Newbie fascination

[nobleswood]

This evening while doing chores, I turned on the TV. The program was 'Craftsman Legacy'. Never heard of it before. The host runs Voodoo Choppers & was demonstrating how to shape a front fender from 18 gauge sheet steel.

 

As a fabricator of all things wooden I'm fascinated how other craftsmen shape their materials. I've worked with sheet metal before & always been startled how easily it warps & deforms. Then wondering how do they get the stuff to be so smooth ? How do they create those sensuous lines on aircraft or cars ?

 

The program worked through putting big dints in the metal, got that bit down, then working out the ripples. Then finally the fabled 'English wheel, with the craftsman smoothing & refining the shape of the fender.

 

So different to the material I work; you don't stretch or compress wood like that. Fascinating.

[Chuck]

It is a dying art, for sure. I apprenticed as a sheet metal diemaker, and can design and build tools to form sheet metal, but there is a lot of artistry involved in free forming sheet metal. Different skills entirely..

[docc]

More hammers. I love hammers.

[nobleswood]

It is a dying art, for sure. I apprenticed as a sheet metal diemaker, and can design and build tools to form sheet metal, but there is a lot of artistry involved in free forming sheet metal. Different skills entirely..

In that video of yours they showed the small aircraft you'd built & I wondered at the time if you had fabricated the metal bodywork.

 

Many years ago a friend of mine was building a wooden frame aircraft in his garage; I don't know if it was ever completed or flown, but I remember admiring how light & risilient the wing sections were. Firm but able to flex.

[nobleswood]

More hammers. I love hammers.

Seems you need to have different hammers for different curves. The number of hammers needed could be endless

[Kiwi_Roy]

A friend built this Royal Enfield incorporating a Hillman Imp car engine

His aluminum work is stunning fenders, forks, chain case, exhaust

I asked him how he got the curves, mainly hammering with frequent annealing followed by the english wheel

[czakky]

That is crazy! Can't see the aluminum work too well but he's more talented than I.

[Chuck]

 

It is a dying art, for sure. I apprenticed as a sheet metal diemaker, and can design and build tools to form sheet metal, but there is a lot of artistry involved in free forming sheet metal. Different skills entirely..

In that video of yours they showed the small aircraft you'd built & I wondered at the time if you had fabricated the metal bodywork.

Many years ago a friend of mine was building a wooden frame aircraft in his garage; I don't know if it was ever completed or flown, but I remember admiring how light & risilient the wing sections were. Firm but able to flex.

Yeah, I pretty much did all the metal work. Our ISP is tits up as ususal. (roll eye) I'll show you some of my best stuff when Ican post from a computer.