English wheel

[xtremek]

I want to do a little bit of sheetmetal work and I'm thinking I'll need to use an English wheel. I doubt I'd use one more than once a year. Is there a cheap way around buying one? How hard is it to build one? Or does anyone in the area have one that I could drop by and use? Suggestions.

 

[chazza]

HAFCO have a cheapish one but I can't speak for the quality having never used one.

I thought of making one as well, but making the rollers etc. would be rather time-consuming. The most important thing is to make the frame so that it doesn't flex - I was thinking of an I-section made from 8mm plate; oxy-cut to shape with flanges arc-welded on.

It would be a huge amount of work, for something I wouldn't use much, so I might investigate the HAFCO http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/English-Wheeling-Machines

Cheers Charlie

 

[lilredex]

Try this one..


http://www.roddingroundtable.com/tech/articles/12ewheel.html

 

[Sea_Chicken1]

Northern Tool has one around 380 if I remember right. I would like to get one for working motorcycle fenders and gas tanks but there is not enough room in our place. Dont buy a cheap one even if you use it once a year.

 

[HMCFab9]

If you decide to build a frame, I believe Hoosier profiles sells wheels for it.
The frame needs to be incredibly stiff to eliminate flex.
Cheapest would probably be harbor freight.... but don't expect much.
Baileigh industrial has some awesome sheetmetal forming equipment.
I was there last week & they have a new prototype wheel that they say will roll 1/4" aluminum plate.

 

[oldgoaly]

A wheeling machine stretches and can be used to planish. What are you wanting to make? most parts are made from a combination of shrinking and stretching. Check out some free videos on youtube before you spend any money. They can be made by most people, also fairly easy to operate, but hard to master for most. Also look for used ones, there are people who bought them thinking they could make a full fender between commercials.

 

[PCO6]

There's lots of good information on here ... http://allmetalshaping.com/ ... about English wheels and metal shaping in general.

I have one of these ... http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/Metal-Benders/English-Wheel/8285082.p . They are FAR from perfect but there are a lot of improvements that can be made to them (none of which I have done yet).

 

[Sea_Chicken1]

Try this one..


http://www.roddingroundtable.com/tech/articles/12ewheel.html

That looks like something im going to try. It would be worth its weight in gold if it works for the amount of room it takes.

 

[Justanoldguy]

If you have never used one before, then steer away from buying one untill you try out on someone elses one.
For only once a year use, you would still need many hours practice to master it.
Not worth investing in your own one for that little use. JM2CW.

 

[PCO6]

^^^ That's true. I found that I can make almost anything with mine. However, making a second one to match is extremely difficult.

 

[xtremek]

If you have never used one before, then steer away from buying one untill you try out on someone elses one.
For only once a year use, you would still need many hours practice to master it.
Not worth investing in your own one for that little use. JM2CW.

That's kinda where I'm coming from. It might be worth a couple hundred for a little one, but then...?

 

[fflintstone]

There is a man in Hastings (near you) that owns precision guesswork race cars he has FREE metal shaping classes once a year. I have been to his place twice and learned a lot.
He is on one of the metal shaping forums.
I two want to make a wheel, I have the anvils, but I need a good lift mechanism.

 

[Professur]

Not to burst anyone's bubble ... but don't waste your time just because you saw someone on TV using one. There are other, simpler ways to work sheetmetal. A wheel takes time and experience .. and constant practice. Once a year .. you're going to cheap out, buy a half assed **** tool with a flimsy frame and soft anvils and be disappointed in the end result. Do some calling about and find a workshop that has a good quality one if you want to make something that 'needs' a wheeling ... but frankly, there's not much you can do with a wheel that you can't get done with a sandbag and mallet, and a good quality shrinking disk.

If you're going to go ahead anyhow, be aware that any laser cut edges need to be softened, either with heat or by slicing off a thin bit. Laser cut edges are much harder than the rest of the sheet, and can mark your anvils. Yes you can stiffen the frame, you can harden the anvils ... but for once a year's use .. what's the point?

