After posting in the metalcrafting tools/equipment thread, I thought it would be a good idea to start a thread on neat little techniques for metalcrafting, for using the equipment, and also for patternmaking as it appies to metalcrafting. We can all learn a lot from each other. I'll start: --From Covell: you can block out your basic piece on a shotbag with a mallet, but it will still be very lumpy. To save some time with planishing, you can also use an English wheel to roll the lumps out much of the way. I don't remember if the wheels need to be set looser than normal or not though. --When rolling a normal workpiece in the English wheel, you will have the wheels pressing fairly tight against each other. If it's a little tough to feed your piece in, this tip will make it real easy: give the wheels a good spin, then feed the sheetmetal right in. Goes right in. --When using hammer forms, it is imperative that the metal be firmly clamped all over the hammerform so it can't crawl, or you won't be able to stretch the metal into the shape you want very easily. --If you are using a hammerform to simply fold an edge over all along a piece, such as a curved edge, then clamp the metal between two pieces of whatever material you prefer (Covell suggests MDF or Medium Density Fiberboard). Now, how to get the edges of the two halves of that hammerform neatly in synch with each other? Simple. BEFORE you cut the desired work-edge out, place two pieces of the stuff together. Clamp them together. Drill a hole through one and into, but not necessarily through, the other. Install dowel pins. Do this in three places, but not along the work-edge, and not where your piece of metal will be. Now the two halves are located to each other. Then you can cut your work edge and sand it to where you want it. Then take the halves apart, and install your workpiece. If you need to flange your piece evenly (meaning it needs to stick out from the hammerform evenly all the way around), then you might need to put an extra-large workpiece in first. Then use something to mark your line perfectly around, but of course out away from the hammerform the desired distance. It's been a while for me, so I don't recall exactly which tool made this easy. Perhaps a carpenter's square, or perhaps one of the drafting tools, I just don't remember. I learned this technique from Covell, who used it to construct a hand-made stainless grill for that black '40 Ford pickup. He did the grill bars in 2 halves and TIG'd them together, so the backsides of the grill bars were hollow, just like a '39 deluxe grille. --You can try slapping soft lead straps over metal that is clamped over a hammerform. The lead is heavy, which moves the metal fast, and it conforms to the hammerform nicely. I just don't know where you get lead straps, but a metal man told me of this technique. --From the Tinman: you don't have to tape just the edges of your paper pattern to your workpiece, you can also cut little V's in the paper, fold the flap over, then tape across the now-open triangle-shaped holes. OK, anyone else want to post some really cool tips/techniques for metalcrafting?
I've covered two of Covell's classes for the magazine, and can't say enough good things about them--you learn a lot, and it really builds your confidence. Every step of the way, he'll demonstrate and say "do you think you could do that step?" The answer was always "yes," right up toward the end. The final finishing and welding is where a lot of us trailed off. The key there is to look at a project as individual steps, rather than one big final thing. These are from his clasaes: --when forming something, don't be afraid to scrap it and start over if it isn't going your way. You'll waste far more time trying to "fix" a mistake than starting again. --work comfortably. Get your table set at a good height, get a good chair, and be comfy while working--it allows you to be picky in your work. --it's easier to bend and stretch metal than it is to shrink metal. When making a hammer form, think about doing it in "reverse" and make a female form. On one of these, instead of forming the part OVER a buck, the contours are recessed into the center of the form, and you hammer the metal into it (stretching it into place). For instance, pull a fiberglass mold off a door, fender or body panel, build the clamping area around the perimeter of the mold, clamp the metal to it and then pound the metal into the mold. His books and video should make this clearer, but it's a neat concept. A couple of guys in the class got to bench racing about building an aluminum T body by pulling a mold of a 'glass one and hammering it out. Actually, hammering it "in." --From my