Lazze class. It is now hanging on the wall in my shop waiting until I buy the set of tools so I can finish up the other side

Kevin
LFD Inc.
http://www.lewisfabricationdesign.com/

 

Hey man, that's a very decent approach to metal shaping and excellent work for 3 lessons. I hope we are going to see more work from you in the future. Cheers.

 

I have heard good things about the Lazze classes. I know Ron Covell personally, he thought me to use an English Wheel. Good guy.

 

Yes the Lazze class was allot of fun and allot of knowledge as well and I look forward to the step 2 class this year.
I have only been able to take 1 of Ron's classes so far but he has a new one coming up in Aug. at my friend Zane's shop in Santa Rosa I will be attending. It is an advanced metal shaping class. I just picked up Ron's new Video on scratch building a fender using a buck and the opposite side fender and it was well worth the money. I feel I got more out of the video just on building an accurate Buck then all the shaping was a bonus!
I look forward to selling off some of my vehicles and going head on with allot more metal shaping and restoring.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

 

Shane I need to visit you up there in WI and have you teach me something about the Wheel!! Then maybe I can start playing around with metal a little.

 

I made a little progress on my son's go-cart.

 

thats looking sweet johnny


johnny

 

x2 on that