Who has used a dished tree stump for metal forming?

Title pretty much says it all.

I have a very good candidate for a dished stump to metal form, but I'm really wondering if it's worth the floor space.

I have a shot bag and a dedicated stand for it. I'm trying to decide what I'd want to form that couldn't be done on a shot bag.

My skills are still building, but I take a long-range approach to my tool collection, and I don't know when I'll come across a fresh tree trunk with these dimensions again.

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts.

Thanks,
-Brad

 

I have many sizes of wood blocks in the shop.

Even have softwood because you can mash a divot in the endgrain to get the shape you want to form.

 

A tree stump is my highest-tech piece of equipment.

 

I've done it!

 

It wouldn't be that hard to put one on rollers and even one of those always on sale HF dollies that guys find a million uses for might be up to the task if you don't use a 20 lb sledge to shape the metal. I've got a piece of the tree that fell on the house saved for the purpose but it will have to have a stand to be up to working height.

 

brilliant......

 

I used the telephone pole across the street to shape my trans hump...does that count?

 

Every time I'm splitting firewood I think to myself "this would be a nice piece for metal shaping". Then I swing the maul & add it to the wood pile. Shop is toasty warm & I still have the shot bag, the E wheel & a huge anvil to help shape stuff.

 

I carved a tiki on the outside of the one I use, I leave mine outside the shop door, Carved a tapered notch in it last year w/a chainsaw to hammer out a fire wall resese... worked Perfect! So Ya, If it's there you will use it!!

 

Is it a Hard wood stump? Maple works well.

 

Once you develop the knack for it, you'll really like having a properly shaped stump around the shop. I'm not the greatest at using one myself yet, but I'm nothing less than amazed when watching some of my metalshaper friends knock off a shaped panel in a fraction of the time it would take me using other hand methods. It really is that fast.

The ideal shape for a stump hollow is actually a cone shaped hole, as opposed to a hemishperical shape. For automotive panels, you might shoot for an 8" diameter hollow roughly 1.5" deep for starters. Smaller hollows can also be used for forming tighter features as well.

I'd suggest checking out the metalshaping sites for more details, you'll easily find lots of info on making and using a stump to shape metal.

Ken

 

I would bet in the south a cypress stump would be good , I had occassion to chop a piece of it once and man was it hard! Rob.

 

You might try a tuck puck, same principle, less floor space and lots lighter.
http://www.tuckpuck.com/
not as cool as a good ol stump though.

 

That's what you're looking for, harder stumps tend to work more effectively and hang around a while longer. The preference for the type of wood to use for making a stump is largly a regional thing, so just use whatever is hard and grows in your area.

Maple, Oak, Cypress, I've heard of lots of people making stumps out of these. Just ask your local tree guy which type of wood wears out his chainsaw chains the fastest, and you'll know the ideal type of local lumber for making your stump.

Ken

 

I shape my kindling on one

 

You know I'm in for one !!! We just need to get a good measurement of how wide/deep to dish it out- I think someone had them on the home made tools thread.

 

ours too!

 

http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53&highlight=stump

 

I use mine a ton!!! BUT....I have mine in my basement and don't use it much when I am working on my cars. It comes in handy for a few things but no a necessity in the garage. If you want I will post a pic of mine.

 

I have two cherry stumps with different sized cups in the top of them. Works a lot faster than a shot bag, IMO. You also need some teardrop hammers. Dagger Tools carries a nice assortment of maple hammers.

 

They work very well and when you're not shaping metal with them thy make a good seat.

 

I cussed alot and made a lot of scrap metal before making my stump. Like someone else said, it is amazing how quick you can shape with one.

 

I've got a maple stump it works great, and when your not using it, it makes a nifty table.

 

If I had one I'd use it. I've pounded metal over everything in the shop...

 

Gotta a great one back 'bout a couple hundred yards behind the house.

Makes for a great work out goin' to and from....

 

I bet a stump of bois d'arc would make a good one. A chain saw will throw sparks from a well seasoned piece of it. I know where there is a bois d'arc grave marker thats been where it is for 50 years and hasn't rotted away.

 

I've got one...a stump of mesquite and one of some tree I have no idea...but I put a bowl shape in the middle and it works awesome

someone said mount it on some stand...that's what I'm looking to do so I don't have to sit and shape.

best wishes on your stump...