Hello, I am stuck. Yes I have been to the metal meet site, and others. I really want to make this cool bomber seat but I can't get past this. I have looked at youtube videos on tuck shrinking, ect. ect. I made my own tuck shrinking fork too. I have even switched materials to 5052 h-32 aluminum, which is supposed to bend easily. We are only talking 32 thousandths material. I am out of oxy acetylene right now or I would try to anneal it. I am using oak as a form for the seat pan. Any help would be greatly appreciated. This is my attempt: And this is what the seat pan is supposed to look like. Again, please help me before I pull what little hair I have left, out.
Here is an easy how to... http://www.autotraderclassics.com/car-article/Bombs+Away%21-78780.xhtml?conversationId=26706
First mistake is 5052! Get some 3003 h14. You should be able to turn a 1" flange with no annealing. Are you using a hammerform or are you just tipping the flange? You shouldn't have to tuck the flange with a set of forks, the tucks will form naturally and work each one down slowly. I would build those seats out of .050 or .063.
Also, if you notice, the completed seat has a radius on the bottom part , and yours does not...at a minimum I would use a 1/4" roundover bit in a router and radius your hammer form...3/8 would be even better...and I also 2nd the 3003-H14...it would help to anneal the 5052....Shawn
I didn't get to finish my post. A hail storm was rolling in and had to get the cars in the shop! 5052 work hardens very rapidly, and if you anneal it, it happens even faster. This alloy is great for certain applications, but shaping isn't one of them! If you need to anneal the 3003, just anneal what you need to, not the whole piece. No need to soften what you don't want. I very rarely anneal unless I am putting a lot of shape in it, or it starts to quit submitting! That is also good advice if you are hammerforming your part, is to put a small radius in your form. Post your progress, and we will walk you through it if you have any more problems.
Hey, As has been pointed out 5052 isn't a good choice for hand forming, but you've picked that up by now You can use a butane or mapp gas torch to soften it up if your bottles are empty and you're inna hurry I'd trap your shape by shrinking the end tucks first, and work towards the center tuck last. one of those little Lancaster type shrinkers works well, and is a little easier on the sholder & arm If you're worried 'bout the teeth marks these leave inna part, jus cut some 320 wet & dry sandpaper, and plase pieces of it between the teeth & the jaws. Kool metalshaping project! " Meanwhyle, back onboard The Tainted Pork "
thanks guys. next step is to find 3003 in the phx metro area. industrial metal supply is out of it right now.
one other thing ....if you are going to put beads in the bottom, they should be there before forming the flange...the example pic you posted has the ribs ending just short of the flange you are trying to put in , and I doubt you could get that close with a standard bead roller...you could hammer them in , if they are in your form though. good luck , Shawn
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