Author Topic: Metal Shaping With a Master (Read 5222 times)

BLAC · « **on:** March 22, 2018, 05:57:06 PM »

I got to spend three VERY long days with Christian Sosa of Sosa Metal Works. I had never bent a single piece of metal before so he had his hand full teaching me how to use a Powell, Pullmax, Baileigh and his own Shape-o-matics.

I can not speak highly enough of him. He is one of the nicest, most patient and most talented people I have ever met. He let me hammer away in his shop until 5/6am and wouldn't let me call it a night until I finally got it figured out.

I went from 0 experience to building a matching set of bowls, and a near complete gas tank in 3 days. He is the man, now on to some pictures.

The first thing he taught me was to take an already existing bowl and create a duplicate. He showed me how to make paper templates and how to put folds in the paper and what those folds mean.

After making the template, I cut out a blank from 16 gauge steel (he teaches people how to shape metal with heavy stock so when we move to aluminum or lighter gauge it is easier)

Umm.. Am I doing this right? It looks pretty ugly...

ah there we go!

After doing a couple more exercises with bowls, we moved on to 'how to build wireframes' (my hands are still sore from this)

I tried to make something 'cb550 ish' but didnt have a tank on hand so I went from memory.

Template for the first section (ton of shape in that piece!)

bingo!

These side piece were a pain but they they finally went into place with the help of a little beer.

Fast forward a little (a lot) and I got all the pieces together and welded. To celebrate, the guys came running out with cold beers cracked, poured them into my tank and made me chug. they helped a little too

I dont have any better photos of the tank, but Im going to clean up the welds and run it though a hammer to get it all nice and perfectly smooth.

I ended up ordering a power hammer and might be building an english wheel soon, so I will have lots of bits and pieces coming out of my garage soon =)

754 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 22, 2018, 06:05:02 PM »

Very cool, how much is the course very interesting..
The black Pullmax ? in the pic.. I had a similar machine , maybe heavier..
It went to Roger Goldammer... not at first but when he made some tooling for it, it became very usefull.
Don't think he would ever part with it.. cool tool..

BLAC · « **Reply #2 on:** March 22, 2018, 06:11:39 PM »

Quote from: 754 on March 22, 2018, 06:05:02 PM

Very cool, how much is the course very interesting..
The black Pullmax ? in the pic.. I had a similar machine , maybe heavier..
It went to Roger Goldammer... not at first but when he made some tooling for it, it became very usefull.
Don't think he would ever part with it.. cool tool..

Ya it is a Pullmax P9. I really liked it, it was so smooth and powerful. a bit slower at moving metal than the Baileigh or his Shape-o-matics, though.

turkey4me · « **Reply #3 on:** March 25, 2018, 06:32:34 AM »

This looks like an addictive hobby. Cool stuff. thanks for sharing

Yamahawk · « **Reply #4 on:** March 25, 2018, 08:55:27 AM »

It looks like a lot of fun! I was thinking of the english wheel kit that HF has, and for a planishing hammer, was thinking of converting a sawzall with a hammer head to beat the metal lol... mount it in a frame, and make a rounded base out of some old bodywork dollys... ya gotta be creative, if ya want to get creative... cheaply
Charlie

Don R · « **Reply #5 on:** March 25, 2018, 09:38:58 AM »

That's awesome, I'm envious.

A friend's son made his own planishing hammer and English wheel. He owned some economy tools but wanted bigger and heavier ones. He got a guy to waterjet the big C shapes from 1/2" plates and cut the remaining shapes from the left overs. He made the hammer mechanism and is building the tooling as needed. The same with the English wheel, he's trying to not buy anything he can make.

