Lifting or pulling down the panel while wheeling

[Julien]

Bonjour.

I use to use my EW mostly for smoothing. But I want to be able to use it really for shaping things. It’s a kind of magic tool for me 😁
I carefully watched what people like Mr Wray Schelin or Mr Peter Tommasini say, it maked me progress a lot but I still miss a lot of things…
I try to understand every little things that happen when you wheel.
What’s the point whith lifting or pulling down the panel during the process ?
I guess it’s to get rid of hollows or small defects existing, but how does it work selon exactly ?
Do you pull down for hollows and lift if it’s a slight bump ?
It is a way to arrange the shape ? Or does it change the amount of stretching you add ?
Hope I’m clear enough, and I hope you guys can help.
Thanks

[drivejunk]

I also marvel at what the wheel can do, being a beginner myself. I have done more hands on than study so bear that in mind and stand by for corrections if I am wrong but I find that: Keeping the weight of the workpiece neutral in relation to the tool is about the only reason to push down or lift up. Keep wheel and anvil free of pressure, just letting the metal through evenly or as close to that as possible.

Wheel something big enough to be heavy out where you can't reach and you'll find that any twist or pressure against the tool transitions you from wheeling to tipping pretty quick.

[Jaroslav]

Julien. First make sure what model EW you have.
If your frame is stiff enough, you can very well watch what is happening to the sheet metal. If you have a soft or too flexible frame, it is very difficult to estimate what the elasticity of the EW is and what the shaping resistance is.
With a hard frame, you feel how the product is shaped and what the drag is between the wheels. The resistance gradually subsides and the plate passes easily. You already know that you have to turn the screw or it's a signal that this place is being ending for shaped.

[Chris_Hamilton]

In simple terms, lift up to flatten or pull shape out to the edge. Pulling down puts shape in quicker.

[Julien]

Thanks Chris, in other words, do I have to understand that lifting up is a kind of « moving » the material ? (I mean « changing its location »I’m not sure that my way to translate what I have in mind is correct)…

Jaroslav, I built a « medium » frame, I practised both a very stiff one and a very flexible one years ago i and I find advantages and defects in each, so I decided to build something in between. I even did it step by step, adding reinforcement if needed… so it’s Frankenstein’s wheel, but looks great to me…
I built it cause it’s almost impossible to find an EW in France, even just the anvils…

[Chris_Hamilton]

Originally Posted by Julien

Thanks Chris, in other words, do I have to understand that lifting up is a kind of « moving » the material ? (I mean « changing its location »I’m not sure that my way to translate what I have in mind is correct)…

…

Yes that is correct.

[Jaroslav]

Julien. We also do not have EWs historically. Which is an advantage. It forced me to build my own bikes. Due to it variability and exchange system, I have a very easy job with shaping.

https://www.allmetalshaping.com/showthread.php?t=17702