DIY Hydroforming Tutorial

[@randalrobinson3424]

Great idea. You mentioned minimizing trapped air, but it would be good to emphasize how this reduces the chance of a dangerous explosive weld failure

[@ConnorHolland]

Yes, see my latest video for a demonstration of what happens when there's trapped air

[@drd1924]

Did you ever play with those little rockets as a kid, where you filled the rocket half with water, then pumped it up with something like a bicycle pump?

[@timferguson1526]

Wow something I never thought of! I like how you calmly do the impossible!

[@triggeredwelder]

Using the ground clamp as a clamp, I luv it

[@alekszink7546]

You are such an artist Connor. There`s something very satisfying in decorative hydroforming. Thank you for your videos and persistence. I always wonder what you gonna come up with next. :) Bless you.

[@ConnorHolland]

Thank you very much!

[@NIHILWR]

Idk why but you were in my recommendations today. Very cool video, never heard of this before.

[@AndrewJohnClive]

Me too!❤

[@Interdiction]

I will be making some Hydroformed fuel tanks for my boat . It seems easy enough . Thanks for the informative vid

[@johncichon9499]

Thanks for an informative and well put together video. About 4 years ago I was quoting a similar type of job where 2 pieces of 1.5mm thick sheets were seam welded and a valve welded in on one of the edges. This was used as an expandable pillow that, in the flat, was slid into a sawn section of quarry rock. It was inflated under high pressure causing the cut to expand and separate the rock into a manageable size to handle. I'd love to see more of the shapes you have made👍

[@ConnorHolland]

Very interesting, it is impressive how much lifting/splitting force can be generated by inflating relatively thin sheet metal. I'll continue to share my experiments with new shapes on here

[@quartfeira]

Please keep up your awesome work mate! I'm impressed how cool this technique is and how many things you can virtually do! Actually you inspired me a lot, I make furniture with wood and metal but I'm always been intrigued by stainless steel... I was just thinking these days what can I do (since I'm a novice tig welder too) and you have been the inspiration, that little spark that i needed. I thought that for the hydroforming procedure was required a much higher pressure, and apparently is easier then I thought... at least in terms of tools that are needed. I'm happy! Please, keep it up. 😊🤙🏼✌️

[@ConnorHolland]

Thanks very much, I'm pleased to hear that!

[@joshm3342]

He ACTUALLY does things, not virtually.

[@exploringgodscountry]

My Corvette's frame was hydroformed. Super cool!

[@1972Ray]

I worked at a place that made pressure tanks. You had to certify the welders for pressure, because it's much harder to have zero leaks under pressures much greater than a pressure washer can generate. Amazing video.

[@somaday2595]

The pressure washer I use to wash the house and vehicles is 3800 psi.

[@johnathon007]

@@somaday2595 Some pressure tanks are rated over 20k. Hydraulic systems can be crazy.

[@laynekobain]

Very awesome tutorial, I agree the possibilities for this technique are immense. definitely going to dedicate some time to this eventually, keep it up!

[@charlesgraham9954]

i learned to Tig weld on aluminum with a thumb trigger. but i have Tig welded with a foot feed. i don't care for it. man thank you for your time making this video, i truly appreciate it, i know how long they take to film and edit. u gave me an idea how to make my own fenders and door panels for my 33 Ford Tuck. again, thank you..!

[@moodlemech]

Wow niiice. So now all we need is a CAD/FEA program that can predict the stretch and then produce the templates, then pump them up for a perfect part.

[@DanteYewToob]

Great video! Perfect timing too, since I recently showed your videos to a friend and he wanted to try it out and I told him you’d probably release a tutorial sometime soon… haha That was a great welding tip too… I struggle with perfectly straight lines and I’m still learning, so that angle iron guide trick looks like a great way to rest your hand/wrist. I’m definitely going to try that out!

[@ConnorHolland]

Happy I could help, you can have some of the credit for being the first to ask for a tutorial

[@toroddlnning6806]

@@ConnorHolland can you use this method to round the shape of a bouthull of a 19 foot aluminim construction with lets say 4mm thick sheeting?

[@robertweekley5926]

Adding a Wooden Mold Frame to Expand into might be one of the ways to expand the possibilities of Shapes to squeeze into!

[@ConnorHolland]

I'll like to try mold making using steel, as wood could break due to the huge force involved

[@maurilgboukrou9130]

Wow this is pure art.

[@dinacaldwell7522]

Well this is quite groovy I must say. Impressive creativity

[@TheAussiePirate]

Thank you, that was a very good run through.

[@mark6302]

thats some fine metalwork

[@chrissartain4430]

Very good video, this opened my understanding to a whole new idea of art.

