english wheel ???????

hey i've just aquired an english wheel along with some other equiptment - can anybody tell me what the english wheel does - i figure its for shapping sheet steel but am unsure and would love to be able to learn to use the thing -

 

Ya it's used to shape metal - or fingers. I've wanted one for a while now. It's amazing the things that can be done with it once you learn it. Just keep them fingers outta the way!

 

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hey i've just aquired an english wheel along with some other equiptment - can anybody tell me what the english wheel does - i figure its for shapping sheet steel but am unsure and would love to be able to learn to use the thing -

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have a look at this site- http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/index.php

 

The new edition of Custom Car magazine (UK) has a feature on using them. There are a few places in the US you can pick the mag up from I think. Anyone?

 

not much good to me knowing where to get it in the u.s i'll go down the shops and hava a look in the morning.

 

Do a search here, and also a Google search on "John Glover". He's a master at the English wheel, and also produces some videos and other how-to information.

--Matt

 

look at metalshapers.org. I think UnklIan is pretty involved there too.
Everybody wants and e-wheel - it is a great tool to have.

 

Limeworks Speed Shop sell custom car...

 

Congratulations on your new English Wheel.
Check the links in my signature for more info.

 

Basically it is a stretcher of metal sheet. As you roll the metal back and forth with tension on the wheels, it develops a crown in the metal. the more you work the metal, the more the crown, to a point. I have one and love it. You can do alot with it but you can't shrink metal. If you have large amounts of shrinking to do, You should consider a power hammer with shrinking dies. My goal is at some point to build a car body, maybe a copy of a 32 Ford. Did you get a set of anvils with it?. about 6 of them ranging from flat to quite round. Let's see some pics after you make something!

 

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Let's see some pics after you make something!

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I made plenty of "ashtrays" early on, although they weren't worth sharing pictures of!

For what it's worth, I really use the English wheel for planishing. I rough out shapes with a hammer and a sandbag, and then go over them with the wheel to smooth everything out. That's not the "right" way, or the way to make panels with real accuracy, but it's a way to get started more quickly.

--Matt