DIYbanter - View Single Post - English wheel, and other metalworking questions

Jon Banquer

In article ,
says...

On Friday, January 3, 2014 12:01:35 PM UTC-5, Clare wrote:

To build a T-Bucket out of steel I would want a slip-roll former, a

planishing hammer, an english wheel, and a bead roller - as well as a

good tig welder. A rosebud torch for annealing the steel would also be

a requirement - to get rid of the work hardening. A plasma cutter

would make the job a bit easier as well. Make a wooden buck frame and

build the sheet metal around it - kinda like an old Fisher body

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

There are a lot of sheet metal tools that you could be referring to.

One tool that hasn't been discussed in this thread is a shinker/
stretcher. This video shows and explains how a shrinker/stretcher is
used in conjunction with an English wheel to form sheet metal. Maybe it
will help you visualize what an English wheel can't do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6qS9U3blO0