The Sheet Metal Shop .Com

Sheet Metal Automobile - Fabricators?

FMXhellraiser - Jun 02, 2004 - 02:43 AM
Post subject: Fabricators?

Is there anyone here that does sheet metal work on hot rods or anything like that here? I would like to learn some more on it but from the looks of it noone is posting up on the automotive section of this forum.
Let me know, thanks.

Bud - Jun 02, 2004 - 03:08 AM
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The Automotive sheet metal forum is new (within days) hang in there, as we invite more in this fine work of sheet metal for the auto restoration industry.

Bud

FMXhellraiser - Jun 02, 2004 - 07:45 PM
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Alright sounds good man, I didn't know that it has just been up since I just signed up on this forum last night. Thanks for letting me know.

Grue - Jun 02, 2004 - 09:27 PM
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Hi FMX,

Are you looking at modifying an existing car or building a Lotus 7 style car?

Grue

FMXhellraiser - Jun 02, 2004 - 11:12 PM
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Nah man, I have been looking for a old 30's-50's hot rod or truck but no luck finding one yet but still looking. Right now the only project I got I am working on is my golf cart that has a lift on it, etc etc and I thought that since I am waiting to find a car I might as well start practicing on this thing and all. I am just very interested in making anything out of metal, painting, building engines, etc and the metal part and welding is my most favorite part. I wan't to learn to make my own things like doors, hoods, scoops, etc but need to read up on the basics.

Bud - Jun 02, 2004 - 11:57 PM
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I have some old stuff I'll dig up tonight for you on old fender development and running boards..you'll start to get the itch and find that car soon.

Bud

Leonard_Whistler - Jun 03, 2004 - 03:53 AM
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I know VERY little about sheet metal for cars, as I am starting out myself, but I was looking at a Sheet Metal book in the library and there was a section on the "English Wheel".

It seems like the English Wheel is a very usefull tool for forming sheet metal for fenders.

Leonard Whistler

pricer - Jun 03, 2004 - 03:57 AM
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Leonard_Whistler wrote:

I know VERY little about sheet metal for cars, as I am starting out myself, but I was looking at a Sheet Metal book in the library and there was a section on the "English Wheel".

It seems like the English Wheel is a very usefull tool for forming sheet metal for fenders.

Leonard Whistler

I too would like to learn more about the english wheel. I could see some uses for it in boat building. I am sure Bud has some info on this.

FMXhellraiser - Jun 03, 2004 - 04:11 AM
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Yeah Bud thanks a lot man, that would be great, I really wan't to learn how to do this but I also will need to know what kind of tools and all that I will need.
Thanks again. Anymore info would be great!

pricer - Jun 04, 2004 - 04:44 AM
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Hello FMX,

I work in the HVAC field as a sheet metal pattern maker. We also have another shop on our facility that houses a custom hot rod fab shop. My shop is the main shop for hevy work. I have a plasma table where I cut all types of parts for the custom cars. They do it all from the chassis up. If there macine shop were any bigger they would be building there engines from scratch. They are working on a Ford Bronco right now for a famous rock star. The Bronco Is a 1967 model but they are making it look like the new release of the Brono for this year. It is amazing to see what a pile of money can do. They have several car rottiseriies that tey can put an entire car on and turn it completely upside down. It is really cool. My shop built them a side down draft paint booth that is second to none. It is more like a hurricane shelter to me. Well Built.

I will speak to them again about being more active here at the site in the auto forum. Hang in there we will get some thing going. If you are intrested I could give you there web address through private messege or email. I have not been to there site as of late but I think they have pics there as well. You may find it intresting.

oldgoaly - Jun 12, 2004 - 04:17 AM
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FMX,
what do you want to make??? what type of tools do you have???
If you are just starting out? There are some good videos and books on metalshaping. Forming is bending and rolling, shaping is shrinking and
stretching the metal. Now that you know that, how you go about it wether
with hand tools or power tools, it is still the same process! You have to start somewhere and the begining is the best place, shaping a bowl is one of the best ways to learn. Let me know what you want to make and
i can steer your down the right road, maybe a little bumpy at times but,
everybody makes mistake while learning!
Take care!
tt

Grue - Jun 12, 2004 - 11:07 PM
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Hi oldgoaly, where does the tag come from? Ice hockey or soccer? Nice to have you on board.

Shaping a bowl is the way I teach the young aircraft blokes to start forming aluminium. We have a set of "sandbags" these are leather bags made from thick leather about 15" diameter and 9" high filled with sand. They then use "bossing mallets" (egg shaped head) to form a dome shaped bowl.

The kids worked out that 2 bowls joined together with a short leather strap looked like a bra. They offered the items for sale, stating that they would customise to the customer's requirements and would provide up to 42 free fittings (all compulsory).

