Having done some investigating courtesy of our friends at Google, it seems that pressing metal sheet into useful shapes always involves costly die-making and huge presses.
Is there any way to do it at home, with minimal equipment? I could fabricate form/die of wood and use a bottle jack for pressure, no? The pieces are not too big and the metal not too thick, under 1/8th inch.
Any suggestions welcome. The project is a fully enclosed chaincase for a motorcycle.
Ted
Greetings Ted, Look here:
Several of them, as I understand. I know a guy who used to form stainless steel sheet of 14-16 ga in epoxy dies with a simple press. There are other ways as well. I gather there's an entire industry built around non-metallic metal-forming dies.
Good luck and let us know how it works.
--RC
"Sometimes history doesn't repeat itself. It just yells 'can't you remember anything I've told you?' and lets fly with a club. -- John W. Cambell Jr.
Ted -
Get some ideas here :
Hi Ted, Does it have to be pressed? A lot of shapes can be made by hammerforming.
regards,
John
There's also explosive forming if you like making loud noises. Some very heavy plate is economically formed that way. M-80's for light work? Bugs
Thanks for your helpful responses. I'm intrigued by the hammerforming, although it sounds kinda noisy for close neighbors.
Ted
--Talk to JW, the moderator over at stanleysteamers.com. He was making hulls for pop-pop boats with homemade tooling.
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