own, very very limited experience, I'm learning how to work with metal by building my own shop equipment. The contstuction materials have been angle, flat, C-channel, box tubing and aluminum angle so far, but it's taught me the benefits of carefull planning, designing on paper (scale drawings on graph paper), fit/finish and appearance. So far I've built a stout vise table (comfortable work height at the top of the big vise--where your work actually takes place, not on the table top itself, where the vise would sit very high). Also has a pipe vise on one side and space for my railroad rail anvil on the other), windshield and glass rack that hangs on the wall up out of harm's way, clamp rack, adjustable-height tool caddy/tray (like a hospital tray that rolls up to the bed), and a tool cart made from aluminum angle with storage shelf, power strip, work top, 3-drawer ball-bearing tool box, cup holders, magnetic parts tray, and a brushed finish. Everything get masked and painted with Rust-o-leum Hard Hat Red paint, with flat black on any surfaces that will come in contact with anything. When they're done, the pieces look like something bought, not something cobbled together. In the old days, blacksmiths did their apprenticeship, and then when they were ready to go out on their own, the last right of passage was building their own set of tools. I'm taking that approach to metal fabrication, building skills as I complete projects. For a lot of inspiration, whether for metalworking or shop equipment creation, check out www.metalshapers.org Finally, for what it's worth, blacksmiths used to set their anvil up so that when their hammer blow came down on the piece, their arm/elbow was at a 90-degree angle to their body. Hold your arm straight down along your body, bend your elbow out at 90-degrees. That's where their hammer struck the work. These guys swung a heavy hammer all day long, every day, and that proved to be the best height for reducing fatigue and getting the most bang for the movement. Keep this in mind when setting up a pedastal for your shot bag. -Brad Oh yeah, one more thing--invest in a good set of gun mufflers or other form of hearing protection (not just the squishy little ear plugs). Banging metal is very loud--you're ears will thank you. If you really get into it, at the end of a day you won't be able to have a conversation if you didn't wear ear muffs. Figure in the high pitch of grinders and air tools, and it isn't hard to realize your hearing will be affected.
brad54, another good source for tips and inspiration(especially the homemade tool stuff),is metalmeet.com tons of tips and projects later
Thought maybe there would be a wealth of info on the HAMB... Well, here's some more: --When making wooden bucks, it would be nice if they were beautiful hardwood, toungue-n-groove, glued, tight fit, like a carefully handcrafted cabinet. BUT they DON'T need to be pretty, only functional. It's the metal project that needs all the attention thrown into it. So, choose some cheap wood (your choice of plywood, MDF, particle board, pine, etc.). Screw it together with drywall screws. These will allow sections to be removed if needed. Don't put the screws where the heads will come in contact with your metal. --Another tip on making a buck: round the edges of the wood bracing. Your sheetmetal has to curve over the sections of the buck, and won't be able to do so with corners on the wood ribs. So, round them off. Well, how do you round them off and still have the contact area (for the metal) exactly where it was supposed to be when cut out your pattern line? Answer: you use a router, with a bit that cuts very slightly less than half the thickness of your wood. Do this on both sides. You will now have a thin parting line in the middle, which you can then sand smooth with a palm sander, which will not alter the contact area appreciably. --When making something that is perfectly symmetrical, and you will be using a buck, then you must have mirror image sides to that buck. This means that the ribs will be mirror image. Well, those individual ribs themselves are not 3D, they are 2-dimensional (flat pieces). Therefore, they can be cut out from two pieces of wood sandwiched together at the very same time. Use clamps or dowel pins to keep the two pieces of wood completely together without slipping when you cut them together. When fitting them into the buck, you simply fit one one way and one the other way. --Another tip when making bucks: Cut windows in the wood sections for access with your arms/hands, and also to be able to see how the metal is fitting. Anyone else have any special tips/techniques for metalcrafting? I know you guys do! Pony up.
