How exactly are these tucking forks used as I thought they were welded to a set of old vise grip pliers or are these waiting to be welded to a pair?
Rear Cab Corner tweeking?
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Katy(Houston), Texas
Wow, Dave that's some great metal work and I'm sure took you a lot of practice to get to that level of quality. I'm not sure if I would have the patience (patience is something discovered I lacked during this build) or initial skill to do that. I'm the type who gets frustrated pretty easily. I was looking at getting a set from HF since I don't really have the extra cash for the "high end version" and I did some research and didn't really come up with anything bad about the HF version. Like Dave said I don't really want to sink big $$ into a tool that wont get used much. If the HF version will get the job done for less I would go that route. If anyone is using the HF version do you have any opinons???
FTE Legend
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: northwestern Ontario
I'm not sure what HF charges for thier shrink/ stretcher but Eastwood has an off shore brand for around $169. I bought the american made set from a vendor here in Canada that work very well I just wish I had bought the set with both bodies as it gets to be a pain switching the jaws.
On my panel truck I made a similar patch using the method AXracer mentioned by cutting the shape of the pieces and welding them to form the dogleg to go around the door post that turned out quite well. Mind you this piece was much easier to make than trying to make a complete rear cab corner for a pickup. Originally I had bought a cab corner just for the part that is formed to go round the door post but the new piece looked worse than what was on the rusted out panel.
On my panel truck I made a similar patch using the method AXracer mentioned by cutting the shape of the pieces and welding them to form the dogleg to go around the door post that turned out quite well. Mind you this piece was much easier to make than trying to make a complete rear cab corner for a pickup. Originally I had bought a cab corner just for the part that is formed to go round the door post but the new piece looked worse than what was on the rusted out panel.
More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 593
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From: Wichita, KS
Probably easiest for me to send you to a video. The technique for crushing the formed tuck differs a bit from how I do it, but the general idea is the same.
YouTube - Tuck Shrinking by Kris Pinkerton
Dave
YouTube - Tuck Shrinking by Kris Pinkerton
Dave
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Katy(Houston), Texas
That doesn't look all that difficult to be honest. Are the tips semi sharp on the inside? They seem to be grinded almost to a triangle shape on the inside and rounded on the outside edges. Do you have to use a simular hammer to what the guy in the video uses or would a body hammer with the flat edge work?
This maybe a good alternative to try before dropping at least a couple hundred on a S/S set.
This maybe a good alternative to try before dropping at least a couple hundred on a S/S set.
More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Wichita, KS
I use a flat body hammer. Here is a link to a video where they flatten the tuck more like I do. Again, there's more than one way to skin a cat. I don't use the "fixture" shown here, though. By closing the end of the tuck first, it pretty much holds its shape without being clamped down. Clamping it should increase the amount of shrink per tuck, but I think it is too easy to over shrink even without the additional help.
YouTube - Tuck Shrinking fixture
The tips are actually blunt/rounded. They are actually cone shaped, otherwise. All of my stuff I've done at my vise, using the flat "anvil" at the back.
Dave
YouTube - Tuck Shrinking fixture
The tips are actually blunt/rounded. They are actually cone shaped, otherwise. All of my stuff I've done at my vise, using the flat "anvil" at the back.
Dave
More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 593
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From: Wichita, KS
The metalmeet forum is a good place to learn more about working with sheetmetal. Some of those guys do some truly amazing things with minimal tooling. Others do some truly amazing things with a lot of tooling. Sometimes there is the "my way is better than your way" stuff, but I figure the more methods I'm introduced to, the more choices I have for attacking a task.
