Could you elaborate on when one would want to use an English Wheel
and when you would use a planishing hammer. I have not used either,
but to me it looks like a planishing hammer is kind of like a powered
English Wheel. There is another sheetmetal tool that is kind of a
mechanical planishing hammer. I can not think of the name right now.
It uses a lever action to move the anvil. And will put a lot more
force on the metal being worked. I have been trying to think of the
name so I could look at plans on the internet.

It seems to me one could make an English Wheel and have a conversion
kludge to use the same frame for a planishing hammer.

Dan


You use the wheel more for larger open curves like fenders, hoods, roof
panels. (you can use it for smaller stuff but you need to work harder.
The wheel is also only a stretching tool.


Planishing hammer is more for close up work on something like headlight
buckets, gas tanks, basically smaller parts or tighter curves.
Depending on the heads used it stretch or shrink metal. It also can be
easily used closer to the edge than a wheel.

If your going to start with steel sheet and form an entire body from
steel it takes a lot of tooling and time.

If I wanted a "common" looking car I would opt for a kit, most of which
require substantial work to finish. (which is why there are tons of
unfinished or un-started kits around. I would also opt for steel if
possible. Fiberglass is OK for a show car but when you start really
driving them most start to show weaknesses very soon.

Now if I was building something "different" then I'd probably opt for
fiberglass over foam sheet. Easy to work with and faster prototype
construction.

http://www.rqriley.com

http://www.healeyfactory.com/index.htm

http://www.tbucketplans.com/
http://bucketbuilder.bb3host.com/index.php
http://forums.bucketheadbash.com/index.php
http://www.t-bucketplans.com/
http://www.jalopyjournal.com (look around and you can find full
dimensional drawings and more)

--
Steve W.