Hands Free Stretcher/shrinker Conversion.

My sheetmetal stretcher/shrinker arrived the other day in the post. I have in the past been using a mates one at his shop, and often thought that they were handy but unweildy damn things and would be much easier to use if they were foot operated.


So I set to and about 6 hours later this is what I ended up with!


Here's a couple of detail shots of the upper link point to the original handle and the business end of the pedal


Another look with the pedal pressed down.


So I set to this morning and gave it all a bit of a work out on the start of the rear back panel on the Lakester that I am building.


Across the back side I used the stretch jaws and then on the lower edge got into it with the shrinker jaws and then eventually had to apply a bit of thermal energy to relieve the wrinkles that started to develop. Once I was happy with the overall shape it was time for a trim and then off down to my mates shop to run it through the swager which locked in the shape.

 

genious, pure and simple... good on ya kiwi!

T.

 

Now thats a great idea and don't cost an arm & leg, easier to work the part with both hands.

 

Nice, that almost looks professional.

 

If I wasn't in such a hurry to try it out I would have put some paint on it, but maybe when things quiet down round here I will......Yeah RIGHT!!

 

Nooooo, paint will make it look professional, then they'll buy your idea and youll sell out to the big guns. Don't do it!

 

Here's how I did mine.The extensions on the front keep it from tipping towards you.The casters on the side allow me to tip it sideways to move it where I want. Fuzz

 

Dont go tellin anyone bout it eh! Im just lookin up the number for the patents office now!

 

How stiff are the springs?

 

Hey Moparhead, great minds think alike eh! looks to me that we have all the critical measurements almost identicle. I must admit I do like the idea of the wheels(nearly every thing in my shop is on wheels of some sort or another just like in the golden arches restaurant!),makes it bloody easy to clean up the place. I left the whole handle on just in case......

 

http://www.uspto.gov/main/sitesearch.htm

plug in a krazy search term and see what pops up.

 

Bumpstick,
The spring I used was from an old couch. Whatever you can find will work just try it at different distances from the pivot point till it feels right.

 

I picked up my spring at the hardware store,took one off the rack,checked the tension,yep this will work.The pedal pad is from an e-brake.The only time the wheels touch the floor,is when the unit is tilted.It sure is easier to work,when you can use two hands.Usually when I buy something,I can't leave it alone.I have to modify,or tweak it to my liking.That's all fun though! Ditto on the great minds.
Fuzz

 

i use mine way to much and needed both to be easy to use. both heads spin i drilled it to mount to the floor but base is big enough that it stands on its own.

 

Another like mind!

 

Im glad to see that Im not the only one that likes to hold onto the job with both hands!

 

Hmmmm. Somewhat off-topic, but not really. Slag's double-ended shrinker-stretcher dealio reminds me of a picture in a different recent hamb thread. You be the judge

 

Hey Woodbox....good to see you`re wearing approved safety shoes..hasn`t anyone told you wearing socks with jandals makes you a social outcast?...Unless your`e a Sheep Farmer or Cow Cockie.......Good idea though. Tech ideas are always welcome....

 

Those are my thermal safety boots-Kiwi style! My other long legged ones I use for sheparding sheep. Baaaaaaaa.Anyway is there an alternative to being socially challenged?
40 million sheep and more hotrods per head than near any where else on the planet.