Metal shrinking / stretching machine

topps35 - Monday, February 25, 2008 - 5:25pm

Hi guys and gals
We are looking for a metal shrinker/stretcher and have come up with nothing in UK so are looking to the USA. We have contacted TM Technologies who supply a kit and plans to put your own together. Have any of you heard of them or have a machine from them? It is an air powered sheet metal power hammer for shaping 3D sheet metal, esp car bodies. We would prefer to buy from UK or Europe if at all poss, if anyone has any recommendations. Andy is getting busy with old cars, working on a 1930 rapier lagonda at the moment, new rear and rear wings followed by a whole new front end for a 50's austin healey. Picture attached of 1925 Renault which he made running boards and wings for. His poor old arms are getting very tired and there is only so much you can do with a cut and weld!
Thanks
Michelle and Andy

» topps35's blog | add new comment

shrinker/stretcher

Frank Castiglione - Monday, February 25, 2008 - 6:18pm

Hi Michelle and Andy,
Check out Metalmeet and Metalshapers sites. They both explore all kinds of metal shrinkers and stretchers. Thunbnail dies on a helve hammer kinda excites me(mr. cheapie).
Frank

» reply

Mr Cheapie

topps35 - Wednesday, February 27, 2008 - 4:23am

Hey Frank
Andy is intrigued by your idea and would love for you to elaborate. His favourite phrase is 'How much!!! I'll make it'
Our son has a leg problem and we bought him an above ground pool to help with post op rehab, as you can imagine in our UK climate a heater was a must. appalled by the price we had to endure an old oil drum with copper coil and wood burning in the middle. I must say it worked a treat but the smell, smoke and continuous stoking required, not to mention the logs burned, all caused me to question the cost effectiveness of the excercise!

» reply

Actually, the very best

Ries - Tuesday, February 26, 2008 - 12:22pm

Actually, the very best sheet metal working equipment comes from Europe- of course, like any european tools, they are not cheap.

The best are probably the Kraftformer machines, from Eckold, in Germany. These machines are very expensive, and used by the very best in the industry- the guys who repair $2 million euro Ferraris. But nice to look at.
http://www.eckold.de/e_index2.html

Then, there is this place, Dino-
http://www.dinohome.de/html/home.html
These guys sell a complete line of all the tools you need- smallish shrinkers and stretchers for a few hundred euros, bigger planishing machines, hand hammers, the whole lineup. They sell parts and kits for english wheels, I dont know if they have planishing hammers or not.

I would be amazed if there was not a similar company in the UK.
Try asking these guys-
http://www.butlersheetmetal.com/tinbasherblog/
I am guessing they would know who sells what in Blighty.

Bulldog also might know-
http://www.bulldog-uk.com/generalsheetmetal.htm

or these guys-
xhttp://www.aetools.co.uk/prodtype.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=95&numRecordPosition=1

or these guys-
http://www.frost.co.uk/

Looks like Frost might be your full service UK supplier.

It sounds as if you are NOT talking about what we would call a shrinker/stretcher, but instead an air planishing hammer. Grizzly, for example, sells a cheap chinese version of this-http://grizzly.com/products/Professional-Planishing-Hammer/G0497

As far as TM goes, it is a very reputable place. Although I have not met him in person, I have corresponded with Kent White, the man who owns it, and he is a very nice guy who is extremely knowledgeable. If he sells em, they work.
But with shipping, it would seem like the UK or Europe would be a cheaper option.

» reply

shrinker stretcher

topps35 - Wednesday, February 27, 2008 - 4:31am

Ah the eckold, the machine that dreams are made of! Sadly it came down to a choice between the house or the tool, with a price tag of £46,000. The house won!
Thanks for your huge effort and help with our question, Andy is quite keen on one of the Dino tools.
Love your picture by the way
Many thanks
Michelle and Andy

» reply