sheet metal fabrication

[Ron King]

 update..... today i scored an english wheel with acc. for $200   wow... plus a plenishing tool for $50.00  .. then stopped by our local steel yard... 18 ga, c,r. price was  93 cents a pound . so i loaded up 80 lbs... went to cash out and got talkin to the gal at the counter....asks me what is up and i tell her  building old car parts...well seems she is a car show promoter....then she says  $58 ... not a bad day,,,, and i got an invite to a show on sunday....sometimes it pays to take a few minutes and b-s with people.

[notdavidspade]

Very nice,... now you'll know how to use the tools... you MADE them. 

[Ron King]

 well it begins,,,today i built myself a 36 inch sheetmetal brake. nothing fancy but it will bend 18 guage with no problem  it will be good for up to 90 degree bends .... the best part is the cost... just some time and a little welding. made it from pices of stock i had left over from other projects and an old fish tank stand for the base.. alittle detailing to finish it up a couple hold down clamps and some handles . then paint it...looking into the english wheel tomorrow...i ll post a photo when i get it finished....

[Ron King]

  well I think i am going to give it a try, start with the smaller simple  parts and see how it goes, I need to learn a little about the tooling, I've  never used an english wheel, but with a little reading and practice and see what happens.. maybe that class i took 45 years ago will come  in handy yet ! to bad i cant remember any of it  I will try to take some photos along the way , if it goes well  ......I  just dont want to make it worse and harder to fix.   thanks, Ron
   
    if anyone has knowledge on this please feel free to offer it up .......

[notdavidspade]

With your experience I think you could tackle patching up your own panels.  I would recommend an english wheel for your project if you are trying to make curved pieces of metal.  I think you'll like the results much more than beating them into shape.  I believe eastwood sells an english wheel and probably a video on fabricating as well.  Good luck!
Stephen in FL.

[Ron King]

  Hi guys it s me again, new question, due to the cost involved in cutting out old panels, shipping them and getting them made, I am considering making my own, a few tools like a slip roll, a small brake, some basic  panel forming mallets and some sheet stock. add in lots of time and make all of the picies that i need myself ..
   has anyone taken on a job like this ? or am i kidding myself ?
  A little background here may help.
     I am a certified welder, and have worked in a couple small fab shops over the years,  mostly much bigger materials and projects, i am use to 1/4 inch plate or bigger, same with wall thickness of tubing or square stock. but , it has been many years ..I have spent the last 20 years as a carpenter, building bridges , dams and prisions.   before that i was a motorcycle mechanic for 10 years or so , building costom bikes and servicing harley davidsons.   but no real sheet metal work there either...
   
  what I need is your opinions as to try this  ?or bite the bullet and have every thing made,then install them .
    here are some of the parts i need....quarter panel patches, a couple patches for the rear inner fender ( the inside wall of the trunk) the trunk floor, part of the trunk latch panel , repair pieces for the area below the tail lights, the  rest are simple and easy to make.
what do you think ?????