Metal shaping is all about shrinking, stretching, and forming which makes it sound oh so simple. Of course, mastering all the ways to do those three things takes some time, but the premise is a simple one as are some of the tools needed. You don’t have to own a bunch of fancy tools in order to make metal do what you want to. In fact, the right hammer, dolly, and a few little tools like this Tucking Fork can get you started. And as Karl is quick to point out in this video, even the most seasoned metal shaping masters still use hand tools for certain jobs, even if they have a shop full of trick big-dollar power tools.
In this video, Karl from Make It Kustom is sharing a lesson on how to build a Tucking Fork which is a tool used in the shrinking of metal. It creates “tucks” that, when hammered on correctly, will shrink the metal so that a curve can be introduced to its shape. The tool itself is ultra-simple, and can be made in well under an hour if you have some solid rod, a grinder, and a welder. Using it to make tucks is just as easy. Making those tucks shrink into something smooth and nice takes a bit more practice, but Karl even goes into that in this video.
Watch the video, learn how to make the tool and use it, and then send us photos of some cool stuff you make with this tool and technique.
Yo, Dude…very creative, but… Take Off Your Welding Gloves When Working Around Spinning Machine Tools. It’s common wisdom and normally a safety rule. I have a neighbor who lost a finger working on the very same-type sander doing nearly the same thing, when the tip of his glove caught between the disc and the table it pulled his whole finger in until the machine jammed, ripping the glove finger and flesh away clean and just raw bone was all he had left to pull back out. Without glove material to catch in he would have only needed a Band-Aid. Sorry to be the safety police but video gave me the creeps.