1952B3b23 Posted October 30, 2014 Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 Hi Guys, This past June i took a 4 day metal shaping class that i learned a ton in. It was my first exposure to using an english wheel, stump shrinking, and TIG Welding. The class project that i chose to do was a rear fender for my '52 Dodge truck project. I had originally purchased two new fiberglass fenders from Bruce Horkey because my truck came with no bed when i bought it. So the fiberglass served as a buck to make the new steel one off of. I've attached pics of the fender and the point its at now, its made out of 19 ga steel. I haven't had time to go back to the shop to finish welding and do the final metal finishing steps which also includes a wired edge along the fender. I'll post my progress as i continue with this. Hope you enjoy seeing it. It was a blast to make and a heck of a learning experience. Thanks for lookin', -Chris 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBF Posted October 30, 2014 Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 Wow-how many hours in that? Nice work-really nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted October 30, 2014 Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 I went to the photos first to look for the scratch but did not see it. Then I read the text and every thing came into focus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reg Evans Posted October 30, 2014 Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 Amazing ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave72dt Posted October 30, 2014 Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 Looks like you've picked up the basics quickly and a new hobby. Looks really good. How many pieces? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikwillig Posted October 30, 2014 Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 Beautify done. I know that the feeling of having something that you, yourself have made, on the truck matching the style, and looking correct. Can be a far better feeling, than say, having an after market deal, that needed some massaging for it to fit... But of course everyone's different, and some like, or even prefer fiberglass over good steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952B3b23 Posted October 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 Wow-how many hours in that? Nice work-really nice Thanks a lot, i appreciate it. I worked from ten am to midnight for four days straight on it. We had a 1 hr break for lunch and 1.5 hr break for dinner/ nap time. I was exhausted every single day but i'd do it again in a heartbeat. Its so rewarding to be able to take a flat sheet of steel and bring it to life with simple tools and some know how. I went to the photos first to look for the scratch but did not see it. Then I read the text and every thing came into focus. Haha thanks Don. Its unbelievable how the perfectly smooth and shinny surface of the English wheel turns the metal into looking like chrome plate. What ever surface finish is on the wheel it will be imparted onto the work piece. That's why its so important to keep the wheels nice and clean. Also the extreme shine makes it very easy to use the lighting to see high and low spots. Amazing ! Thanks a lot i really appreciate the kind words. Looks like you've picked up the basics quickly and a new hobby. Looks really good. How many pieces? Thank you very much. Its a great hobby that is really rewarding and a huge test of patients. The fender is made of 6 pieces, they are all then TIG welded together. Beautify done. I know that the feeling of having something that you, yourself have made, on the truck matching the style, and looking correct. Can be a far better feeling, than say, having an after market deal, that needed some massaging for it to fit... But of course everyone's different, and some like, or even prefer fiberglass over good steel. I really do prefer the steel fenders over fiberglass but at the time when i bought them it never occurred to me to try and make my own. This metal shaping is a fairly new hobby for me and im really trying hard to learn as much as i can. I know if i keep plugging away and challenging myself i can do it, just takes practice and determination. I'm currently working on my TIG welding and trying to practice as much as i can so i can do a solid job of finish welding this fender. Its slowed down my time to actually make physical progress on the truck but in the long run it will pay off. Again, Thanks everyone for the kind words, -Chris 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ194950 Posted October 30, 2014 Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 I've read and heard of several sheet metal shaping teaching classes for a price, even considered doing it with a close friend of mine. Ron Covell on the west coast does these classes but not 10am-12 midnight. Some were east coasters but don't remember their name. Love your work, pretty obvious it was not your first go round with working sheet metal! Beautiful work regardless, appears you were taught a lot and spent many hours to get it that far! Thanks for sharing your experience. Please share the name of the teacher, he(? proper these days to ask) did well and you must have been the top student! DJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952B3b23 Posted October 