Sheet Metal Tools

[Duane WI]

Last week I posted pictures of my bead roller and straight brake. Here are some more sheet metal working tools. These tools are not old but copies of old tools. Not the most exciting post but what else is their to do in January besides spend way too much time on ytmag. The English Wheel and Shrinker Stretcher are just Harbor Freight. I buy this stuff used which makes them really inexpensive. A lot of the Harbor Freight specialty tools are purchase by someone for one project and then resold. The box brake is a really nice Tennsmith unit that I found used for a reasonable price.

 

[westga]

Spent some time in a sheet metal shop. I enjoy the post. Never used an English wheel but always wanted to play with one.

 

[1970-1655]

Son-in-law makes bodies and roll cages for dirt track cars so he has a pretty good selection of sheet metal tools. Even has a heavy 10' metal brake. Most he got in trade for some work he does for friends. If a person shops around and lets the right people know what you are looking for, you will usually get a response where one is located.

I have been looking for a Kett electric metal shears for a while to use on a car restoration project. One of these days I will be in the right place at the right time and find a bargain.

 

[big tee]

We watch the satellite channel velocity and the have a lot of car restoration shows on. I know it is a lot of drama but some of those guys really know their sheet metal. They can take a mallet and a leather bag of sand and can make anything they want. Same way with the English wheel. If I ran one all my fingers would all have black finger nails on the end of them.---Tee

 

[Goose]

Working in my shop the other day, I got to thinking how much easier it would have been back in the day when I was building dirt track cars if I'd had the equipment in my shop then that I have now.

MIG welder, auto darkening helmet, chop saw, angle grinders with both grinding wheels and cutoff wheels, other air tools, cordless drills, and the list goes on. Back then I did it almost all with a torch, arc welder, acetylene welder, and bench grinder.

 

[Duane WI]

I think the benefit of Harbor Freight is they have made specialty tools that are normally expensive available to the hobbyist. I find the HF stuff works okay. It might need some additional work to make improvements but in the end I can have tools that I just couldn't afford otherwise.

 

[Duane WI]

I watch some of those shows on a limited basis. Those shows are 90% about made up drama and 10% about the actual work being done. PBS has some really good wood working shows that focus on the skills and craftsmanship. I need a PBS show about metal working.

 

[sms]

I knew a guy(passed away some years ago)that restored a 1928 Studebaker. Couldn't find a rear fender so went to a buddy that work on airplanes, some sandbags mallets and a sheet of steel and they made a fender. He used to get a kick at the car shows when people came up tapped that fender and said "don't make them like they used to).

 

[js305]

I had a cousin that could do things with nothing. He was a "body and fender man" in the service in WW2. One time while visiting him and family he was out in his shop working on a side panel of an old van, using a torch and some rags and a bucket of cold water. He was working out a crunched place without using body filler. His final result was a smooth fender with no bondo to come off later.

 

[WGM]

Old time body men were true craftsmen. Unlike many of todays remove and replace bodymen.

 

[WGM]

Old time body men were true craftsmen. Unlike many of todays remove and replace bodymen.