Subject: Re: ---Methods of Making SHEETMETAL STAMPINGS - Questions-----

From: Andy Dingley <[email-masked]>
Date: 6 Jun 1995 10:01:04 +0100

In article <[email-masked]>
           [email-masked] "-Mayo,H.H." writes:

> I am interested in creating small sheet metal stampings for replacing 
> rusted body parts on an old vehicle

> Some time ago, I saw pictures of some outfit that was turning out parts
> for old British sportscars with "fiberglass stamps". Can sheetmetal stamps
> be made from fiberglass?

I've never heard of that, but there are cold-cure silicone rubber compounds
that can be used for making press tooling. I know nothing about the
compounds, but I've worked on presses that were using them. These were
running at around 300 ton load, making wings for (AFAIR) Austin Healeys.

> Has anyone tried beating parts into a negative wooden mold?

It's tricky, especially so in steel. I've done it to make the odd flange, but
I wouldn't like to do a large piece. This just used a 3" section of shaped
mould, and I moved the workpiece along it as I went. I found the choice of
hammer very important, my panelbeating pick was too pointed and I had to use
a tiny ball peen hammer instead.

-- 
Andy Dingley                             [email-masked]

Have you hugged your Nerd today ?

---

From: Neil Lasher <[email-masked]>
Date: 8 Jun 1995 13:34:46 GMT

As a silversmith I have stamped and formed most shapes into both wood and 
using various resin tools. The materials we aork with though are silver 
and copper.

The wood mould works well but you will need to be able to finish the item 
on a stake with a hammer afterwards. If this is the first time you are to 
attempt this then a car panel would not be my first choice.

The resin we use is made her in the UK by Ciba Geigy. It is known as a 
tooling resin and has the product number 2148. The catalyst for this 
product varies on the thickness of the tool you are to make.

The process is straight forward. You first make a silicone mould and fill 
it with this resin. It is very hard and full of steel. Once made (it takes 
about three days to reach full hardness) you can demould and use it to 
make the female tool. Either you can spra it with a release agent and pour 
new material directly on it, or make a softer female from an alternative 
material.

How you stamp it depends on its size, we have used many ways from a simple 
fly press for small items to lowering a truck on a jack on to it.(mad idea 
we had years ago but it worked)

Hope that helps, 

Neil
-- 
Neil Lasher Silverware Ltd
(House of Hester)
12/14 Lonsdale Place
London N1 1EL

+44 171 607 5550

http://www.gold.net/users/dy93/index.html