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Old 10-23-2018, 11:37 AM
0maha 0maha is offline
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Default Starter Tool Selections?

Well, after a few false starts, I'm back. Went down last week to my supplier's to pick through their aluminum scrap pile, but it was impossible to determine what alloy was what (they don't keep them segregated). Decided to just order a full sheet of 3003 (0.063) and have them chop it up into practice-sized pieces.

I'm ending up with 20 pieces 1' square and 10 pieces 1' x 2'.

So, the question of the moment is: What tools should I be looking at first?

I've already obtained a sandbag and a collection of three bossing mallets. Probably the only relevant stuff I have from prior projects is a TIG welder, an angle grinder, a disk sander, a small bench sander, and a bench vice. That's all I have at the moment.

I'm not so much on a budget as I am wanting to learn this from the bottom up. I don't want to rely too much on stationary tools.

I contacted a tree service, and they said they should be able to hook me up with a couple of sections of trunk. Maybe 18" diameter or so, couple of feet tall. I figure on leaving one flat, and dishing out the other. Or maybe I save space and just get one, leave it flat on one end and dish the other?

I'm leaning toward getting this Covell hammer and dolly set from Trick Tools. I am wondering if it's worth also getting this Covell slap hammer, or if that should wait. Last, I wonder if I should get some sort of vice-mounted forming dolly. Any thoughts/ideas/recommendations on that?

At some point, I'm going to need to work out a way of cutting this stuff. What's a good, simple way to start on that?

Last question: I've got a regular propane torch that I use for soldering copper pipe connections. Is that at least minimally adequate for annealing this stuff?

Thanks as always for indulging my rookie questions!
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Old 10-23-2018, 07:05 PM
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Joe Hartson Joe Hartson is offline
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Take a look at this thread.
http://allmetalshaping.com/showthread.php?t=2926

Also use the SEARCH function in the header, lots of information that will help you get started and answer other question you may have.

Good luck with learning metal shaping.
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Old 10-23-2018, 09:57 PM
0maha 0maha is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Hartson View Post
Take a look at this thread.
http://allmetalshaping.com/showthread.php?t=2926

Also use the SEARCH function in the header, lots of information that will help you get started and answer other question you may have.

Good luck with learning metal shaping.
Thanks for the reminder. I was just poking around and found that thread. Sorry for starting a new thread.

Got my hammer and dolly set ordered. Seems like a place to start.

Best regards.
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Old 10-24-2018, 06:02 PM
sandmanred sandmanred is offline
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I'm a relative newbie too and the slapper is my new favorite tool, I add that to your list.


I use a mapp gas torch for annealing, not sure a propane torch for soldering will cut it unless you can find a bigger torch. I first used a tempilstick at 650F to test for annealing but using a sharpy marker and reading like the old soot coating actually works pretty well to know you got to 650F. Just keep the heat on until the sharpy mark mostly disappears and you've hit 650f.
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Old 10-24-2018, 07:02 PM
Chris_Hamilton Chris_Hamilton is offline
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Your first tools IMO should be videos from Peter Tommasini, (http://www.handbuilt.net.au/dvds.html)
Kent White, (https://www.tinmantech.com/products/dvds/)
and David Gardiner. (https://www.classicmetalshaping.co.uk/dvd/)

David Gardiner video would be the one to watch first. It covers a lot of the basics but also goes into more advanced topics. It is excellent.

Kent White has many different DVD's on a variety of topics. Learn from a Master.

Peter Tommasini has a great collection of DVD's which include him showing step by step how he makes a 1/4 panel for a 60's musclecar with only the English wheel and hand tools. Peter has a great ability to take the complex and make it simple and understandable for us mortals.

I would recommend all three as some of your first "tools".


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Old 10-24-2018, 08:00 PM
0maha 0maha is offline
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Appreciate the ideas. Lots to learn!

Something of an exciting step today. Called a tree guy and he hooked me up with a huge section of trunk off of a black walnut tree. Thing's a monster. 30" tall and 18" in diameter. Not sure what it weighs. Gotta be close to 200 pounds.
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Old 10-24-2018, 08:35 PM
cliffrod cliffrod is offline
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Get a gallon of boiled linseed oil and start soaking the ends until it absorbs no more. It may not eliminate checking, but it will help reduce it. Just keep painting the ends until it absorbs no more.

Black walnut isn't very hard, compared to other woods. I've carved a fair amount of it. You may be happy with it. If not, you can always replace it.

Back to basic tools, I took a picture of Peter's bag of tools that he brought to one of his English Wheel classes. Those tools were the same and only ones he used to do the Monaro quarter panel, so (to me) represent a realistically useful & finite group of basic tools. The pic posted here has gone to the great photobucket in the sky. I think I still have it somewhere else and will try to post it again.
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Old 10-25-2018, 09:32 AM
fciron fciron is offline
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Relative newby myself. Aviation snips or big tin snips are more than adequate for .063" 3003 aluminum once the larger sheet has been broken down into smaller chunks.
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  #9  
Old 10-25-2018, 09:46 PM
Mike Rouse Mike Rouse is offline
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Don’t overlook river stones as forming heads
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  #10  
Old 10-26-2018, 07:14 AM
RockHillWill RockHillWill is offline
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Mike is not kidding. He has made a presentation about using river stones that was quite impressive.
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