Question for welders

[toy]

Thanks for the information, its good to hear the opinions of others that have actually used the tools that you're interested in before you get them I just ordered santa to bring me the stretcher shrinker from eastwood and he said he would send it ups but I better not touch it before Christmas shucks!

 

[toy]

You said that you made an English wheel using casters for the wheels. Did the casters have ball bearings or did they just roll on the axels? Do you have to get all the side to side movement on the axel out or is the wheel sliding slightly srom side to side acceptable? Did you have to modify the casters another way than the lower one having to have a slight crest on top of it? From what I have been told it doesn't take a lot of pressure between the wheels with the adjusting screw , Is that true? Thanks for any further information on the English wheel.

 

[AlanB]

Hunt down a book by Ron Fornier about metalworking, I do not remember the exact name, but most race car shops will know exactly what I am talking about. (I am on vacation so cannot look at mine)

Anyway, His book is the best primer out there for the type metal work that you are speaking of doing.

And yes, the shrinker stretcher set works well in the right application.

 

[CT_Tree_Guy]

"Metal Fabricator's Handbook" (AKA "Sheet Metal Handbook")
Ron & Sue Fournier
HP Books ISBN: 0-89586-757-5
Berkley Publishing Group 1989 Price Stern Sloan Inc.

Chapters:
<ul type="square"> 1 Getting Organized
2 Basic Hand Tools
3 Sheet Metal Equipment (Brakes, shears, beaders, shrinkers, stretchers)
4 Types of Sheet Metal
5 Patterns and Layout
6 Metal Shaping (Station bucks, Eckold Kraftformers, English wheels, air planishing hammers, power hammers)
7 Hammerforming (Hammerform design and construction, manifold building)
8 Riveting (And this chapter is just that)
9 Restoration
10 Sheet metal interiors [/list]

Available from Eastwood (800-345-1178) www.eastwood.com
Item #28029 $17.95

 

[toy]

Alan B and ct tree guy thanks for your responses to my post. The English wheel looks like it would be fairly easy to make that is if I am understanding its opperating principals correctly. I want to get me an air nibbler and an air punch flanging tool but I want to get ones that will do the job and hold up good. ANy one have any suggestions will be apreciated .

 

[FL_Cracker]

Their are lots of ways to go but from what you have told me here I would keep one of the buzz boxes for your heavy dirty work. Ask your local welding supply about a new 80 series rod that will weld anything, rust, paint, dirt and still give you a nice 80,000 lb weld.

Next I would go with a Miller 220v mig. They make a very nice compact unit that come complete with the regulator & gun. You can add a small cart to hold the unit and your Tri-Gas tank. I've been using Miller machines for 25 years and currently own 25 mig units for my business. Try this link to Miller to see the mig unit I keep at home for me. MillerMatic 175

Good luck with your quest and let me know if you need additional information.