The finished article looks fantastic, and as others say, you make it look so easy too. Thank you for sharing your techniques, it's given me a few fresh ideas for a project I've been putting off.
I don't think there are many people who know how to form metal like this now , its such a privilege to have access to a video of this quality . I especially like the demonstration of different techniques and tools to achieve the same goals . continuing my education even at 60 . Thank you so much Ron.
I cannot begin to overstate how amazingly well thought and well spoken you are with your demos. Thanks again. I'm always blown away by your simple practical approaches to complex problems.
fantastic skill level from a generation of engineers who could truly shape metal with outstanding results , engineers who take pride in their work , A true Craftsman , enjoyed the series from start to finish , Thank you
I have been watching you work for around 20 years. When I purchased my first video from you on Hammer Forming it was life changing. I can't say I have utilized your knowledge to it's fullest potential but when I get the chance to make something right, I think of you. People will look at my my work and say "DAMN! You got skills!" I always give you full credit.
We are all fortunate we have such a platform to learn from the best journeymen in their respective trades. It is a great way to hand down the knowledge to many apprentices, hobbiests, and makers. Thank you for sharing. When you presented the first article from one piece I thought "why in the world would you make the other half with three pieces?". When you are an expert and experienced, it is yet another way to tackle the same problem.
Jere. I'm sure you will do a magnificent job! Feel free to contact me with any questions. I was amazed at how much more quickly I made the part I sent you, compared with the first one. As you know, having to set up the cameras and think about what to say while you're working takes a LOT of extra time. Also, I learned a lot about how much shrinking and hammering was required on the first part, and that speeded the work on the second one, too!
With that thin aluminum, good fitment is really crucial. For me the two parts always seem to run away from each other as soon as the TIG arc lights up. Very well done 👍
It bears a striking similarity to the end of a WWI German Pfalz aircraft exhaust manifold if it were steel. This was invaluable tutorial for me to do almost exactly the same shape and size in steel later!
This is neat stuff. I mistakenly asked a question tonight on the part two video. It's also nice to see someone make perfectly serviceable and acceptable aluminum welds that aren't those ridiculous "instagram" shots. Nice to know I am human. I've been selling my aluminum welds for years and no one said anything til social media ...
That's a good way to frame your comments on welding. I wish I could weld like some of those amazing people who post on Instagram, but my welding skill is what it is. I'm OK if the welds are a little uneven, as long as I can clean them up by sanding if I want to.
They look so like the exhaust pipe headers I had made for one of our Rolls Royce Merlin? Made in inconel which is so much harder than alloy to shape and form!
Woke up to this on a Monday morning. Perfect for the first coffee of the new week. Inspiration courtesy of Ron Covell, The Sheet Metal Maestro. The finished part looks amazing. Can't wait to see Jere's one now too. Run postman, run. :D
Ron, many thanks to you and Jere for producing this informative series. The work holding device that appears at approximately 0:24 in this video appears to be a machinist vice with jaws modified to secure a C-clamp in a vertical position. Is this elegantly simple work holding device shop-made by yourself or is it commercially available?
John. Yes, I did hold a 'regular' C-clamp in a 'regular' machinist's vise. Neither was modified in any way. I don't think I've ever done it that way before, but it worked perfectly for that video shot!
I've never done a fusion weld on 4k+ aluminum, would that be something better suited for that lower grade? Usually, I'll sag the weld or burn it up on thin aluminum without adding filler to keep the puddle perfect. Mr. Covell, you wouldn't happen to have any recollection as to a what frequency and amperage you were running without filler on the fusion welds? I automatically assume you were running a triangle waveform... Thank you Sir.
I don't know what you mean by 4k+ aluminum. I almost never use fusion welds alone. On a joint I'm going to hammer, or 'work' in some other way, I make a regular butt weld on one side, and after that's finished, I make a fusion pass on the back side. This ensures I have 100% penetration, plus it flattens and spreads out the weld bead, making it easier to crush flat by hammering.