[@sicks6six]

noticed the motorcycle helmets behind you, hydroforming exhaust systems for bikes, moto-x & trials is a very lucrative business to be in, the plans for exhaust systems are free PDF online if you search for them, £1000 isn't a lot for an exhaust nowadays, worth thinking about if you wondering where this hobby could go in the future, good video and good work, excellent welding skills for self-taught using cheap equipment,

[@herzogsbuick]

this is amazing! i've done some fab work and love Ron Covell, for instance, but i've just never seen anything like this ever. wow. subscribed.

[@dodge7560]

Thank you for doing this tutorial,,subscribed.

[@qnner]

05:40 you could place a small tube up the hole to speed up the draining significantly. No need for a blowtorch for draining. Not too expensive for you to try it. 👍

[@ConnorHolland]

Yes a straw also works, it helps get air back inside to let the water flow out

[@wolframschweier3307]

Fascinating process. I just found a new use for my PW. Excellent tutorial.

[@motosill_garage]

Very useful tutorial video! Thanks. I need to try it in my projects too...

[@IS-uh5yj]

Great VIDEO!! SEE YOU IN THE FUTURE

[@davelowe1977]

Good demo!

[@endurojimmy3109]

What a fantastic video. Thanks for making this.

[@howacarworks]

I love your presenting style and your explanations. Absolutely perfect explanation and demonstration. Subscribed!

[@ConnorHolland]

Thank you so much!

[@nothanks7285]

Very cool video, what a nice skill to have. I'd love to try & make fenders and/or gas tanks for motorcycles with this method. Someday!

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

Cool. The first time I heard about hydroforming metal was when the C5 Corvette debuted. Its frame rails were hydroformed and I always wondered how the process worked.

[@elitearbor]

Lovely! You really are bringing this technique to "the common man" so to speak. It's dangerous, yes, but all metalworking is.

[@johnnydennett4248]

It’s hardly dangerous when you use water. That’s why pressure testing of vessels is done with liquids that cannot compress. If you pumped it up with air that is compressible,then it would be dangerous. Generally what happens is you get a tiny leak on the weld seam and you can no longer build pressure . It ends with a whimper ,no bang…

[@CableWrestler]

Colin Furze already done this

[@alineharam]

You taught me something. Thanks.

[@kalleklp7291]

Collin Furze did this some years ago when he made a jet. Your TIG welding looks quite good. One can also use MIG for that but turn down the wire to an absolute minimum. Everything else would just be a waste of wire and make the result look bad.

[@ConnorHolland]

Nothing beats TIG in my opinion, except maybe robots and lasers, but I cant afford those yet

[@717Fang]

Super brilliant idea.

[@psjasker]

Talented young man

[@manxman8008]

very good idea and demo

[@DanielSMatthews]

Can you draw annealed lines on the sheet metal with a blowtorch to guide crease formation in situations where the geometry allows for more than one outcome and you don't want it to be random?

[@ConnorHolland]

That could work, it may be more effective to get the lines red hot and use compressed air (under 100 psi) to inflate

[@DanielSMatthews]

@@ConnorHolland Ah yes get them started then finish with the hydro.

[@kennethjanczak4900]

Nice job Thanks for taking the time to make the video and share it.

[@ConnorHolland]

You're welcome

[@Vlow52]

Great idea! You should try welding some Platonic solids and try to inflate them to see how spherical it gets

[@jpsimon206]

I was surprised by your statement suggesting those concerned about rust could use stainless. Have you tried this? I have messed around with DIY hydroforming, both pressure washer and grease gun techniques. I have never had a successful expansion in stainless, I have tried several different grades and thicknesses. I think it is because it work hardens so quickly. May I ask, what stainless have you tried? Did you find some trick to negate the work hardening?

[@ConnorHolland]

Here's me using stainless: kzbin.info/www/bejne/laO5ZX2qatJgsNU It is 0.9mm thick, grade 304, and I treat it exactly the same as mild steel, which fortunately has worked well for me

[@mikex691]

Talent!!!!

[@DrakeVideos]

haha what a great video, It's interesting to know how easy this can be and your explanations throughout were clear and to the point it was awesome you just let it break as i really wanted to see that when you mentioned it, not as powerful as expected. Loved the little warp out!

[@ConnorHolland]

Thank you!

[@ogreunderbridge5204]

Nice tutorial. Mighty fine batttle meat axe/sledgehammer, its important to be prepared :)

[@JonMurray]

Brilliant video mate. New subscriber ✌🏻

[@joelaroche7667]

Would have been nice to also talk about the plug you insert to test the piece.

[@christophermoody50]

That is really interesting. Call it a failure of imagination, but i can't yhink of anything i could use it for right now.

[@miguelr1490]

Interesting, liked to see how you made the round balls 🤔

[@freeman7788]

Try soldering steel with silver based solder faster to seal and recovery and low cost...