 

[xtremek]

I've got a good bag and a mallet, but not a shrinking disk. Is that what smooths it out? I'm new at this banging it out. In the past I've just cut pies out and then welded them closed, crude but effective. I'm trying to branch out.

 

[Professur]

http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/index.php

You'll enjoy reading that site. There's a lot about shrinking disks there ... including one of the best fabricators of them. Don't get me wrong .. a good english wheel is a fantastic tool ... but it takes a lot of time and effort to get good results .. and a good wheel isn't cheap, or small.

 

[PCO6]

I've got a good bag and a mallet, but not a shrinking disk. Is that what smooths it out? I'm new at this banging it out. In the past I've just cut pies out and then welded them closed, crude but effective. I'm trying to branch out.

Did you mig weld or hammer weld the joints together? If you migged them you will nick the wheels when you run the joints through them. That is why hammer (fusion) welding and planishing is the way to go.

 

[rodknocker]

I recommend taking a metal shaping class where the class offers different forms of metal shaping. I did like you were thinking about 10yrs ago, I went out and spent $500 on a decent bench top e-wheel. I used it, and practiced, then I took a metal shaping class, and realized how much I liked a planishing hammer over the wheel, so I built my own planishing hammer for way cheaper, now the e-wheel only get used once in a great while.

 

[fflintstone]

you just missed it.
http://www.allmetalshaping.com/showthread.php?t=8101

 

[xtremek]

Did you mig weld or hammer weld the joints together? If you migged them you will nick the wheels when you run the joints through them. That is why hammer (fusion) welding and planishing is the way to go.

I've been a total hack(hence the tag) and just migged things and ground the welds down. Crude, but effective. I have plans for a bicycle that will end up with about 20 sq. ft. of sheetmetal on it and I want to do it right. Hoping to be a show stopper, so I'm going to sweat the details.

 

[Jere]

If you have a hammer and shot bag already, I would skip the E wheel. Pick up a planisher or make one as suggested, maybe add a tree stump (used like a sandbag) to your collection also.

I have cheesy HF planisher I got as a gift that filled with sand and bolted down to a heavy bench (workbench made of old railroad ties and 1/4in steel plate), it cleans up what the shot bag cant get pretty well.

 

[PCO6]

I've been a total hack(hence the tag) and just migged things and ground the welds down. Crude, but effective. I have plans for a bicycle that will end up with about 20 sq. ft. of sheetmetal on it and I want to do it right. Hoping to be a show stopper, so I'm going to sweat the details.

If you wheel a few pieces, weld them together and don't have to rewheel the newly joined piece mig welding is perfectly fine.

Like others I agree that you can do a lot of shaping with a tree stump, shot bag, dollies, planisher, etc. and may not need a wheel.

 

[xtremek]

Sounds like it's time to go buy an air hammer and build a planishing hammer. I did get to play with an english wheel once and it was a ton of fun, but I can see where it would be hard to be able to make duplicate or mirrored parts. I'll send the gent in Hastings an e-mail so the next time he offers a class, I hopefully can go. Another question that's probably answered elsewhere, but where do you get your hammers and dollies. I've got 3 SO body hammers, a handful of garage sale hammers, and one dolly, but it sounds like I need a little bit more. I guess it's time to gone the metal working forums.

 

[Kevin54]

Sounds like it's time to go buy an air hammer and build a planishing hammer. I did get to play with an english wheel once and it was a ton of fun, but I can see where it would be hard to be able to make duplicate or mirrored parts. I'll send the gent in Hastings an e-mail so the next time he offers a class, I hopefully can go. Another question that's probably answered elsewhere, but where do you get your hammers and dollies. I've got 3 SO body hammers, a handful of garage sale hammers, and one dolly, but it sounds like I need a little bit more. I guess it's time to gone the metal working forums.

http://www.eastwood.com/autobody/hammers-dollies.html