I'm a seasoned welder and have quite a few years of mill and lathe work under my belt. But I have no experience with rolling and shaping sheet metal. I need to learn how to create round surfaces out of sheet so I can fix the rusted out corners on the back end of my model A sedan. Anybody have any suggestions on how I should get started? What kind of tools I should be looking for at my local swap meet and yard sales? I'm down to go old school and read some "How to" books as well if you have any suggestions. Thanks!
well first i would build a small bench top e-wheel, then i would find a nice stump stand it up on end and hollow it out on the top a little, take and old oxygen bottle top and weld a pipe on as a handle, now try and make yourself a bowl, you start by hammering a piece of 18gm into a bowl shape and then roll the dents out with your e-wheel, plans for e-wheel, http://www.roddingroundtable.com/tech/articles/12ewheel.html
Get Ron Covell's DVD "Basic Techniques for Steel", and get a copy of "The Key to Metal Bumping" by Frank Sargent (I think Eastwood still sells this book). After watching the DVD you'll have a good understanding of what you need too do. You won't need a lot in the way of tools: a couple of body hammers and dolllies, a vixen file, a wooden mallet and a sand bag. A nice to have is a shrinker/stretcher setup. Joe
www.metalmeet.com Also search YouTube for 'metal shaping' 'john kelly' 'lazze' 'ron covell' 'metalworking' etc
Hey chopsaw, It's a great time to be learning sheetmetal shaping! Books, Videos, dvds, cl***room instruction, UTube & especially metalshaping websites all are available, today to provide information. You do not need an English wheel or a power hammer to shape metal. In fact, I'd bet if you're only replacing small patch sections of metal on your A-Bomb, that you can produce everything you need with simple hand tools! Don't be head****ed into thinkin you need power equipment to produce results, and stay outa tool catalogs unless your a ''tool *****'' like most of us! It ain't "He who dies with the most toys wins" It's " He who produces the most with what he has" that does! These are some of the one line sites www.metalshapers.org metalmeet all metalshaping Also check the HAMB search for metalshaping and fabrication posts. Good luck, and enjoy your new hobby! S****ey Devils C.C. " I like the old millennium better"
Thanks to everyone for your advice tips and direction! As soon as I start to get this figured out I'll post some pics of the patches I form for those cab corners. THANKS!!!
That is good advice,I hate when someone asks about sheet-metal shaping and someone tells them they need a 3500 dollar pulmax.Every panel can be made with the most basic tools.
There were some good video's mentioned earlier and this one: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=373568&highlight=restoration Join MetalMeet.com and you'll find a lot of guys that are in your area. There was a get together in Santa Cruz in May and usually one of the guys has week end get together north of Temecula in the spring.
The Jalopy Journal