I wonder how well a convex hammer from would work ? Or would it restrict the movement of the metal ? This is all valuable information and I thank you for it.
The hammerform that Jere made IS convex, so it's likely you are referring to a concave (hollow) hammerform. Concave hammerforms work well, but this part is probably a bit too deep to be made that way. The problem is that the metal in the center gets thinner as the part gets deeper: th-cam.com/video/9K6c3_DMXjQ/w-d-xo.html
Amazing job, and the finished product looks very nice after sanding. I am wondering, seen the amount of time and effort it takes, how much would cost a piece like that?
Very nice part, I tried my hand at aluminum tig welding for the first time on Friday. I used 0.060" 5000 series aluminum scrap set at 65 amps with 5356 rod. I found the biggest chore for me was dialing in the tungsten shape, I usually put a tiny flat on the end for steel and I ended up with a very rounded tungsten when I found a decent setting. Aside from spare material on the ends for blowout, is there anything else I could be doing at the end to avoid a big round hole? I'm going to keep tackling it, I've made 6 passes on 4" butted ends so far and I'll try again Monday. Thanks for the videos, they are a good source of inspiration.
One additional way to keep the end of a joint from 'blowing away' is to put a backing strip behind the metal. Copper is best, but even mild steel works OK for aluminum.
I have only been welded aluminum a few times and it was over a quarter thick so I really don't know but are you worried about cracking on the inside where you fused it.
The thin stuff is quite different from thicker material. The concern about cracking is mostly for welds that will be hammered, or put in a high-vibration situation. Fusion welding the back side really makes a difference for these applications.
The material I'm using is .050" (1.25mm) 3003 H-14 aluminum. As you can see in the video, I use filler rod to weld the outside of each joint, and then fusion weld the inside. I wouldn't trust a joint on metal that thin that was ONLY fusion welded.
@@RonCovell Thank you for the clarification. The 3003 alloy does appear to be the best choice for this job, both for how much bashing it can take and for weldability. I just read that even 6060 will not crack with as little as 5% filler dilution; 3003 is not as crack-sensitive to begin with, and then it only improves when you spread the filler that penetrated from the outside.
For the record, 6061 aluminum can NOT be fusion welded! This alloy requires additional elements be added during the welding process, otherwise it will form cracks as the weld puddle cools. Normally 5356 is the filler rod of choice, although 4043 is used occasionally.
Jere found the original part in a wrecking yard, and we don't know exactly what it was used for. Perhaps a manifold for defroster vents on a car or truck? The original had a center diverter in the oval opening. Jere and I skipped that detail for simplicity.
I'd like to give you a good answer, but it's impossible for me to keep track of time when the lights are on and the camera is rolling. Maybe Jere can give you a better answer about how long the job took him.
I have 20 hours of unedited video for this project. Many scenes had several takes, and many parts of the program were not shot on video, so I can't give you an accurate answer based on how long the camera was on.
i would of bought a regular elbow (90° sweep) split it in half and slide the inside half down to open the mouth and weld in a pie shape piece to fill in the side
No matter how much you know....there's always something to learn from Ron Covell
Thanks so much! I have many more videos planned for the near future.
Very true 👍
Superb thanks ace.
Glad you liked it!
You are the Bob Ross of metalworking; makes it look so easy, and with kindness
Thanks so much!
Bob Ross never sold a painting
The finished article looks fantastic, and as others say, you make it look so easy too. Thank you for sharing your techniques, it's given me a few fresh ideas for a project I've been putting off.
Good luck with your projects, and I wish you the best of success!
I don't think there are many people who know how to form metal like this now , its such a privilege to have access to a video of this quality . I especially like the demonstration of different techniques and tools to achieve the same goals . continuing my education even at 60 . Thank you so much Ron.
I'm so glad you enjoy these videos, and learn from them!
Many don't realize that welding such thin sheet metal is art. Here It's a magnificent job!
