Making a Curvy Seat - Part 3 - The Center Pieces

See how the tricky center pieces of metal are shaped to fit the buck for the Curvy Seat! This is an excellent tutorial on making reverse curves.
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[@forrestdavis3186]

The most valuable lesson you shared in the video was that the rear reverse curve panel was your 3rd attempt before reaching a result you were happy with, but you learned a lot in the process. So many believe that these skills come easily to people who have been in the trade for a long period of time, but in reality they are just more willing to put the repetitive work in and extract what they did wrong so the next piece is better. Awesome video as always, Thank you!

[@RonCovell]

You got it!

[@manuellongo4365]

I have always been impressed by people who make a curvy part out of a flat sheet of metal - and you are no exception. You work calmly and explain what you are doing and why. As usual, a pleasure to watch.

[@RonCovell]

Wow, thank you!

[@rocketsled74]

Ron, you always say you are honored that we are watching your videos. Well, I am honored that you, a master metal manipulator are willing to take the time to make these videos to teach us your art. Bless you sir.

[@RonCovell]

Thank you so much!

[@robschaffer2189]

I just have to say again that your method of explanation and patient demonstration suits my brain to a tee! I watch fabricators use shrinkers and stretchers and the English wheel but you explain the "why" a part needs each method. Thank you Ron!

[@RonCovell]

I'm so glad you enjoy my videos! More on the way!

[@letmypeoplebathe]

I appreciate the admission of making several attempts. Helps the rest of us understand it can be hard even for the best

[@RonCovell]

Glad to hear that!

[@boiwithskillz]

You’re the genuine Bob Ross of sheet metal work :) Thank you dearly for this amazing content!

[@RonCovell]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@willb1157]

I am 60, and I have always enjoyed watching the English Wheel, but I must say: I find the work you do utterly inspiring. I build musical Instruments from wood, but really want to move into more unusual materials.Thank you for your very interesting channel - I am seriously considering a basic tool making course.

[@RonCovell]

That sounds great!

[@randytait6722]

Thank you for this video. I really like that you admit that it took 3 to master the top piece. It makes us sheet metal guys not feel so bad when we make practice (scrap) parts.

[@RonCovell]

I've probably made as much scrap in my career as anyone. That's how you get better!

[@johnmcclain3887]

Really enjoying watching you move the metal, see or feel the part not conforming, and moving the metal to make it conform to the buck.

[@RonCovell]

Glad you liked it. I will have more videos on this project in the near future.

[@criticalmass181]

I always love, in your videos, how you say "i'll just do a little (something) and a work of perfect art ensues. I'd love to have 10% of your ability.

[@RonCovell]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@jamesa7506]

I appreciate your honesty and dedication to making the best product you can, alot of times the "good enough" approach, really just isn't. Can't wait to see this bumcrate finished and what awesome ride it's going to live in. Well done sir.

[@RonCovell]

Hmmm - I kinda like the term 'bumcrate'!

[@jamesa7506]

@@RonCovell it is a pretty accurate description 😉

[@gofastwclass]

Thanks for another excellent video. I'll likely never need to make a seat like this, but I see where these techniques would be valuable on other projects I have. Each time I watch one of your videos I learn something, glad to see you're still learning while making them. Never stop learning, never stop doing.

[@RonCovell]

You've got the right attitude!

[@Bigmansm]

Incredible. When you first look at it it doesn’t look so complicated. After watching this video I really appreciate your meticulous attention to detail and patience

[@RonCovell]

I'm so glad you liked it! I'm working on the next installment of this series right now.

[@PauloNeuenschwander]

What a beautiful job! I like the way you explain the steps. Very clear and straight forward. Make it looks too easy. But as you said, your first trial took a lot of time for you to finish it. I hope people get this important lesson you taught today: don’t give up until you have it learned! Looking forward for the next video! Cheers from Sweden

[@RonCovell]

Thanks, Paulo - more to come, for sure!

[@keesankerwout3763]

i am a constuction welder fabricator. you sheet metal guys and girls always blow my mind, you are metal wizzards!!!

[@RonCovell]

Thanks so much!