Hi Blownolds, Nice write up! A few more tips for wood bucks. I like to use pine boards for the individual stations (ribs). You can easily shape the stations after the rough cut by using a draw knife...draw plane? I use elmers glue to attach the stations first then screws. For taking an existing shape and making a buck, I made a tool from a drafting arm and a shape finder... a little ponderous but it works. I've attached a picture. This is duplicating the shape of a free-hand fender flare to make bucks for multiple pieces. The shape finder is set up on the part directly below a station blank, then slid up to the staion blank, and marked for cutting. John www.ghiaspecialties.com
That looks clever. Is that one of those "profile gages" with the sliding pins? If so, it is probably important to make it contact the workpiece by going straight into it--perpendicular to the imaginary tangent to the workpiece if you will-- (i.e. so the pins make a nice pattern-- if it's going at the workpiece at an angle, it won't be so nice). I imagine that is what the adjustable drafting arm is for? Another note or two on bucks: I should mention that when you cut out your pattern on the wood stations (thanks for refreshing my memory on that term), you should cut it outside the line and then sand down to the line to make a nice smooth edge. Cut with a band saw or saber saw, then use a belt sander or large stationary disc sander to carefully get up to the exact pattern line. Also-- you may wish to paint or ink the side of that working edge before you round the corners of the edge. This way you can monitor whether or not you are altering your actual pattern line when you use a router to round the edges. If, when you are rounding the edges of that pattern, you find that you have a habit of removing too much from the working edge, which will alter the diminsion of your metal panel you are crafting, then perhaps make a habit of sanding to just a little outside of your pattern line (nice and evenly). Then you will have that extra little leeway for the techinique you are using to round the edges off, that otherwise will basically shrink the size your metal workpiece from what you had intended. I guess that brings up the point of making sure that when you are making patterns, take into account the steps to the pattern-making process and the techniques that you are using, and whether or not those steps/techniques are adding or subtracting from the size of your intended finished project. Machinists will know what I am talking about. The buck needs to be sturdy and stabile, not wobbly. Brace it well in the way that you connect the wood stations together. Also use corner braces like you find in cabinets, glued or screwed into the corners with little short screws. If you are doing production of metal projects over and over again, you may wish to choose something that will last, a better wood than plywood. Pine sounds like a good choice. I suspect that the screws/glue will probably start coming apart on plywood or particle board. But this is for a buck that will be used over and over again. For that matter, hammerforms that will be used in production should also be made of a very hard material that won't deteriorate with the prolonged pounding.
The profile gage is as you said, one that the plastic pieces are adjustable in and out. When setting it up, you slide the pieces in by hand until they contact the part to get a perfect representation of the curve, then the whole thing goes straight up to the blank above. Wray Schelin has an interesting way to make a buck from the inside of a fender. He uses 1/4" steel wire bent close to the inner surface, then wraps the wire in bondo up against the skin (using aparting agent so it does not stick) When it is cured he pulls it out...a perfect representation of the original. John www.ghiaspecialties.com
I posted this a while ago, but here's how I made the buck for my boattail. I cut a piece of MDF to define a cross-section of the body behind the seats, another to define the curve of the backbone, and another to support the two. I then stapled welding rod to the backbone at 5-inch increments, and then bent the rod carefully until I thought it looked good.
I then used the rod to make more MDF "ribs". (I only bent rod on the one side, and then cut two pieces of MDF for symmetry.)
Thanks to everyone who is sharing this valuable information. I've spent much of my life fabricating race car chassis and the pieces that are used to make them function. I've just recently (the last 2/3 years ) been getting into the sheetmetal end of it. I've found it fasinating and challenging to adapt my overbearing metal moving skills to the somewhat delicate art of making things out of sheet metal. It is people like the one's posting here and the more visible ones like Covel and Fornier along with others who are making the somewhat lost art of metal work a mainstrem activity. I can't believe the people who are buying the basic metal working tools and learning to make patch panels and complete pieces. In years past they would have just bought something or paid to have it done. Anyway, after finishing my english wheel and getting a few more tools and fixtures built I hope to start making the body for a modified project I've been planning. If I can just get the picture posting thing down I'll share some of the progress. A lot of you have seen pictures of my shop and have commented about how nice it is. I thank you for that and when the rest of the equipment is in place I'll be all set for retirement and be able to lock myself in there to make for real the ideas I've had bouncing around in my head. Frank