Thank you. Honestly, it was challenging to weld that inner curve, where the metal had thinned significantly!
@@RonCovell You put in an impressive performance... again.
It's a pleasure watching a real craftsman work and do something most of us can't.
I'm so glad you enjoy my videos!
That is really cool. You always make it look easy.
Thank you! Cheers!
I met Ron around the time I was 12 or 13, my dad and I stopped by his shop. Wonderfully nice man, and I've been a fan ever since. I'm 32 now 👍
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much Ron. It’s so enjoyable and relaxing to watch such wonderful craftsmen like yourself and Jere at work. 👍👍😎👍👍
So glad you liked it!
I cannot begin to overstate how amazingly well thought and well spoken you are with your demos. Thanks again. I'm always blown away by your simple practical approaches to complex problems.
Wow, thank you!
Learning quite a lot from you and Jere. Thanks for handing knowledge down to the younger generations
Our pleasure!
Great Craftsmanship. A pleasure to watch.
Thanks so much!
fantastic skill level from a generation of engineers who could truly shape metal with outstanding results , engineers who take pride in their work , A true Craftsman , enjoyed the series from start to finish , Thank you
Thank YOU for watching, and commenting!
I have been watching you work for around 20 years. When I purchased my first video from you on Hammer Forming it was life changing. I can't say I have utilized your knowledge to it's fullest potential but when I get the chance to make something right, I think of you. People will look at my my work and say "DAMN! You got skills!" I always give you full credit.
Glad I can help!
We are all fortunate we have such a platform to learn from the best journeymen in their respective trades. It is a great way to hand down the knowledge to many apprentices, hobbiests, and makers. Thank you for sharing.
When you presented the first article from one piece I thought "why in the world would you make the other half with three pieces?". When you are an expert and experienced, it is yet another way to tackle the same problem.
Absolutely!
What timing... I'm getting into tig welding to make custom high vacuum fittings and piping. Such a useful series. Thanks a lot for the upload!
I'm so glad you enjoyed this video. Be sure to see this one, which is focused exclusively on TIG welding:
th-cam.com/video/3sp1BP29J4E/w-d-xo.html
It is always great to watch masters at work, especially when they are teaching you how to do it. Thank you for another great series of videos.
Glad you enjoy it!
Ron - Great workmanship and detail of process. UPS will deliver tomorrow. Then the fun begins for me. Jere
Jere. I'm sure you will do a magnificent job! Feel free to contact me with any questions.
I was amazed at how much more quickly I made the part I sent you, compared with the first one. As you know, having to set up the cameras and think about what to say while you're working takes a LOT of extra time. Also, I learned a lot about how much shrinking and hammering was required on the first part, and that speeded the work on the second one, too!
A master of making things simple. It's always a awe to watch
Thanks so much!
Fascinating to watch as usual. Thank you for posting.
Glad you enjoyed it!
It is always a pleasure to watch a Great master at work. Thank You for sharing with us Your knowledge!
So nice of you!
stunning work, absolutly top drawer sheet metalwork,thanks for sharing
Thanks for the very kind words!
Just discovered your channel and am totally blown away, thanks Ron.
A very big welcome to you, and look for more videos soon!
With that thin aluminum, good fitment is really crucial.
For me the two parts always seem to run away from each other as soon as the TIG arc lights up.
Very well done 👍
As you say - the thinner the metal, the more difficult the process is. Glad you liked the video!
Thank you for sharing this!
And again, thanks for using a short lead-time with the premier.
I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm still learning about what people like, and DON'T like on TH-cam. Fortunately, I believe I'm a good student!
That ended up looking better than original. Congrats to both of you!!!
Thank you so much. I really enjoyed this project!
You make metal forming look easy. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
Beautiful! Great video Ron. They keep getting better and better! 😁
Thanks, Christian. Hope all is well with you. BTW, I recently saw Jay Leno's video on his Corvair Monza - he loves it!
