I'm a rookie metal shaper and I'm going to shape a rear fender. I shaped one some time back but I did a lousy job on rolling the fender lip. So for this one I am going to make a simple buck out of 3/16'' round bar and some bondo. I'm making the buck just so I can use it for a hammer form for the fender lip and flanges. This is way overkill for a one off fender but if it works it will be well worth the three hours it took to make it. Started off by forming the wire to the inside of the fender. It does not have to be perfect. You actually want up an 1/8'' from the fender so the bondo will be able to flow underneath the round bar. Make sure you will be able to get the wire form out from the fender. I actually recorded a flange and then cut it out so I did not have to make this a two piece wire form. Next I remove the wire form. While it was removed I waxed the inside of the fender heavily, the wax will act as a release agent for the bondo. Then apply the bondo and let it set up. Then I tapped it with a rubber mallet and it released from the fender. Next I will be taking a flexible shape pattern from the fender. Some might be able to shape this fender with a simple paper pattern but for me information is the key, so the more information I have the better off I will be.
Flexible shape patterns are about the best tool I know of for metal shaping. Understanding how to make and read one, plus having the understanding of in and out of arrangement. You can shape just about any panel. Most people use a low stick masking tape(overlapping 1/8'') for their first pass. Low stick masking tape cost about seven dollars a roll, I have found if you buy the cheapest tape you can find it will more then likely be low sticking. Next it will be lapped with a layer of strapping tape(overlapping 1/2 the width of the tape) On both the masking and the strapping tape lay it down as flat as possible. Let it over lap if it wants to. After pulling the pattern from the fender kill the tackiness of the tape with baby powder. Now that I have my pattern and the buck I have more then enough information to take on this task. Next I will start shaping some metal.
I will post more on the shaping process as I go along but the key is if it fits the pattern and you put it into its proper arrangement, it will fit perfectly every time. It's usually a fight for me getting it to fit the pattern but if you are persistent you can usually get it. Next I will show how I shrink and stretch the metal.
Watching............. waiting................waiting.................waiting............... thanks for posting this, by the way.
I will be leaving for a metal shaping get together, I am taking the fender for my project. I will be leaving Thursday and returning on the 24th. I will post my progress then. Take care
you magnificent bastard!!! i have been laying paper and cardboard templates for years and wondering why my "new" pieces have to be so heavily hammered to meet contour. great thread. i'm subscribed.
You can pay to go to seminars or by videos or read all you can on the internet, and you won't even come close to how much you will learn by attending one of these gatherings. Here are some of the key things I learned. How to work a panel correctly all the way to the edge of the panel. I learned how shape reverses. I learned how to gas weld. I learned how to read a oil can, You have to know how to read it before you can fix it. Anyways back to the fender, There was so much going on I forgot to take pictures of the actually shaping. All I did was make it fit the pattern. when I work the metal to the pattern, I start off with shrinking on the stump. I try to get all of it in one round but I never do. Next I place the the pattern on the top and start feeling for air underneath the pattern. Then I stretch the metal up until it fits the pattern tight. The metal will tell you what it wants, If you get a buckle in the metal that is it's way of telling you it needs some more shrinking. After I got the four panels shaped I clamped them to the buck so the panels would be in arrangement and I could scribe my lines. I tacked it up with a mig. One of the vendors there was Jim Spradly, he sells Henrob Torches. I have always been curious about them. I have seen them demonstrate them at different events. It was hard for me to believe they would cut like a Plasma and weld like Tig. To my surprise it does cut like a Plasma and it welds even better then a tig. The weld is so soft and easy to work, and it was easy to use. If there is any interest in Henrob torches PM me and I will give you Jim's number. We worked the weld as we went but after it was welded I cleaned it up and ran it through the plashing hammer. I usually just do this with a hammer and a dolly. It's still in the rough in stage Next I will clean it up with a shrinking disk to take care of any flaws.
Yep! This is VERY cool!! Thank you for sharing this! I've been wondering about flexible patterns like that...
I think I speak for many when I say "you can never get too much of posts like this". Keep it coming. Frank
Johnny my ass hurts, I've been kicking it all week for not going to Kerry's. Nice work on the fender. You should haul it up to Dan's in October
I really wish I could Jeff. I had a great Time with Dan and Jessie and was wishing you could have came. They spoke highly of you.
If you want to see pictures from the meet check them out here.http://allmetalshaping.com/showthread.php?t=1178&page=13
Nice job Johnny! Your skills have come a long way.One of these days I will make it to Kerrys meet, hopefully the next!
That is really nice work and I agree that we can't have too many posts like this one. This is true ART!
Thanks for taking the time to show us the steps required to carry out the work you have done, and the pictures to make it easier to understand. I have always wondered how you make and use a flexible pattern, and now have half an idea on how to do it. Thanks again Michael
I was hoping Lori got pics of me making that big rear section of the fender....no luck. The good news is Johnny managed to make something out of it I went to grab it one morning and it was gone -Johnny was hard at work finishing it up! Kerry's meet was great! I didn't win the long distance award, but I drove down from Illinois to join in. Wish ya could have made it, Jeff! Tim D.