I have seen 5/8" steel barstock used as a hammerform! That project involved re-constructing the rotted-away trailing end of a '38-41 Ford P'up fender. A good fender was located to take a pattern from (drawn on chipboard)the shape of the mouth of that fender (as seen from the bottom). Also it was noted that the radius of the curled edge of the fender was right at 5/8". Then, since the chipboard pattern was too flexible to be able to really use as a gage, it was used to draw a duplicate pattern on the shop floor with soapstone. Then a length of 5/8 bar stock was heated and carefully bent to match the shape of that curve. Now this curved piece of bar stock was the hammerform, which was then clamped with vice-grips in several locations, tightly up into the mouth of that fender, clamped to areas on either side of the rotted area. A paper pattern was curved over the sheetmetal, from the edge of the curled edge, down to just past the rotted area. Then a reference line was made. That rotted area was then cut out. The paper pattern was then used to transfer the exact size needed, to a piece of flat sheetmetal, to be cut out. The new piece was cut out, then tack-welded into the area of the fender that was being replaced, then curled around the 5/8" bar stock, and hammered over it. There was a little bit of shaping done on the flat piece before tacking it in, to get the curvature in the other direction that it needed. Once the piece was fully shaped and tacked in, the 5/8" bar stock was removed, and hammerwelding finished it off. With a little pick-file work, the fender had gone from a rot-out fender to a beautiful metal-finished fender! If I had to do this project again, I would change one thing: I would make my initial pattern of the mouth of that fender on a piece of thick MDF to make it a lot easier when trying to bend the 5/8" barstock perfectly to the curvature desired.
Hi Duece Rails, Nice looking project. If you do not have an english wheel, you can modify vice grips to help smooth the panel....sorry if I already pointed this out. For two different vice grip smoothing clamps, check these two albums: http://allshops.org/cgi-bin/community/communityalbums.cgi?action=openalbum&albumid=9980138836765 http://allshops.org/cgi-bin/community/communityalbums.cgi?action=openalbum&albumid=9980160442904 Blownolds, Here is a link to one of my flare pages showing a 1/2" square stock on the edge of the flare buck being used to hammer-form the wheel opening flange...I used a shop outfitters compact bender to form the piece: http://www.ghiaspecialties.com/steelflare.htm I've also been able to accurately bend 5/8" square stock with it. John www.ghiaspecialties.com
Deuce Rails, if that panel is steel, you can smooth it out nicely with the Amazing Shrinking Disc before you pick and file. Not sure about aluminum though, check with Sunchaser on that. John, I'll check those links when I get a chance. Thanks for posting them!
A shrinking disc will work on some types of aluminum by using a little soap as a lubricant. For shrinking disc information: http://allshops.org/cgi-bin/community/communityalbums.cgi?action=openalbum&albumid=9980121727059 and: http://allshops.org/cgi-bin/community/communityalbums.cgi?action=openalbum&albumid=9980124046566 Blownolds is right, you could use a shrinking disc to smooth that panel beautifully, although it would take longer than an english wheel. You would shrink down the high spots, then raise the low spots and shrink again as many times as it takes without fear of ruining the panel. John www.ghiaspecialties.com
Ah, but an english wheel COULD possible wind up stretching or curving the panel more as it rolls the bumps out. I still think the shrinking disc is best there. Cool tip on the soap. Here's a tip for heat shrinking: use compressed air with a blow gun vs. a wet rag. No chance of burning your hands, and cuts down on rusting a steel panel. Come on, guys, toss some good tips in if you've been around this stuff. We can all learn from each other.
Hi guys. That panel is indeed aluminum, and I've had a devil of a time massaging it into place. If go over the whole surface with my benchtop English wheel (which I've done a number of times), it will certainly be smooth, but it will also be warped way out of whack. It definitely needs some spot-specific shrinking before overall planishing. I've been hammering off-dolly on a lot of the spots, but I'm making slow progress. The spots that need shrinking are around 6 to 8 inches in diameter, and (to me) seem to be on the big side for that method. I think I'm going to get the Amazing Shrinking Disc and try it with some soap. Do you guys have any other tips on using the disc on aluminum? John, you do very nice things with those German fenders. Great stuff! How exactly would you go about shrinking 6-8" spots with an English wheel? Thanks. --Matt
Hmmmm Sell the shrinking disc John..... dont buy one make your own,or buy one for like $50US from Mr kelly John has fashioned his and it works better than ones with the ruffles...... sing it john!