Joking aside if you keep the metal annealed and avoid wrinkles in the edges its a relatively easy process. Coppper or aluminium are best to learn with as steel takes a lot more effort.

Will be interesting to hear how you go.

Glenn

oldgoaly - Jun 13, 2004 - 04:22 AM
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Glenn,
it come from playing hockey against college kids when i was in my late 30's i still had the
Dinosuar leather pads from 1974. Don't worry they alway came out on the short end of
the score! I know a coulpe of blokes from over near Perth who rebuild old cars Clive Ross and
Byron(who's last name escapes me) Have you been on the Metalshaper's board before?
The bowls give a person a feel for the metal and it is small easy to handle. I know alot of
people just want to hit a red button and have a part pop out ready to paint, oh if it was that easy!
Take care!
tt (oldgoaly)

Grue - Jun 13, 2004 - 06:34 AM
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I think I've met the Perth guys on line, I'm also a member of the locost group, and have been at metalshapers for a while.

My girls were both goalies in field hockey and represented my State Wee all have the knee injuries to prove it!

Everyone should make a bowl or two, they learn you a lot about metal

Glenn

marky - Jun 24, 2004 - 10:12 AM
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Here is a great site to hotrod metalwork it is roadster.com,it has a great links page to fabricating tools /machines with a great section on the english wheel hope this is ofsome help,havent used a wheel for many years now but it is great fun but not the easyest thing in the world to use,but practice makes perfect,we also used hand held air powered planishing hammers. aw ra best Marky

FMXhellraiser - Jul 01, 2004 - 06:38 AM
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Thanks a lot you guy's. Sorry I never responded earlier I never got any emails about me getting replys. (don't know why). Anyways, I don't have any projects to work with and no money right now. I am going to get a powder coating kit and all and do some of that for a little extra money to start saving for tools and machines and all since I cannot find a job. I am really into hot rods and really love making anything and welding. I am looking to buy a 1933 Chevy truck and if I get it, it won't need any metal work but I would like to make my own fenders for the hell of it and design the back ones a bit different and more smooth because they are not like the front where they smooth out and blend into the floor board on the side, they kind of just drop into it instead of gradually sloping down... Hard to explain but I wan't to one day learn to make ANYTHING out of metal. I would like to learn all the old school ways by using hand tools and then start learning with machines and all.
What kind of machines, hand tools, vids and books should I start saving my money for?
Thanks a ton for your guys' help and I hope more people will start posting on the automotive section here. Thanks for the roadster.com site too, I will check that out right now and see what I find.

astroracer - Jul 01, 2004 - 12:27 PM
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Just found the site and have been reading through most of the conversations. I can relate to your no money problem so, when it comes to getting things I want or need, I either do some bartering or make them myself.
I have a '95 pickup that I have done all of the body work on and even fabbed up my own front bumper/airdam out of steel. Check out the pics and let me know if this is the kind of stuff you want to learn to do...
Mark

FMXhellraiser - Jul 01, 2004 - 06:40 PM
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That looks damn good man! Yeah I would love to do that stuff, I am into fabbing up ANYTHING. I like street trucks and old hot rods and motorcycles so anything like that would be something I would wan't to learn. That looks really good though, I thought that bumper was those cheap fiberglass ones at first until I saw the steel pics.

pricer - Jul 01, 2004 - 11:50 PM
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These are photos of metal work done a our hot rod shop. Very intresting projects. This picture is of a 1968 Ford Bronco that is being modified to look like the 2004 Bronco. It is shaping up really nice. This is the beginnings of the front end.

FMXhellraiser - Sep 10, 2004 - 04:22 AM
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Sorry I didn't reply to this a long time ago but I never get email notifications from here so I forgot about it, anyways Pricer that looks really awsome man. Got any more pictures of anything else you guy's have done? I wan't to work in a shop like that for a while one day right after I am done with school and maybe work at a place like that for a few years and then start my own shop one day and build cars from scratch and build my own frames and bodies, etc and make my own parts. Kind of like how you see that show American Hotrod but I just won't act like that like they do on TV. lol I would like to be somewhat more realistic. heh If anyone has any information on ANYTHING AT ALL about how to get started, what to get started with, a good project to do to start metal work or anything from hot rods to trucks to choppers to golf carts or anything then PLEASE let me know I would greatly appreciate it. I am really into anything like hot rods, choppers and things like that and love to learn as much as I can about metal work and all. I wan't to be able to one day learn almost everything I can about metal work, body work to build my own hot rods and choppers from scratch, to learning to paint to powder coating (which I will be doing soon I hope), etc.
Ok well sorry for the book I wrote I will stop here and see what you guy's have to say.
Thanks again for any help!

