How To Stretch Sheet Metal By Hand

Stretcher the opposite of the shrinker mentioned above.

How to stretch sheet metal by hand. With a combination of these manipulations you can create anything from flat sheet and you. Using protective gloves hold the free end of the metal sheet with one hand and with the other hand use a mallet or hammer to begin bending the sheet down and around the curved radius of the wood form. Then use your bend allowance to draw your second bend line the intervening distance between your bend lines bend radius. Cut it bend it shrink it and stretch it.

This is a mechanically operated tool that puts the metal between two flat textured jaws and pulls the metal apart slowly each time the lever or. Dollies are heavy simply shaped lumps of steel that fit into the palm of the metal worker s hand as he works. Now that you know your bend allowance take your protractor and draw a clear line with your marker across the point at which you will bend your sheet metal. After all there are only four things you can do to metal.

Using the hammer and dolly method a dent crease or dimple can be made smooth again without the use of a welder or body filler. You can do this by hitting it between a body hammer and a dolly or with a planishing hammer or other type of power hammer. Mark your bend lines. Having the right tailor made tools for shaping shrinking and stretching metal you re about to undertake can help you properly and quickly repair damaged sheetmetal and bodywork.

This forces the metal to be compressed and ultimately stretch. Start at one end and slowly work down to the other. Metal can also be stretched in a similar method by using a sandbag and plastic mallets to quickly stretch metal and make shapes.