Metal Shaping for Beginners: Shrinking with a Helve Hammer

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Metal Shaping for Beginners: Shrinking with a Helve Hammer
Sorry we didn't post much last week, we have a lot of exciting things going on at the shop! Today Wray discusses using the helve hammer to shrink sheet metal to form the fender for our Packard Truck. He shows how easily the metal moves and it won't leave your arms sore after all that hammering. It took about 15 minutes using the Helve hammer and then another 5 minutes planishing the panel out using the large power hammer. He also show the same fender that a couple of our long term students have made over the last few days.
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[@Byzmax]

Well that was an eye opener!. The speed of panel development with that Maglio/ Helve hammer is astounding.... Great video Wray. Keep em coming.

[@larryr8492]

You made it look way too easy! You also give me the confidence to try new things and projects. Thanks.

[@curvs4me]

Wray, I've been going by Charlton for 30 years. I've always thought of it as I'm finally home when I could stop at the Mobil and Roy Rogers both when I was in the Navy and years as a gypsy field Engineer. Anyhow, the only Roy Rogers in New England is gone and times change. I've got to come down and do your class! I can do anything with a motor and even rebuild an automatic transmission. But I've always been scared to death by metalwork and welding sheet metal. I've got a tig/mig but I've never really used it on sheet metal or touched the tig torch. I have got to take your class!!

[@jerzy4151]

Crazy talent

[@christianmccollum1028]

You, Sir, are a TRUE craftsman and an excellent teacher. What a pleasure it is to watch the process from start to finish without winding up with a big wrinkly mess. Thanks, Wray.

[@333xRen]

Dang! That's rapid!

[@vincef9395]

Having the gathering tool and the hell hammer in the shop would make life easy. I know your extremely busy but cant wait for the plans. I will purchase them right away.

[@JimBailie]

None of us ever heard of a helve hammer before Wray showed us his on the old metal shapers site since then it has become one of my favourite tools, It takes a lot of the physical effort out of metal shaping. Can't wait to see what new innovations you come up with in your new design. Thank you Wary for all you've done for the metal shaping community over the years.

[@proshaper]

Thanks Jim!

[@GregsGarage]

This is a master class Wray! Thanks for sharing all your wisdom.

[@pedrolambrusco8190]

Hi Wray, I really liked the explanation of the progression of how the fender is made. Wire form to panel, to flexible shape pattern, to opposite fender. Kind of brings the whole mystery of metal shaping into a clearer picture. Also just in general another great learning video. Pete

[@michaelanderson3771]

You make this look so easy Wray, A true Craftsman.

[@Axiusgarage]

Wow, i am in love with that hammer !! i have to build mind. It is gone save my arm. Thanks Wray, i am learning at itch vidéo !

[@robsimms2766]

Like how you the machines for the hard work of the parts it is faster but must of us don’t have room for tools like that thanks you for your time to make the videos

[@ryanmichalski7420]

Looking forward to the video of the new helve hammer build

[@metaldahlberg88]

Cool video, Wray. I read about this type of hammer in "Metalshaping: The Lost Sheet Metal Machines Volume 1" but this is the first time I have seen one in action. Very cool.

[@tomthompson7400]

this really is a great set of videos ,,, so nice to see various methods and steel too , many thanks.

[@oldsalt9670]

Another method is to use a bead roller to make tucks. Use appropriate size bead die and you can accurately locate tucks. Finish on stump. I’m working on a special die, but good results can be had with common dies.

[@proshaper]

Watch more of my videos, better methods.

[@johndavey72]

Hi Wray. It's marvellous to see how your novices quickly become so adept at a craft that is not easy to master ....unless THE MASTER happens to be be teaching you ! Great stuff. Unfortunately having "only" a 20 square metre garage and restoring 2 cars l simply don't have the room to indulge with the various tools . So l tend to only fabricate rust damaged area's and let them into the existing bodywork. Very laborious but l do get satisfactory results. Thanks Wray. ( TR6 and e-type)

[@jameskierstead9312]

Thank You Very Much For All Your Awesome Videos Sir!

