Shrinker/Stretcher
 

Anyone out there with opinions on quality of different Shrinker/Stretchers?

Shrinker/Stretcher
 

Stu Fields wrote:
Anyone out there with opinions on quality of different Shrinker/Stretchers?



What type? Sheet metal, pipe swaging/expanding? Hammer types, clamp style?

I have a high dollar pair that I've had a long time and a cheap pair
from HF. the only real difference is in the jaws. The high end pair have
VERY hard reversible jaws. The ones from HF are softer and seem to lose
bite faster. However I make my own replacements and now use good steel
and harden them myself so the soft jaws are gone.

Get the heads and make your own stand and foot controls. Cheaper that way.

--
Steve W.
(\___/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

Shrinker/Stretcher
 

Steve W. wrote:
Stu Fields wrote:
Anyone out there with opinions on quality of different Shrinker/Stretchers?



What type? Sheet metal, pipe swaging/expanding? Hammer types, clamp style?

I have a high dollar pair that I've had a long time and a cheap pair
from HF. the only real difference is in the jaws. The high end pair have
VERY hard reversible jaws. The ones from HF are softer and seem to lose
bite faster. However I make my own replacements and now use good steel
and harden them myself so the soft jaws are gone.

Get the heads and make your own stand and foot controls. Cheaper that way.


I don't do that kind of sheet metal work any more.
But a good shrinker is invaluable.
I can stretch with a hammer and torch.

--

Richard Lamb
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~cavelamb/

Shrinker/Stretcher
 

Stu Fields wrote:
Anyone out there with opinions on quality of different Shrinker/Stretchers?



I posted some information on a UK made set I bought some years ago in
the drop box about 5 years ago

http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/dfsshrink.txt
http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/dfsshrinkside.jpg
http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/dfsshrinktop.jpg
http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/dfsshrinksample.txt
http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/...inksample1.jpg
http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/...inksample2.jpg
http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/...inksample3.jpg

About 1991 I worked at a company that had a USA made set that looks like
those sold by Frost in the UK and those mentioned in Ron Fournier's
book, we compared the function and the ones I had were deemed vastly
superior but also much more expensive, the difference was like night and
day, the USA made set caused significant damage to the surface,
compared to the ones I had. I presume this was due to the pre-loading
mechanism on the ones I had requiring less bite into the metal compared
to the USA made ones which seemed to require the jaws to bite into the
metal rather than clamp it. I have not had the opportunity to try Eckold
shrinker/ stretchers but they seem to be rated top notch AFAIK and
priced accordingly.

The main thing seems to be the surface finish left after the shrinking
process, spend more == less surface damage.

Shrinker/Stretcher
 

"Steve W." wrote in message
...
Stu Fields wrote:
Anyone out there with opinions on quality of different
Shrinker/Stretchers?



What type? Sheet metal, pipe swaging/expanding? Hammer types, clamp style?

I have a high dollar pair that I've had a long time and a cheap pair
from HF. the only real difference is in the jaws. The high end pair have
VERY hard reversible jaws. The ones from HF are softer and seem to lose
bite faster. However I make my own replacements and now use good steel
and harden them myself so the soft jaws are gone.

Get the heads and make your own stand and foot controls. Cheaper that way.

--
Steve W.
(\___/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

Yep sheet metal. Mostly aluminum.

Shrinker/Stretcher
 

Stu Fields wrote:
"Steve W." wrote in message
...
Stu Fields wrote:
Anyone out there with opinions on quality of different
Shrinker/Stretchers?


What type? Sheet metal, pipe swaging/expanding? Hammer types, clamp style?

I have a high dollar pair that I've had a long time and a cheap pair
from HF. the only real difference is in the jaws. The high end pair have
VERY hard reversible jaws. The ones from HF are softer and seem to lose
bite faster. However I make my own replacements and now use good steel
and harden them myself so the soft jaws are gone.

Get the heads and make your own stand and foot controls. Cheaper that way.

--
Steve W.
(\___/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

Yep sheet metal. Mostly aluminum.



Aluminum!!! Not fun stuff to play with either way due to the nasty work
hardening it does. You would probably want to make different jaws with
finer teeth to work aluminum.

I did some repairs to a high dollar import a couple years ago that had
an aluminum body. Trying to work the dings/dents out of that body using
all the toys was fun in a sadistic sort of way.....

--
Steve W.
(\___/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")