I've been looking forward to this and you didn't disappoint. Fantastic work.
Thank you very much!
Thank you for showing us :)
My pleasure 😊
It bears a striking similarity to the end of a WWI German Pfalz aircraft exhaust manifold if it were steel. This was invaluable tutorial for me to do almost exactly the same shape and size in steel later!
I didn't know that. I hope you have a great success with your project!
@@RonCovell Thanks, I'll email you a cad model to see the similarity.
I'll be eager to see that! covell@cruzio.com
Great video Ron, you are a true master at your craft! 👍👍
Thank you kindly!
You’re the man. This was an excellent how to. Thanks for being a legend
I appreciate that!
This is neat stuff. I mistakenly asked a question tonight on the part two video.
It's also nice to see someone make perfectly serviceable and acceptable aluminum welds that aren't those ridiculous "instagram" shots. Nice to know I am human. I've been selling my aluminum welds for years and no one said anything til social media ...
That's a good way to frame your comments on welding. I wish I could weld like some of those amazing people who post on Instagram, but my welding skill is what it is. I'm OK if the welds are a little uneven, as long as I can clean them up by sanding if I want to.
is realy nice to see how the same pieces can be done by diferents ways. Thank you !
Glad you like it!
They look so like the exhaust pipe headers I had made for one of our Rolls Royce Merlin? Made in inconel which is so much harder than alloy to shape and form!
I've seen some aircraft exhaust pipes that look something like this part. I've never worked with Inconel - I know it's crazy/tough stuff!
Very impressive Ron well done !
Many thanks!
DEAR SIR YOU HAVE SOME MAD SKILLS GREAT VIDEO THANKS FOR THE LESSON !!!!!
Thank you kindly!
You sir, are an artist!
Thank you so much!
Well done, sir. A complicated part indeed.
Thanks! I like a good challenge every now and then.
Thank you Ron and Jere. Always interesting, and man that came out great.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Woke up to this on a Monday morning. Perfect for the first coffee of the new week. Inspiration courtesy of Ron Covell, The Sheet Metal Maestro. The finished part looks amazing. Can't wait to see Jere's one now too. Run postman, run. :D
Paul - I'll be eager to see Jere's next video, too. He should be receiving the part I sent him today.
I wish I could have learnt along side a master craftsmen like yourself
Well, you CAN - via TH-cam!
Looks like a pretty cool exhaust tip
Sure could be!
This is soo seamless!
Well, there are actually LOTS of seams, but I know how to blend them in smoothly!
Thanks for sharing
You bet!
Love this series. I get all excited when new videos come out. I need to get some time/money together and come get some personal training.
Sounds great!
Excellent work! What is the lube you use on your sanding discs?
I normally use any kind of bar soap. Choose one with an 'aroma' you can live with!
Great job, your talent is always well received by me ❤❤❤
Thank you so much 😀. More to come.
great work as usual Ron, excellent work!!
Thank you! Cheers!
That was amazing, Ron. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it! How's our buddy Al doing?
this guy is a legend
Ron, many thanks to you and Jere for producing this informative series. The work holding device that appears at approximately 0:24 in this video appears to be a machinist vice with jaws modified to secure a C-clamp in a vertical position. Is this elegantly simple work holding device shop-made by yourself or is it commercially available?
John. Yes, I did hold a 'regular' C-clamp in a 'regular' machinist's vise. Neither was modified in any way. I don't think I've ever done it that way before, but it worked perfectly for that video shot!
Beautiful work.
Thanks for the nice compliment!
I've never done a fusion weld on 4k+ aluminum, would that be something better suited for that lower grade?
Usually, I'll sag the weld or burn it up on thin aluminum without adding filler to keep the puddle perfect.
Mr. Covell, you wouldn't happen to have any recollection as to a what frequency and amperage you were running without filler on the fusion welds? I automatically assume you were running a triangle waveform... Thank you Sir.
I don't know what you mean by 4k+ aluminum.
