Metal forming tools

Yep, I am looking for a few, make life easier and tidier, tools but I am hopeless with names for the damned things.

What is the name of the tool that strengthens and presses out around holes made in metal?

Where are the best sources for this and a decent bead roller?

What else would you recommend for hand forming sheet metal?

Thanks in advance

dimple dies are what you are thinking of

That's the one, thanks Pat

http://www.vansantent.com/sheet_metal_machines/portable_dimple_dies.htm

Other ideas for metal forming welcome plz

NB I have a brake, roller and shear unit.

If you have access to a lathe dimple dies are a breeze to make

hammer and a shot bag

T-dollies

Planishing hammer

English Wheel

Shrinker Stretcher

A shrinker stretcher is a handy device to have around.

Oh, I get a lot of use out of one of these

link to a similar thread

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/neat-cheap-sheet-metal-forming-tools/40069/page1/

for reference only

oldtin wrote: hammer and a shot bag

Shot can be expensive. For the GRM version of a shot bag, use sand inside a couple old leather purses from Goodwill. (I use an outer purse to contain the sand inside...it tends to leak out the zipper during use.) remember to cut the zippers and buckles off the sides of the outer purse so they don't mar the sheet metal.

I made my first set of hammers out of scrap wood I had sitting around. More recently, I made one from the neighbor's tree trimmings

JoeyM wrote:

I'm gonna make one of those just for fun. That would look good in my arsenal of tools.

I've had great luck with http://www.lowbucktools.com/

Never got anything from him that didn't work or that i broke...Can't say that about HF stuff, But to be honest I do own a HF bead roller...It bent 1st time i used it. Sits in the corner now waiting for me to "fix" it. Plan is to buy a Williams low buck and scrap the HF at some point. I don't have time for HF tools when i need it done i want it right and quick...Getting older has lessened my drive to work with junk tools.

Sheet metal brakes are a good thing. I have two of the HF versions, honestly they are cheapies (surprise!) and make IMHO too large a bend radius but can be made better by tightening the tolerances. That's on my long list of projects.

44Dwarf wrote: I've had great luck with http://www.lowbucktools.com/ Never got anything from him that didn't work or that i broke...Can't say that about HF stuff, But to be honest I do own a HF bead roller...It bent 1st time i used it.

What were you rolling? Mine worked fine last weekend.

I've heard that some people who roll thicker sheet metal weld tubing to them to stiffen them up a bit. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-85823.html

.040 aluminum...no I'm not kidding. It might have been tweaked from the shipping don't really know at this point i don't care i don't need it right now. Yes welding tubing on the sides helps stiffen them. but need to find a way of keeping the roller centerlines straight or it will end up just as bad as before. It still works but if your trying to roll a bead in a panel you can't just roll backwards to roll it deeper it will not follow the bead allready in the panel.

I've only ever used a French Wheel.

It looks just like an English Wheel, only you use a lot of French with it.

Finger brakes are the bees knees. Building signs I use it all the time.

Also use HF stuff and had issues but as always y our mileage may vary.... like a hybrid Honda.

SkinnyG wrote: I've only ever used a French Wheel. It looks just like an English Wheel, only you use a lot of French with it.

Oh, so when you ask it to do something, it is all condescending to you right up until the point it gives up and runs away?

mguar wrote:

4cylndrfury wrote:

SkinnyG wrote: I've only ever used a French Wheel. It looks just like an English Wheel, only you use a lot of French with it.

Oh, so when you ask it to do something, it is all condescending to you right up until the point it gives up and runs away?

HMMM The French gave America it's liberty. In doing so it cost the French government their heads.. The heads of their wives and children.. Without France to Finance the American revolution, keep the British ships busy and to box in Cornwallis the American revolution would just be a failed footnote in history.. Don't forget the statue of Liberty was France's gift to America..

And we paid France back many times. Like in WW I we saved their asses and again in WW II. We tried to help them in Viet Nam and ended up fighting there ourselves in a long pointless war. So I have to say we have paid the bill may times over with interest!

mguar wrote:

4cylndrfury wrote:

SkinnyG wrote: I've only ever used a French Wheel. It looks just like an English Wheel, only you use a lot of French with it.

Oh, so when you ask it to do something, it is all condescending to you right up until the point it gives up and runs away?

HMMM The French gave America it's liberty. In doing so it cost the French government their heads.. The heads of their wives and children.. Without France to Finance the American revolution, keep the British ships busy and to box in Cornwallis the American revolution would just be a failed footnote in history.. Don't forget the statue of Liberty was France's gift to America..

The French also designed DC. Ever drive in DC? They owe use so much for that !

Yeah, I'd say all those graves at Normandy make the point.

I'd love to have a finger brake. Maybe one of these days my ship will come in... nahhh. Finger brake:

Regular sheet metal brake:

Sometimes a megabux tool is not needed, only some ingenuity. When I had to bend a long piece of aluminum (~34") to make a spoiler for the Abomination, I used the edge of my workbench as one part of a brake. I then clamped a long piece of angle steel down and used a deadblow hammer, working my way up and down the length a little at a time. I then clamped the angle steel to the bench edge, laid the short side of my workpiece on the angle steel and again used the deadblow, this time to straighten it out. I then used a sanding block and some 60 grit paper to even the edge out, followed by some 150. Looks great, didn't have to buy an expensive brake.

mguar wrote:

4cylndrfury wrote:

SkinnyG wrote: I've only ever used a French Wheel. It looks just like an English Wheel, only you use a lot of French with it.

Oh, so when you ask it to do something, it is all condescending to you right up until the point it gives up and runs away?

HMMM The French gave America it's liberty. In doing so it cost the French government their heads.. The heads of their wives and children.. Without France to Finance the American revolution, keep the British ships busy and to box in Cornwallis the American revolution would just be a failed footnote in history.. Don't forget the statue of Liberty was France's gift to America..

for reason that have already been posted, your opinion is wrong...I had a witty retort including the way the French treated their own Jews during the war, but removed it to reduce the flounder effect...

good thread here about homemade tools http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=235784

This is a thread about metal forming tools, you guys go have your pro/anti French argument somewhere else please.

huff huff

Damn Aussies, always messing up a good anti French bitch session.

In reply to aussiesmg:

it's relevant because the French are tools