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 I've read and heard of several sheet metal shaping teaching classes for a price, even considered doing it with a close friend of mine. Ron Covell on the west coast does these classes but not 10am-12 midnight. Some were east coasters but don't remember their name. Love your work, pretty obvious it was not your first go round with working sheet metal! Beautiful work regardless, appears you were taught a lot and spent many hours to get it that far! Thanks for sharing your experience. Please share the name of the teacher, he(? proper these days to ask) did well and you must have been the top student! DJ Thanks a lot for the compliments. It was my first time using an English wheel, Tig welding and doing a few other sheet metal processes. But I had done some basic stuff at home before this, Never to this extent though. I'm from MA so out here the two big teachers are Fay Butler in wheelright MA and Wray Schelin in Stafford CT. I went to wray and I'm very happy I did. He's truly a master and genius when it comes to this stuff. I live about a half hour from his shop so I'm lucky to be able to go and see him every once and awhile and learn more. He's a great guy and super nice. He has a perfect balance of helping you and teaching you his methods but will not do it for you. Which is perfect cause you won't learn if someone else does it for you. But if you screw up (which I did a bunch of times) he's there to set ya straight again. -Chris 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Balazs Posted October 30, 2014 Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 Chris; That is truly amazing. What a wonderful skill to learn. It is great to see the old ways are being kept alive. Bravo!!! Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark D Posted October 30, 2014 Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 Sweet! Nice work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiftyFifty Posted October 30, 2014 Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 Wow!! Some guys have the patients and talent to pull that kind of stuff off, and you've shown you've got both, good job. I often think about buying some of these toys to play with in the shop, like a phlashing hammer, and the wheel and a bead roller...but I can't justify the cost to play vs. just buying the parts needed. Someday I guess when that quarter I planted grows into a money tree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD luxury liner Posted October 30, 2014 Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 very nice work good job if you do not try, you have already failed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
48Dodger Posted October 30, 2014 Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 Sa-Weet!! Did you build a buck for your shape design or fit it against the original? I've used Corvell DVD's for years....he's not far from where I live but have never taken one of his classes....maybe it would be a great idea?...lol. Great work Chris! 48D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952B3b23 Posted October 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 Chris; That is truly amazing. What a wonderful skill to learn. It is great to see the old ways are being kept alive. Bravo!!! Jeff Thanks a lot Jeff. I really hope that a lot of younger people like myself will get into this hobby and hopefully be able to keep it alive. The old way of doing this stuff is so rewarding and really doesn't require to many fancy tools. Sweet! Nice work! Thank you! Wow!! Some guys have the patients and talent to pull that kind of stuff off, and you've shown you've got both, good job. I often think about buying some of these toys to play with in the shop, like a phlashing hammer, and the wheel and a bead roller...but I can't justify the cost to play vs. just buying the parts needed. Someday I guess when that quarter I planted grows into a money tree Some of the tools can be kind of pricey but the basic stuff that would allow you to get started really isn't all that expensive. You need a wood stump with a dish in the center, this is for stump shrinking. A decent set of hammer and dollies. A leather panel beater bag filled with sand or lead shot, and a decent panel beating mallet. I don't have an english wheel yet but im planning on building one, currently saving the dough to buy a good set of wheels. I also dont have a planishing hammer, i do it the old fashioned way with hammer and dolly. I've heard the Harbor Freight hammer actually isnt all that bad and for hobby use it's good enough. They do speed up the metal finishing process and save your arm. i have a Woodward fab bead roller that works pretty decent for the price. Thanks for the comment. very nice work good job if you do not try, you have already failed! Thanks. I like that saying, "if you do not try, you have already failed" it's very true. Sa-Weet!! Did you build a buck for your shape design or fit it against the original? I've used Corvell DVD's for years....he's not far from where I live but have never taken one of his classes....maybe it would be a great idea?...lol. Great work Chris! 