Thanks for the plug adzslick! Matt, If you are using the flattest lower anvil wheel you have, you should be able to get that panel a lot smoother than that. I suggest checking the way the wheels come together to make sure they are making the flattest surface contact area possible, then use higher pressure to smooth the whole panel. Keep your tracks close together. The smaller bench top wheels are a little tougher to use for this kind of panel. If you have a bulge, you can stretch the area around it to blend the extra shape out into the rest of the panel.. a lot of work. a shrinking disc will also do the job. I do make shrinking discs for sale if you are interested in one, you can contact me through email [email protected] They are $57.50 delivered anywhere in the lower 48 states. If you are using 3003 H-14 aluminum the disc will work. If you are using a very hard alloy or alclad aluminum it will not work. Sometimes it is necessary to tweak a panel by hand, or roll it over your leg to get it to conform to the buck after a shaping operation. The english wheel does not warp the metal, it only stretches or smooths during normal operation. John www.ghiaspecialties.com
Hi, John. The picture above isn't an example of a smoothed piece. I'm not that bad! I also didn't mean to imply that the English wheel warps metal; it obviously doesn't. However, if I don't shrink these 6-8" high spots first, the overall contour isn't right. If the overall contour isn't right, then the smoothing operation of the English wheel will average out those imperfections, making it looked warped. So I keep banging it and banging it, trying to beat it into submission. And then I wheel it again. And it's closer, but still off. And then I bang it again, wheel it again, repeat, and repeat again. The picture above was taken somewhere in the middle of that cycle. (The piece also has too much compound curvature to be able to tweak it much, but I understand exactly what you mean.) It finally occured to me recently that for all the work I was doing, I wasn't shrinking the metal much at all. I think it's time for one of your discs.
Hi Matt, I think that panel can be done without any shrinking. If you have too much area or a crown in both directions, then you can shrink the crown out, or wheel the edges. It is very common to do too much stretching overall with the wheel, but not enough near the edges. The edges can hold a crown in the panel just as if you have shrunk them. Also, maybe you already know this, but if you take a panel and roll more curve in it one direction (say side to side), it will have less curve in the other direction (front to back) This can be a little confusing when deciding where to shape. If you decide you don't need the disc, just let me know, and I'll send a refund. It will come in handy at some point, and may make adjusting that panel easier for you. I regularly reduce crown in panels with a disc, but it is not the typical way of shaping. Another thing to consider...you might find it easier to add a little shape where needed (around your high spot) with a mallet or body hammer and shotbag (lite hits), and use the wheel and/or disc for smoothing after. When I need to raise minor lows I often do it that way instead of with the wheel. John www.ghiaspecialties.com
John, nice site. Makes me want to get a Ghia and build a wild sports car. I'd have to use a Porsche 6-cyl though. Anyhoo, the Bullseye pick tip you have there reminds me of the bull-nose tips for Bullseye's that Covell sells (or sold). He also had one of Delrin for working with aluminum. Seen those?
Thanks! The 914 sites (www.914club.com) have a lot of talk about 4s, 6s, and V8s. I've chosen a big 4. It will fit easily in my mid engine conversion, and will blow the doors off of a lot of 6 cylinder Porsches, and V8s. It is 2.6 litres, fuel injected etc. Uses Keith Black 103mm cylinders. Pretty easy 190-200hp or so in an 1800-1900 lb car. There have been a lot of advancements made for the type 4 aircooled flat 4 that make it a good choice for a light weight and nimble, yet powerful car. It is fun seeing the look on people's faces when they ask what is in the car. I just put this engine in a 914 which is quite a bit heavier than the Ghia it will eventually go in. It accelerates like a motorcycle. Way faster than I need to go. The six has an advantage in longevity, but is far more expensive. Check out: www.massivetype4.com for the latest in hop ups for these engines. He is currently planning to build a 3 litre+ 4. The 6 cylinders are something else though. I love the way they sound! I did get my bullseye pick from Ron Covell. I modified it to make it a little less harsh on the metal. I don't do much aluminum work so the softer heads are not necessary for me. Thanks again for the great job on this thread! John www.ghiaspecialties.com
The Jalopy Journal
