Building Aluminum Coachwork Part 10: The Most Difficult Panel Yet

[@RonCovell]

Beautiful work, very well explained. I know just how difficult very large panels like that are to handle, and you did a magnificent job. I had never seen the masking tape trick before - that's definitely a 'keeper'. I know that everyone is different, but I liked the background music.

Hey Thank You Ron! I learned the tape trick while visiting an aircraft warbird resto shop just outside of Monterey!

[@thomasollinger7922]

I'd considered taping an edge but hadn't tried it. Clearly a great idea.

[@mrdrains2088]

This is one subscribed member who appreciates watching every second of your work - truly thank you for sharing your skills, talent & knowledge.

[@MadSceintist]

In 100 years your work will be appreciated by the ones that remain in existence.... Maybe not Carroll Shelby, but just genuine in craftsmanship

[@BeatenRustBuckets]

Fabulous as always ..could do without the background music but that is just me. Reason for me is when you are wheeling or working the metal there is a specific sound when its just right speed and pressure.

[@johna1160]

Chris, appreciated fascinating backstory of the Edwards English wheel. IMO, it couldn't have ended up in a better shop. Haven't noticed a conventional shrinker/stretcher tool in the background, wondering if you own a set, and if you ever have occasion to use them.

Thank you John! I do have a cheapo set of hand shrinker/stretchers here. I really would like to get a set with deeper throats at some point!

[@X_Studios]

You got me wanting ti build a car

[@joescully566]

Chris, I have only recently come across your vids. Your work and teaching are excellent and inspiring. I am in the process of getting my tools together on this area of work and just got the wheel, so very very grateful for what you have put together. But also extremely daunted by it all. So, in the next few days ..... here goes nothing.😂 thanks again, really enjoying these vids. Joe Somerset, England

[@4226638]

Really enjoy watching this series. Please keep it up! I’m very interested in how the inner structure of the body’s skin is built. Such as the door and window jams are formed.

[@zekecook6586]

stupendous content..... and trolls are worried about the music. Thank you for another amazing lesson.

[@AlexDoes]

A pure symphony of artistry for the eyes and mind. Thank you.

[@jfair7050]

Your channel should be bigger 👍

[@willatkinson1271]

This is absolutely incredible. Thank you for taking the time to make these videos. 😊

[@ratrod1962]

You mentioned that you got to have conversations with a metal craftsman that you high admire, care to share who that was, great videos

[@robertdelaney5994]

coming together beautifully.

[@thomasollinger7922]

I've always shrunk up to a small radius,and I'd wondered how shrinking up to a larger radius would affect the shape. Obviously, after its wheeled out it flows nicely. Thanks for another great video.

[@janq-h8139]

I have been watching you and your chanel for years, this is absolutely brilliant, I want to build a car! Regards from 🇳🇴

[@edwardtaylor4785]

Excellent again!!! Looking forward to seeing how you approach the door structure and the edges where the door skin will overlap the static, mating area of the body. Interesting also are the shrink or stretch decisions. While stretching the over-shrunk edges with a wheel works fine I'm curious why you didn't use another method. My guess would be maintaining the surface quality was important and the other types of stretchers may be messier in that regard.

[@kalekotecki4884]

I spy a 911 Targa in the front;) Boy, do I remember over shrinking my panel in class #1 at your new shop, that shrinker is a beast! Loving these videos!! Thanks for sharing Chris.

Good Eye Kale! We sort of “inherited” that one last weekend! A friend of mine dropped it off at a shop about 8 years ago and sadly passed away so we were able to get it from the shop and will conplete the restoration! It has quite an interesting story!

[@maya00795]

Hell yeah 🤘🏻 awesome. ..... Greetings from india 🎉🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@robertmarx8946]

Great video! Thank you for sharing your knowledge. It is very inspiring.

[@faroironandcustoms6577]

Nice one Chris, love the effort and time you put into explaining each step. Looking forward to the next part!!!!

[@mchristr]

Yes, I've subscribed because I'm fascinated by this whole process. Are you going to add reinforcement to the hood (bonnet) and trunk (boot)? Keep the series coming.

Thank you for the Sub! Yep, there will be an inner frame for the hood, doors and rear clamshell!

