Hammerform tips

[Sean in CT]

I am starting to get ready to finish the nose of my car today. I made a hammerform that is attached to the chassis. The nose is currently in 3 pieces - center, left and right. I am planning on shaping each piece roughly to the hammerform, then welding them together. then use the hammerform to get the final shape. Ill make the bottom center once the rest is done. Is this a reasonable approach?

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[toreadorxlt]

I'd be tempted to make each piece fit the hammerform then weld together. Id build the whole nose to about 8" back then weld it to the fender/hood sections.

[crystallographic]

Seems like a good approach.
What I usually do for this type of shaping is to weld and fit the top three as a unit, shape to the form and extricate it. Then make the chin section and weld that in.
Trouble with the 3-piece concept is fitting your two seams for welding after complicating them by shaping each around the form. If you trim your length after welding the three (or all four, with chin included), you can just tip the metal around the opening to about halfway across the radius. Make an inner band, insert that, and then tip that to meet. Trim, tack and weld - nearly zero distortion and a zing-over with the Vixen - done.



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This nose area had to be replaced completely, so I did it the way I mention last - make 4 sections, weld and fit, turn around halfway, band inside the nose and turn that to meet and weld 360. Bump a bit and file. (I also had to make a new grille since that was long gone - alongst with the orig nose area.)

[Sean in CT]

Thanks Kent and Steve - glad i asked!

BTW Kent, I have been practicing my gas welding