48D I fit each piece of the steel fender against the fiberglass and used the 'glass fender as the buck. I personally don't spend the money on the DVDs cause i cant learn that way but everyone has different ways of learning. I need to have someone there to tell me where i am going wrong and show me how to correct it. Or else i do end up screwing up in the same way each time and then getting frustrated that i cant get it right. Thanks for the good words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruff1148kr Posted October 30, 2014 Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 Great job made in America first time since 1952 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952B3b23 Posted October 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 (edited) Great job made in America first time since 1952Thank you. That's right, good old hand made in the USA. -Chris Edited October 30, 2014 by 1952B3b23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted October 30, 2014 Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 awesome! So you are not going to make them for other members?!?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952B3b23 Posted October 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 (edited) awesome! So you are not going to make them for other members?!?!? Haha I've thought about it. If I get good and fast enough at it I'll consider it. Just out of curiosity I wonder how much someone would be willing to pay for a scratch built fender like this? The amount of labor and time involved makes it get pretty expensive fast. In all seriousness being able to do this as a hobby and making some spare cash at it would be an ideal and enjoyable thing for me. Thank you, -Chris Edited October 30, 2014 by 1952B3b23 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanksB3B Posted October 30, 2014 Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 Wow that's really something ! Is it on YouTube ? Beautiful Workmanship, Hank Next 51-53 Parking Light Buckets ? (those would sell for sure) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Balazs Posted October 30, 2014 Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 Haha I've thought about it. If I get good and fast enough at it I'll consider it. Just out of curiosity I wonder how much someone would be willing to pay for a scratch built fender like this? The amount of labor and time involved makes it get pretty expensive fast. In all seriousness being able to do this as a hobby and making some spare cash at it would be an ideal and enjoyable thing for me. Thank you, -Chris Be careful about what you dream of......it ceases to be fun a lot sooner than you might think when money is involved. Learning to be proficient at an art like this is a wonderful thing. I can't even begin to tell you how great it is that you are doing something like this. Keep at it. Can't wait to see your next creation. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave72dt Posted October 30, 2014 Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 Problem with metalshaping is you have to be really good to have the clientel that can afford to pay for it. Most of these guys do classes and DVD's for a reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952B3b23 Posted October 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 Hank, Thanks a lot, I appreciate the compliment. What do the parking light buckets look like? My truck didn't have them when I bought it. -Chris Jeff, Thanks for the kind words. I hear ya on it starts to lose the fun when you do it for money. That's why it'd just be a hobby type thing. But it's to early in my metal shaping journey to think about doing this for for extra bucks. When I get good enough and someone what's me to make something for some money. Then I'd think about it. Right now I have a lot to learn. Thanks again. -Chris Dave, You are correct. It's not everyday that someone with the kind of money to afford this stuff walks into a metal shaping shop and wants work done. Not only do most do lessons and DVDs but they make and sell tools of there own design. Wray is one of them. -Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deathbound Posted October 31, 2014 Report Share Posted October 31, 2014 VERY NICE.......I'd like to order a pair of rear fenders for my '38 coupe....probably similar or the same as your '39. Besides, fiberglass is for Corvettes.....and maybe a few others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1952B3b23 Posted October 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2014 VERY NICE.......I'd like to order a pair of rear fenders for my '38 coupe....probably similar or the same as your '39. Besides, fiberglass is for Corvettes.....and maybe a few others. Thanks a lot! I'm not good enough at this metal shaping stuff to be selling my work, at least not yet . I checked out your profile page and saw the pics of your coupe, very nice car. The rear fenders do look very close to being the same as my '39 except for the tail light areas. The '39 has the tail lights built into the fender, yours looks like they stand up off of it. I really do like the front ends on the pre-'39 models better, to me they just look cooler. I think one day i might switch my head light setup to be like your '38. I love the look of those big old headlights just stick up out there loud and proud lol. Sorry for getting a little off topic with talking about the Plymouth coupes, but it all ties back to the fender work..... Thanks for the comment, -Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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