These are photo excerpts from a video I'm working on. Using a pair of modified needle nose pliers, a hammer, and a hard flat surface to shrink a flange to make it curve. You form a tuck in the metal and hammer it down which forces the metal to get thicker. This experimental piece took about two hours and over a hundred tucks in a very small area. The angle is 1-1/4"X1-1/4" which is a pretty deep flange to shrink in a small radius. A smaller flange would have gone much faster. Because of the amount of shrink, I had to weld up small cracks that started to form. It would have been faster to cut out part of the flange, leaving a smaller area to shrink, then weld in a piece after the part was formed. You'll find the same thing using a shrinker. John www.ghiaspecialties.com
Hey John, Great tech post how-to..... Perhaps this will show that the Lancaster shrinkers everybodys so ga-ga over arn't the only way to through a curve into a flange? Does the video cover which tucks to flatter first, so as to keep that shrink hemed in? Swankey Devils C.C.
Thanks guys...you really don't have to keep the tucks hemmed in if you get them shaped right, and hit them with a steel hammer. In the past, I've found it useful to make a bunch of tucks and use the outside ones to hold the shape of the inside ones while hammering, but once you get the technique dialed in, this is not necessary. John www.ghiaspecialties.com
I've used this technique a few times myself. It works pretty well. Thanks John for posting it. I've got a question though. What if you wanted a rolled edge instead of a sharp angle like that? Would you do the shrinking then hammer the corner round, or round the corner then shrink it?
Great tip john.I love your website.Im getting started late in life 54 yrs old but i wont be deterred.I raised my family and put my hot rod dreams on hold for35 yrsnow when my wife wants me she just looks in the garage or knows im at my friend marks who has a hot rod garage doing kustoms.First things firstboth my kids went to college and are now on there own now its daddys turn.mike
hand held tucking forks, , , now THATS some cool tech! PS... how much lead time do you need on a disc? looks like imma need one of them and a video to get the roof of the willys lookin less like it went through a softball size hail storm
Hi Bugman, If you mean making the bend that was in the piece before I started tuck shrinking, I would make it first then shrink. FiddyFour, Usually a few days lead time is all I need to make shrinking disc. Thanks, John www.ghiaspecialties.com
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