I was going to ask if you have written a book or was planning to, about how to do what you do with sheet metal. But then I saw on your web site that you're working on a video. Will that be available anytime soon? (I'll be starting flares this fall/winter probably)

Hi Royce,

My video is at the mercy of the video editting dude who leads a very busy life with a new baby, new job etc. I check with him once in a while. This is our first effort, and has been much more difficult than either one of us thought...condensing 10+ hours down to 2 hours and making sense of the process is a formidable job...on top of the actual work. I have no idea when we will be done. I hope someone will still be interested by the time we finish. It has been a huge investment of my time, and Zach's as well. I try to under-promise and over-deliver, but it did not work out that way this time....

In the future I plan to make short DVDs with specific information about different aspects of welding, customizing, and metalshaping. These should be less complex and easier for me to do by myself. Just have to get the funds together for the proper computer and video camera. I could shoot 1/2 hour of pounding, smoothing, and shape development, and send out a DVD in short order. I might be able to do custom-request demonstrations, as well as having a small library of pre-produced "shorts".

On the metal shapers home page there are two videos showing me using the shrinking disc, and doing tuck shrinking demonstrations...very informal, not much in the way of explanation, but it was what gave me the idea of producing video shorts. They are on this page:

www.metalshapers.org

In the meantime, I will coach anyone through email and pictures that wants to take on the job of flaring. I am still working on my car, so I can take some shots of the work if it will help some get their project going.

John www.ghiaspecialties.com

Sweet! I've done some random amateur panel beating, and the biggest problem I have is with that darn oil can effect on flat-ish panels. Do you have a technique for dealing with those? I seem to get them with butt welded seams sometimes too, where it sort of puckers up here and there, and it can be hammered down, but then it goes "boink" and goes too far down.

Thanks for helping, maybe my the end of this I'll have to change my nickname!

Oil cans are real tricky. I will probably do a video short on them. A brief take: Welds need to be stretched to bring them back to the true surface. Mostly an oil can comes from too much stretch (from damage or subsequent repairing) which makes the panel floppy, however sometimes you have to do minor stretching here or there to give the panel a high contour so it will hold it's shape, then shrink it back down with a shrinking disc. This will often cure an oil can. Another thing to watch out for is making sure you have the metal well smoothed with a hammer and dolly, with the correct contours up and down, and side to side, before addressing the oil can. I've noticed that if you hold the metal out with your thumb at the point that pops the oil can out, and try popping in from the other side, you can get a good idea where the stresses are, and hammer and dolly those areas that are locking and unlocking the oil can. I hope this makes sense.

John www.ghiaspecialties.com

WTH is an oil can?

An oil can effect is when sheet metal will not hold its shape. Light pressure makes the metal pop in like a dent, and you have to pop it back out.

John www.ghiaspecialties.com

This is an oil can... (picture) The bottom is dished out in it's normal state (with a rim around it so it doesn't wobble when on the shelf) You turn it upside down, and push on the domed bottom with your thumb. It goes "goink" and becomes concave, which squirts a little oil out the nozzle. When you release your thumb it goes "goink" and becomes domed again, sucking in some air and is ready for the next squirt. It's a very simple and effective way to dispense oil, but it's hell when your fender acts like that.

"goink" hmmmm, must be a technical term.....

Ah, 'I see', said the blind man to the deaf person...

Thanks guys, that does clear it up.