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Automotive Sheet Metal Forming & Fabrication
Sheet metal forming and fabrication is an essential automotive art. Creating door skins, fenders, hoods, and a myriad of other components from sheetmetal is a crucial skill for restoring many muscle cars, building custom parts for hot rods, and fabricating parts for classic or competition cars. While many specialized and expensive tools are used to form sheet metal into a functional and finished part, simple metal working hammers, dollies, anvils, and shot bags can be used to create parts with complex curves and crowns. This book shows the inclined enthusiast how to design and fabricate with inexpensive and simple tools as well as how to fabricate parts using more specialized tools, such as an English wheel.
Automotive Sheet Metal Forming & Fabrication provides the know-how for people who are working, or want to work, along the nearly endless learning curve of this craft. It instructs in most of the common processes and operations in sheet metal fabrication work. These are the basic ones that you can accomplish with some work, and with access to fairly modest tools and equipment. It focuses on how to perform most of the basic operations and tasks used in metal forming and fabrication. Of course, some of the more exotic tools, equipment, and techniques in this field also get attention in this book, but the emphasis is largely on the reliable basics of this work. This volume shows novice metal workers how to apply force and use fine judgment, and through close observation, creativity, ingenuity, and restraint, create almost any metal part.
Wire welders, metal shears and brakes, planishing hammers, and shrinker/stretchers are readily available and affordable, and therefore, metal forming is no longer the exclusive art of professional craftsmen. In turn, simple to more complex fabrication and metal forming tasks are within the reach of adept enthusiasts, and this book comprehensively explains how to accomplish these fun and satisfying tasks. Enthusiasts are shown how to work steel, aluminum, and some other metals, and how to select a metal for a particular part fabrication. This book also discusses how to determine elastic limits as well as how to shrink and expand metal, heating and annealing, and may other metal working techniques.
Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1: First Considerations
A Wide Range of Possible Projects
Limits of Material, Skills and Imagination
Subtle Factors to Consider
Chapter 2: Auto Body Metal
Characteristics of Sheet Metal
Alloys: Steel and Aluminum
Work Hardening and Strengthening
Workability
Heating and Annealing
Selecting Metals and Their Alloys
Acquiring Metal Stock
Chapter 3: The Art of Making Sheet Metal Work With You
Basic Theories of Metal Forming
Bilateralism and Other Tricks
The Importance of Good Foundations
Chapter 4: Planning and Implementing
Choosing Constructions, Materials and Tools
Modeling, Patterning and Templating
Measuring, Drawing and Laying Out Work
Structural vs. Nonstructural Fabrications
Chapter 5: Major Forming and Fabricating Processes
Cutting
Simple Bending
Flanging
Creating the Correct Crown
Wheeling
Power Hammer Forming
Avoiding Unnecessary Damage
Chapter 6: Other Processes and Skills
Filing
Sanding
Edge Deburring
Drilling, Piercing and Punching
Edge Treatments and Bead Rolling
Louvers and Exotic Trim Formations
Using Tension
Chapter 7: Finishing Processes and Touches
Checking Final Dimensions, Contours and Attachments
Weld Finishing
Metal Finishing
Checking Metal Integrity
Chapter 8: Filling with Lead and Plastic
Four Types of Filler
Proper Filler Application
Proper Shaping and Smoothing Techniques
Proper Surface Preparation
Chapter 9: Tools and Equipment
Hand and Vise Tools
Specialty Tools
Clamping and Fixturing Tools
Making Special-Purpose Hand Tools
Small Equipment
Multi-Purpose Devices
Power and Hand Tools
Blacksmith Tools
Chapter 10: The Art of the English Wheel
Using an English Wheel
Effective versus Harmful Techniques
Chapter 11: Power-Operated Machines
Power Hammers
Big Machine Basics
Special Power Hammer Tooling
Chapter 12: Methods of Attachment
Non-Welding Jointure Techniques
Welding
Tips for Fabrication Welds
Chapter 13: Small Demonstration Project: The Little Black Box
Meet the Little Black Box
The Basic Plan
Preliminaries
Forming the Top Piece
Making the Skirt
Assembling the Two Pieces
Chapter 14: Large Demonstration Project: Fender Fabrication
Planning and Patterning
Fabricating the Side Section
Fabricating the Top Section
Joining the Two Pieces
Wire Edging the Fender Panel
Making Support and Base Brackets
Appendix
Radiated Colors
Gauge Specifications
Sheet metal forming and fabrication is an essential automotive art. Creating door skins, fenders, hoods, and a myriad of other components from sheetmetal is a crucial skill for restoring many muscle cars, building custom parts for hot rods, and fabricating parts for classic or competition cars. While many specialized and expensive tools are used to form sheet metal into a functional and finished part, simple metal working hammers, dollies, anvils, and shot bags can be used to create parts with complex curves and crowns. This book shows the inclined enthusiast how to design and fabricate with inexpensive and simple tools as well as how to fabricate parts using more specialized tools, such as an English wheel.