[@RR-mt2wp]

Watching the three videos to date I'm getting the sense of the English wheel more and more, in that seeing you the craftsman manipulate the metal to do what you need it to do. Been there many times when I modified a part to see it throw up another problem, that needs to be overcome and seeing a better way of doing it again if needed. When it goes right great or if it goes wrong I've learned. Fantastic videos and thank you for the many videos you share, Ron.

[@RonCovell]

Yes, you can look at life as a never-ending learning experience!

[@thechumpsbeendumped.7797]

It’s fascinating to watch a craftsman at work.

[@RonCovell]

Glad you liked it!

[@-Deena.]

I love that you are always pleased and surprised at how quickly and well you make the panels fit. I am never surprised Ron! 🧡

[@RonCovell]

Thanks so much Deena! You should have been around for the first couple of tries.

[@n1352-m1i]

I love your honesty (e.g. instant 25'...) "that fits in surprinsingly well" ... when Ron works with surprisingly few mistakes in a long row of tricky and delicate moves. That does not deter me from trying one day (having had some projects in mind for quite a while now, awainting for the opportunity of a proper workshop and tooling), but I'll count a factor of 10-100x in required time.

[@RonCovell]

It does take some time to get quick at these techniques, but you can start with a simple hammer and dolly!

[@150flyer4]

True craftsmanship as always!! But it brought up the suppressed memory of fabricating a replacement faring for an antique aircraft. After five or six attempts, we finally declared success. Then someone took it upon themselves to clean up our ‘mess’ and tossed all of our ‘failed attempts’ in the scrap bin. We ended up making another, but it was never as good as the legendary lost one.

[@RonCovell]

That's a sad story, indeed!

[@MrStacy1974]

Excellent work as always, it gives perspective on the price you have to pay for hand made products like this.

[@RonCovell]

Yeah - handmade work is usually expensive!

[@robertmarx8946]

Very informative and detailed explanation as to how to fabricate this seat. Well done! It was great to see you at SEMA doing your live demonstrations.

[@RonCovell]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@wombleofwimbledon5442]

I just want to add my thanks for the time and patience you display in these well-crafted teaching videos. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year :)

[@RonCovell]

Thank you! You too!

[@jimsjacob]

Glad to see you’re still doing what seems impossible with shaping metals…. Amazing and yet humbling work sir!

[@RonCovell]

More to come!

[@yobgodababua1862]

Masterful Man Moves Metal Marvelously

[@RonCovell]

Mmmm!

[@chipperkeithmgb]

Ron you are a wizard with that English wheel

[@RonCovell]

Thanks - my 20-or-so years of experience on the machine really help!

[@jeffpitzer8521]

Another 90 minutes! Lol! ..I've got 3 reverse curves to do on my '32 roadster pickup cowl. The sides are just slightly reverse but the top has a BUNCH of reverse in it especially where it curves from horizontal to vertical...kinda scares me a little.. will probably ruin a lot of metal until I get it just right... hopefully this video will apply to my cowl project..I bought a pair of your stretcher shrinker gages for my Lancasters...haven't used them yet but excited for the opportunity to. Love your work. Please keep the videos coming!

[@RonCovell]

The same principles I used for this part will apply directly for your '32 cowl. Good luck - that's a delicate project!

[@DavidGuyton]

Hahaha last 10% takes another 90% of the time. Perfect.

[@RonCovell]

I heard that quote from a friend of mine, and it seems to fit pretty well!

[@chrishearsey5964]

Can't wait to see it all joined together. Thanks for sharing

[@RonCovell]

More videos coming in a few weeks.

[@TestPilotWally]

It never fails, Ron- I have no need for a curvy seat... but after watching your video, all I want to do is go out and build a curvy seat now! Thanks for yet another great video!

[@RonCovell]

That is awesome!

[@adambergendorff2702]

Excellent video, really appreciate your honesty in how long the part takes!

[@RonCovell]

I appreciate that!

[@daro563]

Very nicely done. You are a very patient man.

[@RonCovell]

Thanks so much!

[@dannywilsher4165]

Always a pleasure!!!

[@zooobidooo]

Outstanding workmanship 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@RonCovell]

Thank you so much 😀

[@davidminarik1210]

Another excellent video! I still return to an older DVD/VHS of yours every time a I roll out a new fender with a reverse curve. The bike in my avatar was one.

[@RonCovell]

That's a very cool bike!