[@paulwhiteman3625]

That’s awesome, Wray! That’s the first time I’ve seen the Maglio used and already I’m a fan. Looking forward to seeing some more details on how the machine can be fabricated at home! Quite a large footprint, I should imagine?

[@proshaper]

Hi Paul, The maglio uses about 8 to 12 sq ft of floorspace total. It can pack a punch both shrinking and stretching. Mine has worked very well for me from day one. I know I can now design a much better and simple machine. All of these sheet metal shaping tools can be developed and and tooled to become much better machines with an attitude of patience and inquisitiveness.

[@rossgebert9422]

Another great one, Wray. Thank-you.

[@stevenlarsen1691]

Thank you very much for sharing your great knowledge.

[@bryanfox6445]

Now I kinda miss the boat videos, great content. Thanks 😀

[@proshaper]

I can't wait to get back to the boats.

[@jackhorner6009]

Another great video Wray, thanks for sharing

[@dougwernham5209]

Excellent video thanks Wray

[@strata99]

Great video Wray!!!

[@ryanmichalski7420]

In the video you mentioned you would like to redesign your helve hammer. Have you made a new model of one yet would like to see it 🔨

[@andysutherlandtaylor9012]

Another excellent video Wray. If you still have a porta-spot you can spot weld your strips in like the original factory did. There's a trick to spotweld Aluminium that might make for a good video as well. I bet you only lean in too far once with that machine lol. But on a serious note it's an interesting machine, for fast & rough shaping work.

[@iancooper5615]

Another great video wray thanks, if you get chance at some point doing one of your panels, could you deliberately over develop one and then show how you would recover it please. It’s the “going too far” that i would like to see fixed. 👍🏼👍🏼

[@proshaper]

Will do.

[@dannyboy1794]

I love your videos. You keep talking about making pots, Jaguar pots, etc. What is a Jaguar pot?

[@maxcolchin8743]

Great stuff

[@glennroy2747]

Do you have dimensions for the helve hammer or a general outline of how you designed and made it ? I like that approach to hammering especially with my old worn out shoulders.

[@proshaper]

Hi Glenn, I had found one picture of a Maglio in an Italian shop. I spent a month designing and building the hammer from that one picture. After I built it I didn't know how to use use it. The first year it was in my shop it sat mostly idle. Then one day a lightbulb went off and and I figured out that everything I did with a mallet and my arm I could do with my maglio. I mounted a beater bag and plastic upper tool heads and I was off. I used it to power out panels fast both shrinking and stretching and then I finished them in the English wheel. They all come out like chrome plate. My customers would ask why I made everything out of polished stainless steel. I told them my panels were steel and that is what a English wheel does.

[@jimmybryan6760]

Funny this should come up in my algorithm, as I was just thinking about a design I saw in a book of projects years ago. It was a Taunton Press/Fine Woodworking book of homemade machines. Their's was made of mostly wood, with a long heavy beam for the arm, and looked almost medieval, but the action would be the same. I've probably still got it packed away among boxes of books in storage.

[@theinsaneshecklador6598]

Such a simple and effective design. Basically a robot arm holding a hammer. I noticed you did 2-3 times as much stretching and shrinking here with the Helve before heading to the wheel than you do with the gathering tool and shrinking facilitator. Is there a reason you don't go as far by hand before wheeling?

[@WATCH-IT-BUSTER]

Good idea, charge the students to make parts you need on shop projects.

[@proshaper]

I won't use any of the panels the students made, they are for educational purposes only. Now say your sorry asshole.