I almost never use fusion welds alone. On a joint I'm going to hammer, or 'work' in some other way, I make a regular butt weld on one side, and after that's finished, I make a fusion pass on the back side. This ensures I have 100% penetration, plus it flattens and spreads out the weld bead, making it easier to crush flat by hammering.
Sweet exhaust tip.
It sure could be an exhaust tip!
I wonder how well a convex hammer from would work ? Or would it restrict the movement of the metal ?
This is all valuable information and I thank you for it.
The hammerform that Jere made IS convex, so it's likely you are referring to a concave (hollow) hammerform. Concave hammerforms work well, but this part is probably a bit too deep to be made that way. The problem is that the metal in the center gets thinner as the part gets deeper:
th-cam.com/video/9K6c3_DMXjQ/w-d-xo.html
Neat series. Great result, as always.
I sincerely thank you!
Realy good and nice video!😀👍
Thank you! Cheers!
What is the block you are putting on the sanding paper before you started sanding
I use bar soap as a lubricant to keep the sanding discs from loading up with aluminum - all brands seem to work OK.
Amazing job, and the finished product looks very nice after sanding.
I am wondering, seen the amount of time and effort it takes, how much would cost a piece like that?
A lot!
Probably over $1200.00
Very nice part, I tried my hand at aluminum tig welding for the first time on Friday. I used 0.060" 5000 series aluminum scrap set at 65 amps with 5356 rod. I found the biggest chore for me was dialing in the tungsten shape, I usually put a tiny flat on the end for steel and I ended up with a very rounded tungsten when I found a decent setting.
Aside from spare material on the ends for blowout, is there anything else I could be doing at the end to avoid a big round hole? I'm going to keep tackling it, I've made 6 passes on 4" butted ends so far and I'll try again Monday. Thanks for the videos, they are a good source of inspiration.
One additional way to keep the end of a joint from 'blowing away' is to put a backing strip behind the metal. Copper is best, but even mild steel works OK for aluminum.
I had a grand time watching this set of videos and I learned so much from both of you.
Any idea what the original part was?
I don't know. Jere thinks it might be a diverter for the defrosting vents on a large vehicle like a truck or bus.
I have only been welded aluminum a few times and it was over a quarter thick so I really don't know but are you worried about cracking on the inside where you fused it.
The thin stuff is quite different from thicker material. The concern about cracking is mostly for welds that will be hammered, or put in a high-vibration situation. Fusion welding the back side really makes a difference for these applications.
Does that alloy allow fusion welding without cracking or is there enough penetration of filler metal from the outside to make it crack-resistant?
The material I'm using is .050" (1.25mm) 3003 H-14 aluminum. As you can see in the video, I use filler rod to weld the outside of each joint, and then fusion weld the inside. I wouldn't trust a joint on metal that thin that was ONLY fusion welded.
@@RonCovell Thank you for the clarification. The 3003 alloy does appear to be the best choice for this job, both for how much bashing it can take and for weldability. I just read that even 6060 will not crack with as little as 5% filler dilution; 3003 is not as crack-sensitive to begin with, and then it only improves when you spread the filler that penetrated from the outside.
For the record, 6061 aluminum can NOT be fusion welded! This alloy requires additional elements be added during the welding process, otherwise it will form cracks as the weld puddle cools. Normally 5356 is the filler rod of choice, although 4043 is used occasionally.
Love the videos Ron! How about a shop tour video some time!?
Great idea - perhaps I'll do that before long!
Great work Ron! What was the little white block you rubbed on the 120 grit before you started smoothing the 50 grit marks?
I often use bar soap (any brand will work) to keep sanding discs from loading up with aluminum.
Very nice work.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Ron, Thanks for this excellent video series. What was the white block you applied to the sanding disc?
I often use bar soap (any brand will work) to keep sanding discs from loading up with aluminum.
Great video series! What did you use one the sanding discs? Soap? Any particulare type?