[@davidminarik1210]

@@RonCovell THANK YOU!!!

[@onepairofhands]

Great work Ron - good to see you get a super fit

[@RonCovell]

Thanks 👍

[@russelljones5294]

hello Ron, thank you for passing on your knowledge of metal shaping. for a beginner like myself, this is an incredibly helpful video on making a reverse curve.

[@RonCovell]

Glad it was helpful!

[@johnfields7936]

Great step by step guide for making a reverse curve. Thanks!

[@RonCovell]

Glad it was helpful!

[@petejandrell4512]

Thank you Ron. Real skill takes time both learning how and then doing.

[@RonCovell]

Yeah, neither you I can learn this stuff overnight!

[@metalworkingdude]

Nice work on that reverse curve Ron, that looks like a really tricky one to pull off. “And the last 10% also takes 90%”. 🤣

[@RonCovell]

Thanks Joe. I'm glad you enjoyed my weird mangling of math!

[@joell439]

Ron, as always, you do incredible work and provide very helpful instruction. I really appreciate that you are including durations of effort required to obtain the results shown along the way. This really helps us all understand and truly appreciate how endless patience and determination are required...... and that starting over is never wasted time, it's just part of the process (even for a very humble master artist like yourself) 👍👍😎👍👍

[@RonCovell]

I appreciate that!

[@VoodooDewey69]

Always got to check out the latest videos from my fav fabricator in the world .Professor of ancient chariot buiding .lol 🚲

[@RonCovell]

Glad you like them!

[@rustynail3991]

Ron, there are some very accomplished and skilled metalshapers on youtube, but NONE of them come close to explaining concepts the way you do, so clear and concise. Thanks! A question: you mentioned the "hump" that forms behind a shrink when using the Lancaster shrinkers. When shaping a double curvature panel and one edge happens to not lie down, you can either stretch the rest of the panel or shrink that edge. But if choosing to shrink the edge, you inevitably (unless the edge is raised only for a half inch or so) will cause the area back of the shrink to be in that hump zone and therefore not be lying flat on the panel/buck. How do you deal with this raised area - assuming you want to use shrinking to get the edge to lie down?

[@RonCovell]

First of all, thanks for the kind words! When you have to shrink an edge, and get a hump inboard, you can often work the hump down by hammering off-dolly. There is a limit to how much of a hump you can reduce this way, but you can get a little more 'action' in a couple of ways. One is to over-shrink the edge, since the edge may want to stretch out a little bit if you do heavy shrinking inboard. Another approach is to anneal the metal that needs to be shrunk by hammering off-dolly, or work it at elevated temperature. Hope this helps!

[@jamesstarkey9770]

Thank you Ron.

[@RonCovell]

You're very welcome

[@ClanChapman1rRS]

Pretty new to this kind of metalwork. The way you draw us through the various steps makes this very understandable. I like your explanations as you go through your thought process. That said, can you tell me something about the material you are working with? Thanks much!

[@RonCovell]

The material is .062" (1.6mm) 3003 H-14 aluminum, which I annealed before working.

[@papaspeleo]

Thank you Ron for sharing your knowledge

[@RonCovell]

Thanks for watching!

[@jerekirkpatrick2092]

Ron. Following your tracking marks was quite informative. Thanks for another fine tutorial. Jere

[@RonCovell]

Thanks so much, Jere! I'm very glad you enjoyed it.

[@MartinKok]

Thank you very much for the video and the lesson, a source of inspiration for me. Greetings from the Netherlands

[@RonCovell]

You're very welcome!

[@platipuss777]

Great work Ron!

[@RonCovell]

Many thanks!

[@Metalmaster17]

Merci 🙏 pour cette super video

[@RonCovell]

Heureux que cela vous ait plu !

[@jaisonbadillo5139]

Thank you so much! I have learn alot from your videos. God bless you!

[@RonCovell]

I'm so glad!

[@cest7343]

I just love how You thought us the 90 percent time/effort rule master Ron 😁(it applies to surprisingly many things elsewhere too, i promise)

[@GavinFreedomLover]

Thanks Ron , great video as ever !!!!

[@RonCovell]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@williamlanphar630]

Beautiful work as always !!!

[@RonCovell]

Thank you so much 😀

[@DJ-yp4kc]

always a Joy to Watch Your Video's....wealth of knowledge

[@RonCovell]

Glad to hear that!