Grue - Sep 10, 2004 - 10:25 PM
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FMX,
Get the book Build your own sports car for £250' by Ron Champion. There's a pic of the car on www.metalbashatorium.com/car.htm

Glenn

pricer - Sep 11, 2004 - 12:35 AM
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I wish you all the best. This type of trade requires much practice and experience to be good. I like to see people with high expectations for themselves. Find a good shop, work hard and tie a big knot and hang on. If at any point of your learning process you want to pull the plug on it, thats when you will learn the most about the art and yourself. Remember, the grass is not always greener on the other side.Do your time and pay your dues and you Will get there. Didn't mean to get to deep but its been a growing day for me. Seek and you shall find. I hope you continue to visit with us here as we learn together.

FMXhellraiser - Sep 11, 2004 - 05:19 AM
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Thanks for the comment man and of course I will continue to visit here.

sabo118 - Jul 13, 2005 - 08:42 PM
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HEY OLDGOALY, I AM ALSO IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AND AM TRYING TO RE-ENTER FABRICATION. IS THERE ANY GOOD SCHOOLS AROUND, OR ANY CUSTOM SHOPS I SHOULD CHECK INTO. I POSED A QUESTION ON THE Q AND A FORUM...........LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU........BY THE WAY, ASTRORACER, NICE WORK ON THE CHEVY. VERY CLEAN LOOKING, I AM WORKING ON A 1992 SUBURBAN 2WD, JUST DROPPED IT 3/4 AND NEW 20S AND TOYOS.........PRICER, WILL LOOK YOU UP NEXT TIME IM DOWN THERE, WOULD LIKE EMAIL OR WEBSITE TO YOUR CUSTOM SHOP.......THANK ALL OF U

jilt - Jul 14, 2005 - 01:39 AM
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FMX- try http://www.machinemuseum.net/

This is a local museum in Alberta that is just incredible. It is called Reynolds Alberta Museum. This place is devoted to old machinery and probably has one of the most diverse collections in North America. Anyway, one of the guys in the restoration shop has made videos for restoration on old cars and is supposed to be one of the best. You should be able to pick up the videos through mail order off the website. If you love old cars you would cream your shorts if you ever had a chance to visit. I thought I knew a bit about the old cars but I was quite humbled by what is there and I'd never even heard of. My sister works there and I managed to get a tour of the warehouse that is just jammed full of stuff that is just waiting for restoration. Aparently they have the oldest surviving Chevrolet car- older than what chevy has in their collection. I could go on for hours about this place. check it out for yourself.

dgpoff - Aug 16, 2005 - 12:04 AM
Post subject: Fabricators - Early Automotive Sheetmetal

I'm in need of a fabricator to produce a set of fenders and splash aprons for a 1910 Vintage car. I have good solid patterns. Love to find someone in the Pacific Northwest.

Early car restorers are really in need of some new sheetmetal fabricators. Very few folks willing to get involved in early projects.

Don P.
Spokane, WA

SCHOONER - Sep 30, 2008 - 02:31 AM
Post subject: COLLAPSIBLE SMALL S/METAL BOX ~ HOW TO MAKE

oldgoaly wrote:

FMX,
what do you want to make??? what type of tools do you have???
If you are just starting out? There are some good videos and books on metalshaping. Forming is bending and rolling, shaping is shrinking and
stretching the metal. Now that you know that, how you go about it wether
with hand tools or power tools, it is still the same process! You have to start somewhere and the begining is the best place, shaping a bowl is one of the best ways to learn. Let me know what you want to make and
i can steer your down the right road, maybe a little bumpy at times but,
everybody makes mistake while learning!
Take care!
tt

Hi Oldgoaly

You're the man I want to speak with please.
First of all there's what I can & can not do:

I can: mig weld sheet metal.
I can: cut and measure the same.
I can: learn more and more with help.
I can: bend s/metal.

I can not: fabicate an adjustable joint.

Meaning: A s/metal joint that will collapse and then open-up again to a LARGER SIZE Rolling Eyes

As in making a rectangluar box that I need to make.

I have hand tools that I can work the s/metal.

Can you help/give suggestions/drawing or whatever to get the idea across to me on how in the world can I (we) make that joint.

Example: Lets say (these are not the exact measurements)

Box size collapsed: 3ins. high by 12ins. long by 7ins. deep.
Box size unfolded: 4ins. high by 14ins. long by 8 ina. deep.

My project must fit through an opening of lets say: 3 1/2 x 12 1/2 x 7 1/2ins.

Like I said these measurment are just an example.

The whole ideas is for me to make a box that will go in through the hole the smaller size and the open-up to a BIG SIZE.

I believe there must be somekind of adjustable joint that moves and then lockes into position so that I may tack weld it to its BIG SIZE.

My good man " CAN THAT BE MADE " Idea

Thank You in advance for you interest in my project.
GOD BLESS

Schooner Cool