[@movo6690]

Hi Wray, please apologize for my further question because i know that you very busy, but do you think that you have time in this year to share/sale the improvement plans for the helve? Thank a lot, greeting from germany ;-)

[@alanmony1582]

Hi Wray, to get the hammer to stop much quicker I believe you should put a quick release valve in the air line between the pedal and the cylinder. A QR dumps the air pressure as soon as you let off the pedal. I'm not sure of you air circuit but I believe this can make it do what you want. Here's one from Amazon: www.amazon.com/Legris-Nickel-Plated-Brass-Exhaust-Female/dp/B009XIU1ZO/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=pneumatic+quick+release+valve&qid=1613510121&sr=8-3 Regards, Alanmony

[@lemoncuda]

Hello Wray, this was such a great video that I ended up buying a Helve style hammer kit. I'd like to add a delrin shaping bowl like you use here in the video, perhaps a 6 x 2 inch or 8 x 3. I've had a hard time finding this size in the delrin, would HDPE work? Thanks, Carl

[@proshaper]

Hi Carl, any plastic will work. You will be shocked at how much plastic of that size costs.

[@twinh53]

Wray, are the plans available to purchase for the helve hammer? I don’t see it on your website.

[@pfausette4405]

Hi. What's the dish made from and how was it formed? Did another shop make it? Thanks!

[@proshaper]

I made the UHMW plastic forming dish that I use on my Helve hammer.

[@butziporsche8646]

Hey Wray, the photos of the old Troutman and Barnes bodies look pretty smooth and they were supposed to be power hammered on a Yoder. How did they get them smooth? Did they wheel them as I don't recall seeing a wheel in any of the old shop photos. Or, did they use filler?

[@proshaper]

I have no knowledge of the methods of Troutman and Barnes.

[@user-xh9lu1sy3g]

Intresante vidio's

[@greatholidays]

muito bom

[@mikedingillo3628]

where did you get/or make the large plastic shrinking hammers in the video

[@movo6690]

Hi ,when comes the plans for a improved helve - or power hammer to buy it in the shop? Iam very interested in...;-)

[@proshaper]

I will have the plans on my website for sale. www.proshaper.com. I will get them done as soon as I possibly can. Right now I'm super busy. I will get it done, please be patient. Wray

[@geraldelwood9660]

Hi Wray, would it be more effective to have a layer of EPDM stuck to the plastic board when knocking down the gathers? I thought the hard plastic surface would allow the gathers to slip back without forcing the metal to shrink into itself.

[@proshaper]

Good idea! I seldom use my helve hammer, I actually prefer to swing the mallet and in the process get some exercise.

[@scor440]

Can you post a video of a piece of steel taking a eye out cause safety glasses are stupid to wear aren’t they?

[@onetonknuckle5475]

Why would you need to paint the steel wire? Will you be showing the bonding and riveting you describe?

[@proshaper]

Paint on the 1/8" steel wire will insure against rust and corrosion. Yes, I might show the bonding and riveting. Thanks for watching. .Wray

[@JR-iy7pb]

Did you ever measure the thickness where the weld is on the panel you cut? I'd be interested to see how much difference, if any, there is after all the grinding and working the weld to get it flat.

[@proshaper]

I did yesterday the welded on inboard side was .032" at he weld the stretched side was .028"

[@davereder7836]

What is the flexible shape paper made from and where can I buy it?

[@proshaper]

Go to my KZbin homepage and click the video link. There you will find a video on how to make a flexible shape pattern. I sell the correct tape kit at my website www.proshaper.com

[@kellywarden7042]

Where do you get that super thick delrin for that lower die you were using to shrink

[@proshaper]

I bought a 16" lathe and a surprise cabinet of tooling, the plastic was in the cabinet.

[@edwardtaylor4785]

@@proshaper I was going to ask what the material is. Is it Delrin (nylon) or HDPE?

[@proshaper]

@@edwardtaylor4785 I think it might be Nylon, not positive though. I have four more with labels, I'll check.

[@johndavey72]

@@proshaper Wow ! That was a good find !

[@kieren7763]

The maglio is almost to fast gotta stay on your toes with that one 🤣