Automotive Sheet Metal Forming & Fabrication provides the know-how for people who are working, or want to work, along the nearly endless learning curve of this craft. It instructs in most of the common processes and operations in sheet metal fabrication work. These are the basic ones that you can accomplish with some work, and with access to fairly modest tools and equipment. It focuses on how to perform most of the basic operations and tasks used in metal forming and fabrication. Of course, some of the more exotic tools, equipment, and techniques in this field also get attention in this book, but the emphasis is largely on the reliable basics of this work. This volume shows novice metal workers how to apply force and use fine judgment, and through close observation, creativity, ingenuity, and restraint, create almost any metal part.
Wire welders, metal shears and brakes, planishing hammers, and shrinker/stretchers are readily available and affordable, and therefore, metal forming is no longer the exclusive art of professional craftsmen. In turn, simple to more complex fabrication and metal forming tasks are within the reach of adept enthusiasts, and this book comprehensively explains how to accomplish these fun and satisfying tasks. Enthusiasts are shown how to work steel, aluminum, and some other metals, and how to select a metal for a particular part fabrication. This book also discusses how to determine elastic limits as well as how to shrink and expand metal, heating and annealing, and may other metal working techniques.
Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1: First Considerations
A Wide Range of Possible Projects
Limits of Material, Skills and Imagination
Subtle Factors to Consider
Chapter 2: Auto Body Metal
Characteristics of Sheet Metal
Alloys: Steel and Aluminum
Work Hardening and Strengthening
Workability
Heating and Annealing
Selecting Metals and Their Alloys
Acquiring Metal Stock
Chapter 3: The Art of Making Sheet Metal Work With You
Basic Theories of Metal Forming
Bilateralism and Other Tricks
The Importance of Good Foundations
Chapter 4: Planning and Implementing
Choosing Constructions, Materials and Tools
Modeling, Patterning and Templating
Measuring, Drawing and Laying Out Work
Structural vs. Nonstructural Fabrications
Chapter 5: Major Forming and Fabricating Processes
Cutting
Simple Bending
Flanging
Creating the Correct Crown
Wheeling
Power Hammer Forming
Avoiding Unnecessary Damage
Chapter 6: Other Processes and Skills
Filing
Sanding
Edge Deburring
Drilling, Piercing and Punching
Edge Treatments and Bead Rolling
Louvers and Exotic Trim Formations
Using Tension
Chapter 7: Finishing Processes and Touches
Checking Final Dimensions, Contours and Attachments
Weld Finishing
Metal Finishing
Checking Metal Integrity
Chapter 8: Filling with Lead and Plastic
Four Types of Filler
Proper Filler Application
Proper Shaping and Smoothing Techniques
Proper Surface Preparation
Chapter 9: Tools and Equipment
Hand and Vise Tools
Specialty Tools
Clamping and Fixturing Tools
Making Special-Purpose Hand Tools
Small Equipment
Multi-Purpose Devices
Power and Hand Tools
Blacksmith Tools
Chapter 10: The Art of the English Wheel
Using an English Wheel
Effective versus Harmful Techniques
Chapter 11: Power-Operated Machines
Power Hammers
Big Machine Basics
Special Power Hammer Tooling
Chapter 12: Methods of Attachment
Non-Welding Jointure Techniques
Welding
Tips for Fabrication Welds
Chapter 13: Small Demonstration Project: The Little Black Box
Meet the Little Black Box
The Basic Plan
Preliminaries
Forming the Top Piece
Making the Skirt
Assembling the Two Pieces
Chapter 14: Large Demonstration Project: Fender Fabrication
Planning and Patterning
Fabricating the Side Section
Fabricating the Top Section
Joining the Two Pieces
Wire Edging the Fender Panel
Making Support and Base Brackets
Appendix
Radiated Colors
Gauge Specifications
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