Sheet metal courses?

[robwizard]

So I was reading a thread the other day of some French guy building a model A Ford from sheet metal and it blew my mind!

I would love to do a course or something.. on English wheel operation etc. But I can only find this one..

http://www.contourautocraft.co.uk/courses.htm

And I don't know how good it would be or if it would be worth the money.. I could just spend that much on a bunch of body hammers and a load of sheet steel and set to it!

What do you guys think? I would definitely do a basic sheet metal course as well but none of the colleges round here seem to do one..

Cheers

 

[chunkolini]

Hmm sounds pricy but looks worth the effort.
I would like to send my self on the basic one.
I reckon in a week you should be able to pick up a huge amount of skills you would spend and eternity learning by yourself.

 

[hotrodder]

Dunno if all the links are still working but...

Getting on for 3 years old but a list (might well be a lot shorter now given all the funding cuts) of courses here... http://www.classicandperformancecar.com/features/theknowledge/240409/restoration_workshops.html.
While having an old hand available to advise and take the **** is very useful, metalshaping, like playing an instrument or welding is something that can only be learned by practicing. I'd just get stuck in using books and the internet for a bit of guidance. At the end of the day there's only three basic things involved... you can bend metal, stretch it and shrink it. Tools like English wheels etc are really more about speeding up the process than anything else.

Buy/make some basic tools and start out with simple exercises like making a bowl or a teardrop blister. Depending on current skills could just hollow out a bit of sheetmetal and have a go at planishing it smooth or (better) dive in a little deeper by deciding the finished dimensions first and then making it fit some card templates

The teardrop link shows the roughing out being done into a shotbag. Can also rough stuff out with nothing more complicated than an old tree stump... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-cIDfe0FfE There's also various DVDs like this preview by David Gardiner that's pretty much devoted to the simple (no spendy tools) methods... http://www.youtube.com /watch?v=IGElSHzm0q8 While not as good as a one on one with a course tutor there'll be a lot more change to spend on tools

 

[outofthefire]

Leeds City college run evening classes but its probably too far for you travel, they used to do a one week course but I can't find a link for it.


http://www.leedscitycollege.ac.uk/c...r-vehicle-restoration-weld-panel-fabrication/

http://www.leedscitycollege.ac.uk/c...vehicle-restoration-welding-body-fabrication/

 

[clarkey31]

I found these people when i was looking before not been any of the courses but looked a lot cheaper than some of the others..http://www.mphmotorpanels.com/Wheeling.htm

 

[Roger440]

So I was reading a thread the other day of some French guy building a model A Ford from sheet metal and it blew my mind!

I would love to do a course or something.. on English wheel operation etc. But I can only find this one..

http://www.contourautocraft.co.uk/courses.htm

And I don't know how good it would be or if it would be worth the money.. I could just spend that much on a bunch of body hammers and a load of sheet steel and set to it!

What do you guys think? I would definitely do a basic sheet metal course as well but none of the colleges round here seem to do one..

Cheers

Did a 2 day course with these guys several years ago. Well worth the money.

 

[RBDIVE]

So I was reading a thread the other day of some French guy building a model A Ford from sheet metal and it blew my mind!

I would love to do a course or something.. on English wheel operation etc. But I can only find this one..

http://www.contourautocraft.co.uk/courses.htm

And I don't know how good it would be or if it would be worth the money.. I could just spend that much on a bunch of body hammers and a load of sheet steel and set to it!

What do you guys think? I would definitely do a basic sheet metal course as well but none of the colleges round here seem to do one..

Cheers

robwizard,
I to had had a look at that course, really for my own project, although the cost is a factor and i wont be ready till next summer, so keep us informed what course you go on and what it was like etc..

 

[nodeward]

http://www.allmetalshaping.com/index.php
loads of good info on there if you decide to just give it a go on your own