I use bar soap - all brands seem to work OK.
nice works!
Thank you! Cheers!
Very nice.
Thank you! Cheers!
what equipment you use to weld? looks expensive. is it a pulse TIG? what kind? thanks
I'm using a Miller Dynasty 210 in this video, and I am pulsing - which does help when welding thin metal.
@@RonCovell i'd like to learn TIG. if i have some money someday... MIG welding now. thanks very much for your kind answer
Superior!!!
amasing!
Thanks!
Ron is the Mr Rodgers or Bob Ross of metal working
Thank you for the wonderful comparisons!
What are you applying to the sanding disks before sanding?
I use bar soap (any brand) to keep aluminum from 'loading up' the sandpaper.
@@RonCovell thanks for the reply.
ART
Awesome bro 😘😎😘
Thanks so much!
Love this! I have a non automotive part I'd be interested in Ron's thoughts on
You can send me an email: covell@cruzio.com
Nice work sir. What would that piece be used on/for?
Jere found the original part in a wrecking yard, and we don't know exactly what it was used for. Perhaps a manifold for defroster vents on a car or truck? The original had a center diverter in the oval opening. Jere and I skipped that detail for simplicity.
Ron Covell Okay, thank you sir.
Master!
Thanks so much!
nice well done
Thank you! Cheers!
you are the master
Thanks so much!
that was fantastic, and the final part looks amazing!
I'm curious about the relative time that each method took. was it about the same?
I'd like to give you a good answer, but it's impossible for me to keep track of time when the lights are on and the camera is rolling.
Maybe Jere can give you a better answer about how long the job took him.
@@RonCovell well If the cameras on you know how long it took
I have 20 hours of unedited video for this project. Many scenes had several takes, and many parts of the program were not shot on video, so I can't give you an accurate answer based on how long the camera was on.
Are you running pulse on the TIG?
Yes. Pulsing really helps when welding thin metal!
@@RonCovell I usually do on stainless, never really tried it on aluminum. Most of the aluminum I've welded was thick and pulse would not have helped.
Certainly a lot of work but would make for some mint exhaust side dumps.
I agree, but for an exhaust system, a simpler way would be to make a 'baloney slice' on a tubing elbow.
i would of bought a regular elbow (90° sweep) split it in half and slide the inside half down to open the mouth and weld in a pie shape piece to fill in the side
That would be another great way to make a shape like this, if you could find an elbow with the desired inside and outside radius!
amazing
Glad you like it!
Very good job
🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦
👍👍👍👍
Thanks so much!
Спасибо!!!
Я рад, что тебе понравилось!
Учусь у Вас! Жду следующих уроков)
Спасибо! Продолжение следует.
What will this piece used for?
This was just a demonstration of how a complex part can be made without a stamping press.
Goes to show more than one way to skin a cat.
Play safe from Elliot Lake Ontario Canada.
That's definitely true. I'm very eager to see Jere's next video. I know he'll surprise me in many ways!
What alloy is it?
The material is .050" (1.3mm) aluminum. The alloy I used is 3003 H-14, while Jere used 1100 H-0. We are both using 1100 filler rod.
Miller give you a new pair of gloves for each shot?
I always save a special set of gloves for my on-camera work. As you can imagine, my 'regular' gloves get pretty grimy.
And then you understand why these kind of jobs cost a lot and most people just do half ass job on small details like this
Work like this does take a lot of attention to details!
Can you make me a new muffler insert and put it up at your channel? Pretty easy, it's for my Husqvarna 701 with GPR exhaust.
@@RonCovell That was creepy!
You're right. My apologies, and I deleted my previous comment.
He is a wizard Harry be careful.
Hey, I'm just an ordinary guy who learned how to use a hammer pretty well!
Genial!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Хочу смотреть ваши видео чаще
Я надеюсь, ты сможешь. У меня уже более 60 видео, и еще больше в ближайшее время!
@@RonCovell С нетерпением жду
Большой!