Tonite's Fast and Loud had a short bonus scene of Ron Covell (Metal shaping guru extraordinary) making a cameo appearance at gas monkey garage showing Aaron how to make a simple hood scoop out of aluminum in just a few minutes using shot bag and hammer, english wheel and shrinker. Well worth checking your local TV schedule for repeat showings of this week's episode with the C-10 build. He puts a lot of information in his instruction both in words and in watching and LISTENING to the metal as he works.

 

I love watching and listening to Ron. He is not only a great metal shaper, he is a great teacher as well.

 

Thanks. I have it set to record.

 

I was mesmerized by the transformation. The skill in converting the rough shape into the finished configuration was art. Now I know enough to not try this at home.

It was good to see fab work that didn't require a torch and BFH.

 

FN, That is the point, you SHOULD "try this at home"! It's not magic, it's just a piece of metal. Buy Ron's DVD Basic Techniques for Working with Steel Ron Covell Creative Metalworking Workshops where he explains his methods in detail. I have watched my copy many times, and I learn something each time I do.
People have been shaping metal for a long time, from building cars from scratch to suits of armor, most of the time with very basic hand tools. Craftsmen back in the days before electricity didn't have machines to work with yet they turned out amazing complex work. Any shaping operation that can be done by machine can also be done with hand tools, the only difference is the machines just do it quicker. You really need to try it, you may find a whole new love.
PS: a LOT of metal shaping IS done with a torch and a BFH. Ron used both in shaping the hood scoop!

 

Respectfully Ax, those guys are pros with ample experience and equipment. Could I possibly learn enough to be a hack? Maybe, with enough time and money. I'm better off hiring a capable practitioner and rewarding him/her for their craft.

There are many things I'll try but, to quote a line: "A man's gotta know his limitations".

 

We actually teach a version of it here.

In one of our high adventure programs we give the kids a round piece of aluminum. They use a dished piece of wood and a ball-peen hammer to make their own bowl. They use the bowl for eating the rest of the week they're here. Obviously some of them look rough, like the one in the picture, but some of the kids take their time and they turn out pretty nice.

Here is a kit similar to what we use:

We used to use copper, but it got too expensive. The copper was easier to shape, but also easier to tear a hole through.

 

In a word: YES! I could teach you how to form a hood scoop like that in a weekend without an english wheel. Just takes patience and determination not money.

 

If you annealed the aluminum first it would form easier than the copper. Aluminum is easy to anneal just like Ron did last night, if you have an ox-ac torch with a rosebud tip. Light the torch without opening the O2 valve (will produce a billowy sooty orange flame) run that flame over the aluminum to deposit a solid coat of soot over the entire piece of metal. Now add O2 to the torch flame as normal (to make a hot but slightly soft flame) Slowly run the torch over the piece heating as evenly as possible just until all the soot is burned off, being careful to not overheat and melt it (aluminum doesn't change color or glow before melting like other metals). Allow to air cool. You now have a piece of dead soft aluminum.
A plastic or wood torpedo mallet would be better than a ball peen. You can buy a torpedo mallet or repurpose an inexpensive larger wood or plastic mallet from the hardware store by grinding/sanding one face from flat into a 1/2 ball shape. If you have access to a wood lathe, a wood torpedo mallet head can be turned quickly from a 3 or 4" square x 6" or 8" piece of maple or hickory. Lacking a lathe at the time I used to make them from broken wood baseball bats. I've even seen them made from the cap of a compressed gas cylinder with a pipe handle welded to the side!

 

Effie Trucker: Here's an easier but more satisfying way to make that bowl that they would be proud to take home and show off: Use that same dished wood block. Cut a piiece of 3/4" plywood the same size as the outside and cut a circle the size of the bowl shaped recess out of the center. Cut the metal in a square the same size as the pieces of wood. sandwich the annealed aluminum between the two pieces of wood and secure with 4 4" C clamps or by drilling thru the three layers and using wood screws in the 4 corners. Now use a punch made from a 6" length of 1" square or round maple, oak, delrin or nylon, shaped round on the end, and a mallet to slowly drive the metal into the depression working around the piece from the edge to the center until it is tight to the depression. Now remove the clamps or screws and trim the rim (or leave the rim in the square shape). Sand the edges smooth with 180 wet or dry sandpaper glued or wrapped and taped to a stick (a type of molding from the DIY store called "screen mold", about 1/4" x 1" makes excellent sanding sticks.)

 

AX, where they do this is out in the woods with nothing but a shelter and fireplace. They can only use the "tools of the day" with the only thing modern being aluminum in place of copper.

I like the idea of the torpedo mallet. That they could use. The only heat would have to come from fire. They do have a pair of farrier tongs they could use to hold the aluminum in the heat.

I also like the idea of clamping a retainer ring over the metal. It would certainly help maintain a clean rim. We have some "authentic" clamps that would work well. (or just some screws with wing-nuts)

The punch you described would basically be like 6" off the end of an old shovel handle.

Thanks for the suggestions. Sometimes we get caught up in "the way we've always done it" and don't look for new ideas.

 

Watched 4 episodes of "Fast & Loud" with C10s (2 about the Cattle Men's Ball & 2 about a pace truck for the race at Pikes Peak). Did I miss something or are there more C10 episodes?

 

I recorded the show last night, and saw nothing about what Chuck mentioned originally. Just the C10 finish and the Cattle Mens Ball.

 

It was the first cattlemen's ball C10 build episode where they got the truck and did most of the build. Both cattlemens ball episodes were on last night. They often play the Mon nite episodes again on Sat morning, so look on your TV schedule.

 

Hey Ax, is Gracie done yet? Don't mean to change the subject but interested.