fabricating a fender.

WELDFAN

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going to next make a rear fender for my bike. wanted to start a thread and talk to people about how they have made some and if anyone has exsperience on an english wheel. hear ideas of making one out of a 55gal drum and a few other parts that can be shopped but figure it would be nice to just start learning how to cold work sheet metal.
 
A random piece of metal is not the best starting point. Better to know the material that you are using, then it has predictable properties. You can flat roll thin metal yourself with three pieces of pipe and a couple of 2 X 6s, roll it on a machine roller, do the whole thing with an English wheel, or beat it out over a stump. Lots of different ways to go. I prefer rolling a flat section in the plain roller to approximate diameter, then crowning it with the English wheel, but you can't fake a decent wheel machine. You either have one, or you don't.
The one below was not stiff enough, so we re-boxed it so it could provide more pressure to move thicker metal.
 

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A random piece of metal is not the best starting point. Better to know the material that you are using, then it has predictable properties. You can flat roll thin metal yourself with three pieces of pipe and a couple of 2 X 6s, roll it on a machine roller, do the whole thing with an English wheel, or beat it out over a stump. Lots of different ways to go. I prefer rolling a flat section in the plain roller to approximate diameter, then crowning it with the English wheel, but you can't fake a decent wheel machine. You either have one, or you don't.
The one below was not stiff enough, so we re-boxed it so it could provide more pressure to move thicker metal.

i will not be using just any random metal. i work as a machinist/welder so i know the properties well. i just have never used an english wheel and have never really cold formed much past traditional rolling/ press break :) kinda been picking the brains of the sheet metal workers but most of them told me the best way to learn is to have at. thanks for the tip on starting with a traditional roll to get a close diameter. my biggest concern has been folding the edges but im betting with a little effort n patience i can work it out.
 
Was referring to the 55 gallon drum. You might check YouTube and see if anyone has put up Ron Covell's video on the English wheel.
 
Was referring to the 55 gallon drum. You might check YouTube and see if anyone has put up Ron Covell's video on the English wheel.

i will check it out thanks..and now i get what you mean, did not think about the fact that the drums can be whatever crappy grade steal or material they pick. i know there must be some type of industry regulations but dont feel like figuring them out haha.
 
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