[@jiribunata5273]

Nice work! I watched your videos with enthusiasm. May I ask you what is the sheet thickness you use and what is the material specification? Is that standard DC01 sheet or some deep-drawing material ?? Last question.. I am thinking about copper or brass sheet with soldered joints instead of welded . Did you happen to try as well ? thx

[@ConnorHolland]

Thank you, I use standard 1mm mild steel sheet. Brass with brazed edges should work just as well as steel, copper and solder could work if the joints are able to cope with the movement and pressure. I haven't tried them yet, but they would look great polished up

[@BetterlookingthanuMr]

How come you don’t need a separate valve to allow the air to go? A lot of research I have done say that it’s dangerous.

[@ConnorHolland]

I loosen the screw fitting connecting the hose to the pressure washer to let the small amount of air inside escape. Larger pieces are filled completely with water, to remove the air before adding more pressure.

[@brettmoore3194]

When i saw that before you cut the tube off i thought that could be a mini boiler tank,. Have you tried making a lasgana style. Like to sealed tanks right beside each other. It could be a apparatus for electrochemical expirements. Oh jolly

[@norfolkflyingboyz2404]

Beautiful ingenuity.😎very cool

[@johndoe1765]

And thank you great work it's very interesting.

[@C2welder]

Can you do it with a circular piece so you can create two shallow domes?

[@ConnorHolland]

For circles you would need to use thick steel mold, as the edges pull towards the centre, usually making a large dent. To make 2 domes I would make a sphere and cut it in half: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bHXZiHd5oseDrtU

[@2150dalek]

Incredible.

[@j.g.9524]

Awesome work:) Your TIG weld looks great! Would you like to share your settings for your welding machine? Especially the plus frequency and range is something I unfortunately never worked with:( Greetings from Germany and thanks a lot.

[@ConnorHolland]

Thank you, my typical weld settings can be seen at 1:55 I'm not sure of the exact numbers as the machine's display doesn't show them. I found my preferred settings by welding lots of scraps and comparing, then putting pencil marks next to the dials.

[@nandingpanelo]

Thanks

[@alan_wood]

Very useful, thank you.

[@marcosmacli1061]

Hola que gran trabajo, muchas Gracias por compartir, saludos

[@brighambaker3381]

Awesome video! Thank you for the instruction!

[@PizzaCat1732]

Nice welding!

[@henmich]

Not going to lie... This was amazing.... I'm shocked a pressure washer was enough to do that.

[@Eatcrow]

I have a Zero electric motorcycle whose chassis is made this way and it’s very light !

[@firstdayonline]

Excellent! Thank you!

[@runcycleskixc]

Does this work with aluminum, and how does the pressure scale with the vol of the part (linear?)

[@ConnorHolland]

Yes it works with aluminium, and parts get easier to hydroform the larger they are. Because of its small volume, my hydroformed slingshot was able to take the full 90 bar of my pressure washer

[@GWAYGWAY1]

I built an expansion chamber like this to save doing loads of pie cuts . It leaked like a sprinkler showing my faulty welds in the seams.

[@juliewren2443]

Great video well done!xx

[@finnmcrae]

Any idea what pressure roughly stainless steel takes to hydroform completely?

[@ConnorHolland]

I don't have a gauge, but the pieces I've done have ruptured before reaching 90 Bar. I also inflate some pieces with air pressure using 100 psi or less. I use 1mm thick steel, so going thicker may need more pressure

[@ChrisLee-qo9zl]

Your videos are really enlightening. Have you ever worked with aluminum sheet? Specifically 6061-T6 about 1.5mm thickness? Or is aluminum just too brittle? I have a project wih aluminum tubing that requires a minimal amount of expansion.

[@ConnorHolland]

Thanks, a aluminium test piece I made did have brittle welds that cracked, but annealing could help with flexibility. Tube may be difficult to inflate as it already has a circular cross section, but may be possible with strong welds and enough pressure. I know its common to form tube in industry with complex molds and high pressure.

[@ChrisLee-qo9zl]

Thanks for your input. I'll do a test piece up.

[@nob5000]

Great awesome good job i always wanted to do that

[@deanharris7149]

Awesome vid! More would be appreciated.

[@Alan_Hans__]

Very nice. I wonder if the wire fed laser welders would do any sort of a reasonable job at welding for hydroforming.

[@ConnorHolland]

I think they would work well, as the sheet metal I use is so thin (

[@balloney2175]

I wish you demonstrated more.

[@ArcOfTheCovenant]

Test your welds under water and look for bubbles or use soapy water in a spray bottle it will also produce bubbles if leaks are present

[@ConnorHolland]

Good idea, it's frustrating having to stop hydroforming because you missed a tiny hole in the weld

[@ovalwingnut]

C.H. You R the "Cost Effective Hydroforming Wisperer"... Just saying. Thank you for this video. I shall will use this new skill to save hundred$ on a Dry Sump Oil Tank. Who needs a 6-axis mill? Cheers.

