Sheet Metal Work - How would you do it?

Badgers are no good on external arcs you need a Ferret

-- Regards,

John Stevenson Nottingham, England.

Visit the new Model Engineering adverts page at:-

A hammer and a block of metal.

Alan

You want something like Alan Robinson's The Repair of Vehicle Bodies. It was designed as the text book for students at a local tech in Gateshead and went on from there.

It became the standard for the City And Guilds exam in Vehicle Repair.

Linking the Gauge 1 theme, Alan got my old Gauge 1 loco.

Read it, it has lots in it.

Norman

In message , snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com writes

Much under-rated IMO

Pair of Gilbows, file and a box of plasters...

Steve

OK, have ordered "Repair of Vehicle Bodies" from Abebooks. 3rd edition but much cheeper than the latest one.

I would have used a badger for outside curves and a ferret for the inside radiuseses. That's why John's a Master Metal Murder and I'm just a computer basher. Should I let the badger go free then? (anyone want a free badger?)

I don't think I have the required amount of muscle for gilbows, or a proper sharp pair.

Mike, you reckon a nibbler attachment is the way to go? What about setting one up on a motor and building it into a frame, like a bandsaw or something? would there be 'throat depth" issues with such a machine, or could I just make it huge cos it doesn't have band or anything?

When I worked for Mr Fox's racing company, we had a huge CNC type ka-chunk-ka-chunk machine, that they fed big bits of sheet steel into and out came hundreds of little shaped bits of flat metal. Isn't that just an enormouse nibbler?

In message , snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com writes

I seem to remember seeing a demonstration with the electric drill on its back in a holder and the business end of the nibbler pointing up. The work was (gloved) hand held but not supported in any other way. It looked very easy, it is just that I have never tried it that way. I clamp the work to the surface of a work-mate with as little overhang as possible. As the work progresses I adjust the work position and re-clamp as necessary. Having re-read what I have just written really must try the other way!

Try some small adjustments of the angle that the nibbler/drill combination meets the work (or vice-versa). Work within the tool's recommendations for thickness and you'll know that you have got it right when it gently self feeds. Straight lines can be done against a fence but you may need a bit of practice before you can follow a line accurately and with confidence. Until then you may prefer to cut slightly outside and then finish with a file. Clamp both surfaces of the work when filing (again as near to the edge as convenient) and if the sheet is very thin then file along rather than across the edge.