Dave
Dave
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Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Durham NC
You can buy fluting pliers. They are sold to HVAC techs to flute the cut end of a metal heating duct so it can be slipped inside the plain end of another duct.
see crimping pliers ~ 1/2 way down the page. Klenk HVAC Tools -- Fairmont tongs, hand seamers, crimpers, pipe cutters, double cuts, notchers, metal roofing
see crimping pliers ~ 1/2 way down the page. Klenk HVAC Tools -- Fairmont tongs, hand seamers, crimpers, pipe cutters, double cuts, notchers, metal roofing
More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Wichita, KS
I prefer to use the tucking forks because the metal is formed around them. With pliers, the metal has to be drawn around the outside and probably stretches a bit. Not so bad on a single tuck, but when there are several, there is potential for more stretching that must be undone. That said, I don't have a pair of the fluting pliers. If I did, I would try them out. Might be a bit harder to contain the tucks to keep them from getting away since they aren't very tall or steep.
Dave
Dave
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Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Durham NC
Smaller closer tucks will give a smoother curve than large tucks with less chance of folding over the metal. The biggest issue with I have with HF tools is the inconsistant quality of the metal and machining and the problem with getting replacement parts. In my experience they seem to find they lowest possible bidder to clone a product then do no quality control or spec checking on the finished item they state "hardened jaws", but I'd bet they don't check the hardness of them or the quality and consistancy of the teeth machining. They also don't obtain any replacement parts, just canabilize whatever is returned by their customers. If there is a common failure part that they run out of you simply cannot get a replacement. I have seen this on one of their floor drill presses, The table elevation rack is a white metal casting instead of machined steel and breaks easily. A replacement rack is not available. I weigh if it makes more sense to spend 190.00 and roll the dice or spent an additional 140.00 for a high quality made in USA tool? I chose the latter.
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Katy(Houston), Texas
You maybe right Ax. I have had some success with HF and usually only buy certain tools. I try to avoid the hand tools such as wrenches, screwdrivers ect and only buy the tools that are either cheep (cost wise) and easily replaceable if they break. I do have a HF engine lift which should be hard to screw up but my lift seems to leak fluid and slowly falls over a few hours or less.
I may continue to shop around and see if what I can come up with. In the mean time I just got back from home depot and bought a 3/8ths steel rod to make one of those forks over the next couple of days as time permits. So far I have less than $5 into the project so I'd say I'm waaaaay ahead of the game. What is the depth of those forks? They seem to be 2 inches or less depth or does it matter?
I may continue to shop around and see if what I can come up with. In the mean time I just got back from home depot and bought a 3/8ths steel rod to make one of those forks over the next couple of days as time permits. So far I have less than $5 into the project so I'd say I'm waaaaay ahead of the game. What is the depth of those forks? They seem to be 2 inches or less depth or does it matter?
More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 593
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From: Wichita, KS
With mild steel, and a 3/8" diameter, I wouldn't make them too deep. Mine reach about 1-1/4". My 1/2" diameter one is about 2" deep. If you were to use something like allen wrenches, you could probably go a bit deeper, but I wouldn't bother. A lot of guys do use them, though. Make the space between the tapered part a little more than the thickness of the thickest material you'll use them on. Mine is about 0.080". Mine are ground so that the bottom sections of the two rods are parallel, but it makes it a bit more difficult to get them lined up when welding them together. Hope that all makes sense.
Sure wish you were closer. Shaping metal is easier to get the hang of with somebody to watch.
Dave
Sure wish you were closer. Shaping metal is easier to get the hang of with somebody to watch.
Dave
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 15,882
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From: Durham NC
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Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Katy(Houston), Texas
I got home tonight too late to start putting this together so I'll see what time I get off work tomorrow.
I wish I had some local friends into old truck that I could get and share information with but unfortunatly none of my friends are into this type of thing and probably think I'm crazy. If it wasn't for FTE and the great advice I get from here I'm sure I probably would have given up on a project of this magnitude a while back.
Ax wish you were closer because I'm sure I could learn a lot from those two days.
I wish I had some local friends into old truck that I could get and share information with but unfortunatly none of my friends are into this type of thing and probably think I'm crazy. If it wasn't for FTE and the great advice I get from here I'm sure I probably would have given up on a project of this magnitude a while back.
Ax wish you were closer because I'm sure I could learn a lot from those two days.