Super! a hammer form forum.

[jefm]

Hi gang,
I've worked a modest gamut of projects and materials and am always looking forward to trying something new. The latest project I've dug up had me wondering if I should take up hammer forming. For years I always thought this was a mystic black art limited to rude, moody artists in motorcycle shop reality shows. I've searched around and it seems that is not the case!

I have done some welding and metalwork before so I already have a bunch of tools and scrap to play with. I've gotten some plastic mallets and will "give it a whack" as seen in a couple Internet demos. So I think I can do a proof of concept pretty quickly.

If I had any questions right away, they'd be where to find a good variety of hammers, and are there any books on this I need to read right away.

Thanks all,
jefm

[Joe Hartson]

Hammer forming is just one of the many ways to shape metal. It is not the best way in may cases. Learn how to use hammer forms and use them when it appropriate. Just another tool/technique that you can use.

[JPMOSS]

Jeff, I don't know of any books to read. Look at Youtube videos of stretch forming (aviation, airstream, and kirkham cobra manufacturing). The down side of building a hammerform is it's labor intensive and you have to store it somewhere (time to add on the shed problem). The positive side of it is repeatability, increase chance for a of making a usable part, and a way to start metal shaping (you have to start somewhere). I use a wooden mallet to start then a wooden slapper. Attend one of the metal shaping events and ask questions you may find many different ideas bondo bucks, wooden buck and FSPs. (see Dan shady for the slapper). Good luck. JPM

[cameron]

I may be wrong, but I think JEFM is talking about forming metal with a hammer (and other tools, I presume, rather than using hammer forms).

Can you clarify please, JEFM ?

Dave Cameron

[jhnarial]

We consider ourselves more of a metal shaping site.


Form.... is more of what you do to sheet-metal to change it's appearance. Example... if I take a 10'' by 10'' piece of sheet-metal and roll it over my knee, the appearance has changed but the surface area stayed the same.


Shape.... Is anything you do to a piece of sheet-metal that changes the surface area (shrinking and stretching). Example if I take a piece of sheet-metal and hammer on it on a sand bag, I stretched the metal making the surface area larger then it was originally. The metal was thinned.

If I shrink the sheet-metal it will make the surface area smaller then it was originally. Shrinking will make the metal thicker.

[cameron]

Johnny,

I think the distinction made between shape and form made on this forum and on MetalMeet are not used all that much elsewhere. Somebody new coming to this site is not likely to make that distinction.

In any case, I'd like to hear jefm tell us more about what he's interested in.

And welcome to the forum jefm.

Dave Cameron

[jhnarial]

I agree Dave

I think you are right and am glad you made the observation.

Welcome aboard Jefm