[@outsidescrewball]

Enjoyed!!

[@Joe.Doucette]

Nicely executed, Ron. "Test panels" are great teaching tools, aren't they? I'm hoping to do some panel beating this WInter. I am excited about getting back to using my wheeling machine and other metal-shaping tools. It's been too long since I actually made a panel. Hopefully I can still do the stuff. I'm looking forward to seeing you assemble the seat. Cheers, Joe

[@RonCovell]

Joe - I wish you the best of success!

[@davidjohnson4222]

Great video Ron

[@RonCovell]

Thanks 👍

[@Coffe-]

Wonderful work. Love the style of the videos and you make it very easy to understand and follow the process.

[@RonCovell]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@gregfeneis609]

This is an awesome project. I'm reminded of a recent inter-island flight where the commercial airline's passenger seats weren't much more than upholstered bomber seat pans similar to what you're constructing. A huge benefit being that the passenger behind you couldn't jab your back with anything since the pan was continuous. My question is, it appears you've organized the material sections according to major curves of the seat pan shape. The pieces of material often span multiple buck sections. Hypothetically, a student of your crafty methods here could make smaller sections of material, many of which would be square pices that span from one buck section to the next in both directions, shape that piece accordingly and then perhaps make up for the ease of shaping by overloading the welding tasks section of the project a bit. Anyway, I imagine a beginner could start with a buck that used about twice as many sections and then start with smaller patterns and work with smaller sections of material and this would be beneficial up to a point where the pieces get so small that the worker lacks the hand leverage to manipulate the material well in the shaping tools. Perhaps in a future video you could address this in a FAQ post bomber seat series video? Thanks.

[@RonCovell]

Greg - when starting a new project, one of the first questions any metalshaper asks is: How many pieces should I make this part in, and where should I place the joints? In general, as a person develops more skill with shaping, the size of their panels increases, and the number of pieces decreases. To take this to a ridiculous extreme, you could make any shape buy starting with a large number of 1-inch square pieces of metal. The shaping of each piece would be trivial, but the enormous amount of fitting, welding, and smoothing of the welds would make this pretty unfeasible. On the other hand, trying to make a complete car from one piece of metal is equally ridiculous. So the calculation is based mostly on weighing the difficulty of shaping with the complications of welding and smoothing. I chose 6 pieces for this seat - some might choose 3 or 12. Regarding the PLACEMENT of the joints, I generally position them in the center of the areas of greatest curvature. This way, the difficulty of shaping is divided more equally between the panels. I hope this helps!

[@gregfeneis609]

Thanks@@RonCovell!

[@rodneyfox5566]

I have many hours on a grizzly wheel and one of the major differences from watching your wheel in action is the rock solid upper wheel the grizzly would move left or right under different loads even with a 4" square tube frame 👌

[@RonCovell]

It is really nice to have a stiff frame on an English wheel!

[@bearshield7138]

sweet job Thank you for doing this

[@RonCovell]

It's a pleasure for me!

[@TheUncleRuckus]

Been looking forward to this for a while, amazing craftsmanship as always Ron! 👍👍

[@RonCovell]

Thanks 👍 more to come!

[@WillCouch]

the third attempt and hours and hours makes me feel so much better haha, Working on some custom fenders currently have like 40 hours total in the pair.( some of that is initial design phase)

[@RonCovell]

Yeah, some jobs can 'kick your butt'.

[@WillCouch]

@@RonCovell absolutely. This is my first time really making any panels like this. Definitely an art to it. Even in general Motorsport fab though, on stuff I’m much faster and good at (this is what i do for living) it’s always so helpful to know what other more experienced craftsmen are doing it in time wise. Just to know if you’re still as efficient as the industry and if you’re charging accordingly. Absolutely love your videos man. Please keep us updated in futures ones on the project hours haha

[@RonCovell]

You bet!

[@hamdiklcarslan4435]

always great job mr covell thanks for the info

[@RonCovell]

You bet!

[@keithlanning7381]

Thank you so much for sharing your gift.will you be going to metal union this year to have a class.

[@RonCovell]

I stopped traveling with my workshops when Covid hit, and I have come to prefer teaching one-on-one at my home base, so I do not have any current plans to have workshops away from home.

