Lifelong student/craftsman finally "logging on"

[Koogle]

Howdy y'all,

I'm 38 years old and have worked in the automotive industry for most of my adult life (from gas station attendant to car audio fabrication, to Porsche mechanic to custom upholstery to auto body/restoration to racecar design/fabrication) and at this point, I have a small (4,000 sq ft) shop behind my house, working as a specialty independent contractor for local automotive business (hot rod and performance car mostly) and also taking on a job or two of my own to do on my own, in-house.

Metal shaping has been a relatively recent venture (the last couple years) prior to that, basic chassis fab and an odd patch panel or factory panel replacement was as far as I had gone. (However, I do have a cabinet shop, upholstery shop, mold-making /fiberglass/composites abilities, a mill/lathe and tooling, tube chassis/cage building gear, etc)

Recently I acquired a vibroshear reciprocating machine, then a pullmax p-3. (I've been making a bunch of basic dies, and have purchased shrinking dies and louver cutting dies) I also recently purchased a Frost 42" cast english wheel and a TM air hammer (both should be ready to ship here shortly...can't wait!) until they arrive, I'm making due with modded/tuned HF junk and a bunch of quality hand tools! (Shot bag/hammers/dollies/Lancaster,etc) also spending a lot of time with the new HTP inverting 221. For the money it is damn near as good as the miller dynasty 200.

All of this has not come without sacrifice. In the last four years I have worked steadily 6 days a week with few vacations, sold all of my project cars and motorcycles to fund purchasing tools and developing my shop, and have focused relentlessly on learning my craft with every spare moment.

Hope this gives you guys an idea of where I come from in all this.... I am here to share any knowledge I may have to give, and quietly lurk... reading every post regarding yoder powerhammer replica builds and loving every minute of it.

I might even post a couple photos

-Forrest

[Koogle]

Here is one corner of my shop:

[Koogle]

Some projects: (built this tube chassis for a flared triumph TR6 connecting two 2008 miata subframes and suspension geometry with a turbocharged honda s2000 motor 6 spd ...currently building the new floors/trunk/ inner fenders & trans tunnel

[Koogle]

[Kerry Pinkerton]

Welcome to AllMetalShaping Forrest. Nice looking work. What kind of body will it end up with?

What brand is your reciprocating machine? Looks a bit like a Liebert throat shape but the head looks more like a Tru-Edge or MetalMaster

[Koogle]

The chassis is a 1970 tr6 roadster (a friend and customers car) here is a little bit of a quick sketch I did, showing the DTM/hillclimb style flares and front splitter

[Peter Tommasini]

Hi Koogle welcome to the forum
Peter