[@VladSkoryna]

Incredibly cool work Chris! I can't wait to start this work on my car. Thanks for the video, you inspire me!

[@danwalker1494]

I love the series. I wish you would comment on the time commitment for each part of the process. Paper, forming and welding. I realize that your experience and tooling makes the process faster than anything I would be be capable of executing. As a future metal forming daydreamer I’d like to know how much time I’d need to commit to learn the craft. Building a car sounds like it would take 2,000 hrs but how much is it to make the fender? Or the quarter? What is the most time consuming part? What tools do you think are best to get started?

[@acmcclung9419]

So glad to see you posting this series, Chris. Thanks for sharing! Subscribed!

[@Scodiddly]

Me watching Chris form a panel: “that looks easy enough” Me watching a pianist play Rachmaninov: “that looks easy enough”

[@zekecook6586]

holy cow.... masking tape guard rails! Brilliant!

[@billbayer5526]

Looks super easy so it must be!

[@watsonwatson8051]

Brilliant series, I love watching true craftsmanship

[@XenonJohnD]

Going to try out that masking tape trick. Learned something new.

There's a lot you can do with that trick! I have actually laid out different shapes (Teardrop for example) on panels with pinstriping tape and then wheeled within those shapes to give a hard stopping point. The panel will crown within the pinstriped border and can create really cool raised design accents...

[@joeywigg9430]

Love these videos. Man that’s amazing craftsmanship

[@andrewgivens4503]

Love your channel!

[@stevemurphy402]

Great content Chris, please keep it coming! Cheers 😊

[@SheetMetalShaping]

Great vid 👌

[@ODIS-bp1ks]

Wonderful Work!

[@jeweldey3699]

Wonderful craftmanship.

[@fg146]

nice work!

[@erniewilberg2760]

When you mention the fit being good or bad it would be helpful to hear how much you are referring to. I’m with Ron… nice music.

Thanks for the question! I aim to have the panel within 1/4" of my buck. If for some reason when the panel is shaped I don't like where it sits, I take creative liberties to adjust where needed!

[@floridian7143]

Thanks for sharing!

[@polehenge8237]

Very entertaining.

[@daos3300]

that panel still needs a lot of work to fit, right now it's held down by force. i find it useful to do more work by hand, a blocking hammer allows you to get a proper feel for the movement of the panel and more control for stretching. all too easy to jump on a big machine and get quick results, and not a lot of feel for what's actually happening to the metal. i would also have added shape to the whole panel before bending the radius.

Hey thanks for your thoughts. As shown in the video I pushed down with light pressure of a finger to set the panel in... I'm not sure if I made it clear but the outer parameter still needs to be trimmed which will bring the panel down exactly where it needs to be and not require any pressure to fit... Each panel I am making right now is roughed out so before welding they will get washed over on the wheel and hand finished where needed. I'm not sure if you have watched earlier videos but I've spent the first 3 years doing all forming by hand so I completely understand where you're coming from with blocking and handwork. In several of the videos in this series I also show that. In regard to the shape prior to radius- There are different schools of thought on this. I have done it both ways but on a larger panel, with me typically working solo... adding the radius allows some rigidity in the panel giving me more control over it for wheeling. Again, thanks for all your input and watching the vid!

[@type64jj]

Panel would be easier to make if you wheel the low crown for the major part of the panel first to make it sit on the buck and then do the shaping on the outer edges.

[@stricht8]

So what happened to the imperial English wheel?

[@sailingsvzara]

Do you have a price page for ordering a custom car?

[@zekecook6586]

Sorry to be such a pain in the ass. You have your power hammer sitting on carpet.... is this for noise absorption? My shop was quiet with the insulation installed, then added the drywall and it is an echo chamber.

Haha no worries! The reciprocating hammer has pretty soft rubber casters on it so other than the motor and mechanical drive it doesn't make much noise at all. (A power hammer like a Yoder makes a lot more noise and vibration to the floor). The rug is for laying the panels down on and twisting/bending them into shape and also for foot fatigue!

[@gordtemple764]

🍻👨🏻‍🏭🇨🇦

[@nevrobinson8530]

Should have wheeled some shape into the panel first…

[@pameladunn7346]