[@ericsimpson1176]

Another good video

[@RonCovell]

I appreciate that!

[@aerogfs]

Masterclass - Part 3 :D :D :D

[@thewatsonian8111]

I’d love to see your “mistake” version Ron, I think they would be helpful in understanding what not to do. I’m also surprised you got to a spot where you thought you couldn’t come back from?

[@RonCovell]

Sometimes I surprise myself!

[@MordecaiV]

@@RonCovell now this, this is a quality response.

[@mattymcsplatty5440]

same 20 odd people downvoted this video as last 2 videos lol, whats to downvote? Ron is just trying to teach the amazing skills of working sheet metal and what can be made. What not to love about that? Love the honesty about it takiing 3 tries. Most only show the good jobs and not the mistakes.

[@RonCovell]

Matty - the truth is that different people like different things. It's just the way of the world, and I take no offense.

[@zekecook6586]

Thank you , thank you....

[@RonCovell]

No worries!

[@occasionalmachinist]

Ron, the shrinking leaves a mark on the edge of the part. Is that deep enough to be a concern, or is it more a scuffing that polishes out relatively easily?

[@RonCovell]

The marks can be sanded or filed out, but as you'll see on this project, I left enough of a margin on each of the panels that the majority of the marks will be trimmed off before the parts are joined together.

[@occasionalmachinist]

@@RonCovell Does that mean that the panels will relax a bit when the 'shrunk' bit is trimmed off?

[@RonCovell]

Well, sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't. I didn't get much 'relaxation' on these panels - probably because of the extensive wheeling I did on both the shrunken area, and the area adjacent to where it was shrunk.

[@weldninja6922]

Did you anneal all six pieces? Also could the aluminum be annealed with map gas or propane?

[@RonCovell]

Yes, I annealed all the pieces, and yes, propane and map (or mapp) gas have a flame hot enough to anneal this grade of aluminum, which requires about 800 degrees Fahrenheit, or 427 degrees Celsius.

[@GibClark]

👍👍👍👍👍thank you

[@RonCovell]

You are so welcome!

[@MordecaiV]

I have a strong suspicion my attempt at these pieces would end up having more in common with crumpled up foil

[@RonCovell]

One way to find out!

[@MordecaiV]

@@RonCovell gotta chase down an English wheel and stretcher shrinker pair... Besides work on my aluminum welding!

[@michaelwilliams2593]

Has it been such a long time since the last video because I forgot to leave out cookies and milk the last time Fabrication Santa?

[@michaelwilliams2593]

Why dont you have versions of the shirt you wear in ur store?

[@RonCovell]

Well, I partner with the 'Spring' company for the shirts in my store, and they have limited offerings. If you 'really' want a shirt like mine, contact me at [e-mail]

[@michaelwilliams2827]

​@@RonCovell thanks for the offer. I only "kinda" want one and I tend to be a cheap SOB. But that may mean other folks have the same want. It looks like a great work shirt so I thought selling it might work for you and was surprised when the product you display so regularly was not available.

[@dennyskerb4992]

🧨

[@ptonpc]

*make feverish notes"

[@RonCovell]

Notes are good!

[@dennyskerb4992]

He’s fast

[@RonCovell]

Wish I was faster!

[@senatorjosephmccarthy2720]

bink binkthat binklewasbink a binklebinkfairbinkle bink bink videobinkbinkofbonk bink makebinking bink a binkseatbinkle, I binkthink,bink forbinklewhat binklecouldbink be heardbinkle bink.

[@RonCovell]

I can't understand what you're saying, but I like the sound of it!

[@LucasChoate]

Doctors get PhD's, what do artists get?

[@LucasChoate]

Blisters

[@RonCovell]

Well, the most common advanced degree (past a BA) in the studio arts is the Master of Arts degree (MA). More exclusive than that is the Master of Fine Arts degree (MFA). You can get a PhD in Art History, but not in the studio arts.

[@mauriciodelgado1]

Hermoso trabajo ♥️ como siempre

[@RonCovell]

¡Muchas gracias!

[@johnkelly7264]

Love it!. Came over from Blondihacks. Subbed here!

[@RonCovell]

So glad to have you. My video on the water tank for Quinn will launch Saturday!