The closest I came was building my own Hossfeld style tube/pipe/metal bender. It's air over hydraulic bending and air return.

greenjeans · « **Reply #6 on:** March 26, 2018, 01:42:02 PM »

Sosa has skills. Is this a class that he offers ? If so, get us a link. Very interested

jgger · « **Reply #7 on:** March 26, 2018, 06:27:15 PM »

Quote from: Yamahawk on March 25, 2018, 08:55:27 AM

It looks like a lot of fun! I was thinking of the english wheel kit that HF has, and for a planishing hammer, was thinking of converting a sawzall with a hammer head to beat the metal lol... mount it in a frame, and make a rounded base out of some old bodywork dollys... ya gotta be creative, if ya want to get creative... cheaply
Charlie

Don't think about using a Sawzall for that, you will blow up the reciprocating parts in a heartbeat.

slikwilli420 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 26, 2018, 06:51:05 PM »

Quote from: jgger on March 26, 2018, 06:27:15 PM

Quote from: Yamahawk on March 25, 2018, 08:55:27 AM
It looks like a lot of fun! I was thinking of the english wheel kit that HF has, and for a planishing hammer, was thinking of converting a sawzall with a hammer head to beat the metal lol... mount it in a frame, and make a rounded base out of some old bodywork dollys... ya gotta be creative, if ya want to get creative... cheaply
Charlie

Don't think about using a Sawzall for that, you will blow up the reciprocating parts in a heartbeat.

Truth. Use an air chisel. Flow forming aluminum is easy with a few different tips.

Yamahawk · « **Reply #9 on:** March 26, 2018, 06:57:03 PM »

Quote from: jgger on March 26, 2018, 06:27:15 PM

Quote from: Yamahawk on March 25, 2018, 08:55:27 AM
It looks like a lot of fun! I was thinking of the english wheel kit that HF has, and for a planishing hammer, was thinking of converting a sawzall with a hammer head to beat the metal lol... mount it in a frame, and make a rounded base out of some old bodywork dollys... ya gotta be creative, if ya want to get creative... cheaply
Charlie

Don't think about using a Sawzall for that, you will blow up the reciprocating parts in a heartbeat.

But blowing up stuff is fun hehe... They got a pretty torquey motor in them, but the adjustment would be the key. Can't have it too close or it might self-destruct.

Quote from: slikwilli420 on March 26, 2018, 06:51:05 PM

Quote from: jgger on March 26, 2018, 06:27:15 PM
Quote from: Yamahawk on March 25, 2018, 08:55:27 AM
It looks like a lot of fun! I was thinking of the english wheel kit that HF has, and for a planishing hammer, was thinking of converting a sawzall with a hammer head to beat the metal lol... mount it in a frame, and make a rounded base out of some old bodywork dollys... ya gotta be creative, if ya want to get creative... cheaply
Charlie

Don't think about using a Sawzall for that, you will blow up the reciprocating parts in a heartbeat.

Truth. Use an air chisel. Flow forming aluminum is easy with a few different tips.

That would be a better option, as they are made to beat on things...
Charlie

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #10 on:** March 28, 2018, 02:31:30 PM »

Cristian is an amazingly talented yet humble guy. I met him at the 1 Show a little over a year ago. His bike a Knucklehead land speed bike featured forging and shaping work, leaf suspension, a pistol grip shifter and geared throttle linkage. It was an extremely popular bike.

He was also featured least year on the Cover of Cycle World for his custom BMW RNineT with an aluminum fairing.

He'll be at the OG (Outlier's Guild) Moto Show this Saturday in Los Angeles, as one of the invited builders.

For those interested in his courses, . . . http://xray6671.wixsite.com/sosametalworkss/workshop

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #11 on:** April 01, 2018, 10:05:32 PM »

Great hanging out with you this weekend, Yard-sale!

BLAC · « **Reply #12 on:** April 02, 2018, 12:42:42 PM »

Quote from: SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan on April 01, 2018, 10:05:32 PM

Great hanging out with you this weekend, Yard-sale!

Christian almost killed be friday and saturday night. Im going to sleep for a month now...

