Here are my tools. The the anvil isn't needed, but it helps adjusting the ends of pipes, so that they fit exactly to each other. The (CO2) welder isn't needed as well, if you know somebody how can do the job for you or you are having acetylene equipement.
Of course you will need some kind of metall shears (I forgot to take a picture).
Simple tools for sheet metal working
Moderator: Mike Everman
Simple tools for sheet metal working
- Attachments
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- Anvil.jpg (66.08 KiB) Viewed 8618 times
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- or "vise", if you prefer
- CO2_welder_and_vice.jpg (37.86 KiB) Viewed 8619 times
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- hammer shouldn't be to small; use the pipes for giving the metall sheets a curved form
- hammer_and_model_pipes.jpg (50.94 KiB) Viewed 8618 times
Last edited by mk on Mon Feb 23, 2004 7:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
mk
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Mike Everman
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A vise is key
Of all the tools I use, I would have to say my large vise is the most useful. And if you are designing or fabricating, the very hardest part of the operation is figuring out how to hold it. The drilling is zip zip. The setup is the tasking part.mk wrote:A stiff rubber mallet would be or rather is useful by working with sheet thickness of about 0.5mm/0.020in.
I often work with 1mm/0.040in sheet metal. A rubber mallet wouldn't be heavy enough for getting small radien "rolled". A relatively heavy hammer is better in this case.
Mar
Plywood Forms
Hello- One useful item I can add to this thread is the use of plywood as a medium to keep all those sheet parts in relative position while you weld them. I use a length of all-thread to center and length plywood forms that the sheet parts can be fixtured to in order to maintain dimensions and alignment. Nuts on the all-thread can be used as locating stops. This method can be used for asymmetrical as well as symmetrical developments. Large Marmon clamps (hose clamps) can be used to fixture the work to the plywood bucking form. Hank
The smallest radius I "rolled" was 7mm/~0.25in out of 1mm/~0.04in thick black steel sheet. But getting a real circular/round shape wasn't very easy at all! Bigger radien and/or thin metal sheet are making this methode even more attractive.A rubber mallet wouldn't be heavy enough for getting small radien "rolled".
mk