[@WarwickMalone]

We did a dome 3600 diameter 5mm steel, when the weld failed at about 250 PSI a jet of water blew out the wall of a nearby portacom office, smashed the windows and flipped the furniture inside upside down. There was no air, this was a result of the small amount of spring in the steel. If a person had been standing in front of it I think it would be worse than getting hit with a sledge hammer.

[@christoffermartensson7978]

How did you let out the air? By filling without preassure and a not tight fitting?

[@ConnorHolland]

That's right, at 4:38 I'm pointing at the air bubbles escaping

[@jonasedholm2614]

Great video. You should make a rocket. Think Starship and SpaceX

[@miloszlalek4754]

Can it be made in aluminium?

[@ConnorHolland]

It should be possible with enough experience welding aluminium. If I need a mirror finish I use stainless steel, as its stronger and welds better than aluminium

[@miloszlalek4754]

Thank you very much for your answer. Next zquestion. If i will make a ball 100cm diameter, what pcs i should weld. How do you slice it?

[@ConnorHolland]

See my video on Hydroforming a sphere, here are the dimensions of that ball: (I used this to make cone templates: www.blocklayer.com/cone-patterns.aspx , (Top Width 80mm, Base width 187mm, Height 57mm) The 2 discs are 80mm in diameter, and the cylinder is H 66.7mm x W 587.5mm) To get a larger ball, you can use maths to scale up the dimensions.

[@MrBCRC]

That's pretty cool

[@DiedrawingChinaFactory]

Great idea

[@X3msnake]

Awsome video Master. Thanks for sharing What are the safety concerns with hydroforming that one should be aware besides using eye protection gear?

[@ConnorHolland]

It's basically the same precautions you would take when cleaning using a pressure washer (avoid touching the jet), and make sure to expel any air trapped inside the workpiece, which can cause more energetic ruptures

[@zigwil153]

pretty cool stuff....

[@fsj197811]

Cool stuff, thanks for sharing.

[@letsmake4884]

Hi nice work I have a question How much pressure I need to forming sheetmetal size D 2000mm 4mm of thickness

[@ConnorHolland]

I'm afraid I don't know the exact pressures and haven't tried hydroforming 4mm thick sheet, but it should be possible with a powerful pressure washer

[@letsmake4884]

@@ConnorHolland thanks👍

[@letsmake4884]

Hi how are you I finished my hydr... Machine for sheet elliptical size 2.5x1.86 meter 4mm I'm happy for result 50 bar

[@RixtronixLAB]

Well done, keep it up, thanks for sharing it with us :)

[@gnemois]

Thank you very much! Did you use galvanised sheet metal for the project? Cheers from Indonesia

[@ConnorHolland]

I used mild steel, galvanised sheet is not good for welding. You could always get the piece galvanised afterwards

[@gnemois]

@@ConnorHolland Thank you for your reply! Is it possible to use 1,2 mm? Or is it going to be too thick?

[@ConnorHolland]

​@@gnemois Yes, a small pressure washer can do up to 2mm or possibly more, and you can go as thick as you want with enough pressure

[@gnemois]

@@ConnorHolland many thanks!

[@simonthomas3740]

Amazing

[@droner4300]

the channel is great

[@MekazaBitrusty]

A small valve on the steel plate would help remove any traces of air.

[@ConnorHolland]

Yes, I have recently welded a ball valve to the steel tube, that lets any trapped air out

[@imperialmilkstout3499]

Hey ! Super vidéo merci à toi !

[@flack3]

Great video thanks!

[@Leonelvasquezaraujo]

Saludos amigo que material usas y cuál es el calibre adecuado muchas gracias

[@parrotraiser6541]

That looks like a way to avoid a deal of hammering.

[@richardquasius4940]

Cool technique. Like you said, wear safety glasses, and I might add, don't perform next to glass patio doors.😅

[@SerafinSoriano-c6q]

What pressure do I need to mold 1.2mm thick stainless steel? Does it vary depending on the way you want to achieve it? My intention is to make a dome 53cm in diameter and 13cm high.

[@SerafinSoriano-c6q]

Maybe you can recommend a channel or video to see hydroforming machines.

[@ConnorHolland]

A small 90 bar pressure washer would still work, to make a dome you could try welding a strong ring around the edge, to help stop large buckles forming

[@TRechs]

Great video!!

[@perspectivex]

Do you need to use gas (e.g. Argon) while TIG welding the sheets together without filler? Or also no gas is ok?

[@ConnorHolland]

Shielding gas is always needed with TIG to prevent oxygen causing porosity in the weld, among other reasons