-Yardsale

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #13 on:** April 02, 2018, 05:37:08 PM »

Photos from the Outlier's Guild Moto Show:

http://lamotorcyclist.com/gallery_outliers2018.html#sthash.wVefZ27l.2nCtA0C8.dpbs

http://lamotorcyclist.com/gallery_outliers2018p2.html#sthash.UChAB7yh.Rtu4I9Sa.dpbs

turkey4me · « **Reply #14 on:** April 05, 2018, 05:58:40 AM »

I was just watching How It's Made Cars. They showed a guy using soap rubbed on aluminum before heating to indicate the temperature when it can be hand hammered around a tube like it was clay. Very cool. Anyone know how to do this?

slikwilli420 · « **Reply #15 on:** April 05, 2018, 07:06:19 AM »

Quote from: turkey4me on April 05, 2018, 05:58:40 AM

I was just watching How It's Made Cars. They showed a guy using soap rubbed on aluminum before heating to indicate the temperature when it can be hand hammered around a tube like it was clay. Very cool. Anyone know how to do this?

Thats about annealing the material. There is a bit of art to it though since different bar soaps may burn at different temps. I have also read that you put flame to aluminum until it changes color as it bounces off then its annealed. Certain grades of aluminum can be annealed many many times and be worked very intricately, but must be annealed or will crack from work hardening.

754 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 05, 2018, 09:18:48 AM »

Quote from: turkey4me on April 05, 2018, 05:58:40 AM

I was just watching How It's Made Cars. They showed a guy using soap rubbed on aluminum before heating to indicate the temperature when it can be hand hammered around a tube like it was clay. Very cool. Anyone know how to do this?

You know how to do it , you just told us..
I have used that a half dozen times this year, it works.
Here is how to tell if you have The right soap.
Cut strips of the material used about say 6 inch by an inch.
Now test bend one piece with your fingers.
Scribble anotherwith soap, then heat till it turns black.
Now Try the test bend, you will know right away.

What I like about this, I can work with a Bernzomatic small cheap torch, I have no OxyAcet..

turkey4me · « **Reply #17 on:** April 05, 2018, 12:35:25 PM »

I put the quote in my avatar to remind myself of the obvious. Still too damn close to see.

DurangoCB · « **Reply #18 on:** April 05, 2018, 03:05:27 PM »

What a great experience. So jealous.

754 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 05, 2018, 05:17:04 PM »

Dont get jealous, just get the attitude... how can I learn some of this.
Some basic stuff is not as fast but won't break the bank either.
Try looking up tuck puck..

DurangoCB · « **Reply #20 on:** April 05, 2018, 05:36:01 PM »

Quote from: 754 on April 05, 2018, 05:17:04 PM

Dont get jealous, just get the attitude... how can I learn some of this.
Some basic stuff is not as fast but won't break the bank either.
Try looking up tuck puck..

Thanks, 754. That's definitely my attitude already. I'll figure just about anything out and really enjoy doing so, but it's also nice when you spend time with an expert and your learning curve is steep.

Paintedseat · « **Reply #21 on:** April 05, 2018, 08:17:21 PM »

Nice. Good for you.

754 · « **Reply #22 on:** April 05, 2018, 09:42:33 PM »

Finally scored a new 16 guage electric shear today... not a nibbler.
It's a Hitachi CE16SA, I broke my Metabo this winter.
The Hitachi won't cut as tight a radius as the Metabo.. it was very nice 5/8 radiusm but I broke the lower anvil. I need a parts shear to fix it.

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #23 on:** April 12, 2018, 10:43:07 AM »

Hey Yard Sale,

Did you get your Shape-O-Matic yet?

BLAC · « **Reply #24 on:** April 12, 2018, 02:33:44 PM »

Quote from: SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan on April 12, 2018, 10:43:07 AM

Hey Yard Sale,

Did you get your Shape-O-Matic yet?

Not yet, I picked out the color for it though. I decided to get it in the vintage machine pale green color to match the vibe in the shop so it didnt stick out like a new-tech sore thumb

Christian might be bringing it with him when he comes back in town for the Peterson Exhibit when he has his bike put in. Ill let you know, then you will have to come up and smack around some metal with me!

-Yard Sale

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Author Topic: Metal Shaping With a Master (Read 5222 times)