Metal Shaping with ONLY Hand Tools STEP BY STEP!!! How To Make Compound Curves 

I gave been in the metal work and fab industry as a technician for 30 years and an instructor for 6 years and I haven't seen anyone even close to his abilities and instructional talent on RU-vid. I cant speak enough about this man's talents ! Keep up the awesome work!

Incredible ! I've been in the trades for almost 40 years and very seldom am I impressed with someone's work and their ability to communicate it step by step. Great job!

Shaping metal with hand tools is a great tutorial series to show . Kinda like those that rely on grocery stores should be tought how to hunt and grow .

I usually won't commit this much time to a video. This one was worth it.

I've been doing sheet metal work for over 50 years and I learned a lot from this video. Thank you for sharing your skills!

Iam happy with the fact that he not only shows' how to do the work with his tools but also shows the average person who may not have all those tools how to do it with only simple tools anyone would have on hand. The explanations are great also. I've watched a lot of channels and videos and think these are the best, so I subscribed. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

I'm in the process of restoring an old cast iron wood stove that has metal sides. I'm using 16- & 20-gauge sheet steel and I'm gonna tell you, that stuff ain't no joke! I'm sore from head to toe but it's going to look brand new when I'm done. I have a whole new respect for what you guys do every day.

its so refreshing seeing the young guys keeping "Old School" Craftmanship alive and well Great video buddy keep em coming

You're actually really good at explaining this stuff. You're the only guy I've seen on here who seems to actually understand what they're doing enough to explain it to others. Great job keep up the good work.

You explanation off locking in, closing the end of the tuck, creating a bubble, and forcing into itself. Best showing and explanation of the technique I’ve ever seen or heard. As usual brilliant.

Love how you always bring it back to you don’t need million dollar tools

It never ceases to amaze me that you can take something that looks pretty close, smash it with a hammer until it looks like absolute hell, nod approvingly, hit it some more and watch it turn into perfection. There's some "insert magic here" part that I miss every time.

Thanks for this. As an educator I’d like to compliment you on how clear your explanations and examples are for us laymen.

Thank you so much for doing this video! I really appreciate you taking the time to show and explain hand tools only!

Carl,... I tried to watch thinking its late at night but this is something I love to watch. I went to sleep tho and woke up in so much pain.. pain from hell as my broken back problem has got much worse, I now have arthritis in the area I hurt n doctors made worse. I got hurt when a man fell from his roof and I stupidly caught him in mid fall. He had a torn tee shirt in the pocket area, I had nine major fractures which was three completely severed vertiba in the neck, doctors ain't figured why it didn't kill me from that alone. Several hours later, from them going through my throat (they moved my parts I swallow with to the side) and then used bicycle chain links and sheet rock screws in those to hold the vertebra in place. I could not swallow even a mashed pea for several weeks learning to use my throat to eat food again... never extend the body with a large amount of weight in the arms. I'm a ex body builder when your age so at a small two hundred an twenty little more and a neck line of twenty one inches around catch the man who fell from his roof with no fear of getting hurt... this is in two thousand five, oct., first i make the mistake I can do anything ... I was not thinking well as he weighed just over three hundred pounds and was almost seventy years of age so, although the fall from where i caught him must of only been say twelve feet from that roof line to my arms.. his injury was some bruises from me pinching his skin some. Those left his body in just a few days and I now am seventy two n watch youtube as a teaser of my first love... fixing cars n other ... anything with a engine or steering device. I did what your doing now and something i got away with was a heat gun and wet paper dried in place to form a pattern that i used body hammers, heat and ice to try and form different shapes... I look at the tools that you have made... I wish that at the time I rebuilt a forty ford two door business coop that had laid in a chicken coop and was severely rusted/eaten away from that horrible acid in their poop... every hard part to remake was so much fun trying to do this. I was successful in making a firewall and the grill using just wet paper that I formed inside the bad metal... before removing it from its prison of chicken crap. I did not even suspect things like a wire feed welder, a tig welder... just a good torch, and a stick welder. It takes so much patience to do this kind of work and keep the dream alive. I did win some small town trophies for awards i got in car shows. I had hundreds of polaroid self developing pictures... I kept those for a long time but our technology and a small town before internet hick boy at the time of my build.... Oh to share those hours of tapping the metal into shapes... the truth is, had I had someone like you to teach me these methods, I would of saved hours of hard work/felt more like playing to me at the time. I so enjoy your skills that you are learning on the fly and stuff someone had to of showed you or even videos of the different ideas.... just little stuff you seem to just keep getting better at this type of fun/work... I think of you as a younger version "Chip Foose" who is a great fab man. He is like you in many ways... never doubting if you can but just what you know you will find the methods of doing. Carl, I think that your name may reach many high levels of skill. Your tall friend and self using wire to form the shapes desired to make new parts or even your own ideas. If Henry Ford could build and name a car after himself, I kind of suspect there might just be a car named Carl someday. I don't go anywhere except hospitals and meet some young nurses.. bite my wrist thinking if I were just thirty years old again.. youth is wasted on the young as most have their heads on a hand held phone playing catch a fish or build a castle instead of going out to their garage/lean to or just a dirty driveway an build something, maybe even toss a real fish line in real water n catch trout for real, cook on a campfire and eat them charcoal edges and all. I spent every minute I could that I wasn't working in a garage that I built myself. Just don't forget to include your lady in your ideas and share hers as well. Kind of a miserable world if you don't have someone to share the dream with.. sorry for the too long comment but you just bring out the best in people n you seem kind... I just hope you don't change as success becomes obvious

Props on the proper PPE! Especially when grinding. You’re setting a great example.

I've worked steel and iron over fifty years, but mostly solid stock, machining, welding, forming, but am watching because you are doing the sheet metal, which I'm not skilled at. I noticed you use the cross pein to "close the fold", it seems to compact the metal very effectively. I really enjoyed your hammer work, you brought it right in very nicely. I've never seen a slap hammer used before, and it was nice to see it smooth out those little ripples. Thanks!

Yes, I DID enjoy this video, & Yes, I DID learn from it. Thank You Carl, You are an awesome fabricator, & you have a knack for instructing that comes across informative, breaking it down so that a layman can catch the "O-Yeah" factor. No doubt, whenever I need to learn how to Make It Kustom, you got it covered.

Tin Knocking is an artform that has all but disappeared. It's good to see a young man who has embraced it. This skill has been diminished with plastic bodied cars. The importance of pattern making is also good. My background is in aerospace sheetmetal fabrication, aluminum mostly, for about 24 years. Keep up the good work!

I am 65 from the Far East Carl, all I can say is you are young and highly potential in your field of work. Bravo.

I appreciate you only using had tools Carl. I feel like I have skipped a step using all the tools that I have available to me. You are a gifted person, thanks for taking us on your metal working journey.

Carl, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you showing these techniques to be able to get started. What you taught would take semesters of school to teach if they even offered it. Thanks again and looking forward to more videos.

I haven't been in a machine shop for more than 60 years but this video brought me right back there again. Metal shaping is actually a religion. Thanks for bringing that faith back to mind.

I found this as a RU-vid wild card. I now have an answer as to HOW an automobile prototype is/was made. LOVED THE VIDEO although there is a hell of a lot of skill there and seeing a CRAFTSMAN demonstrate the craft is fantastic. It has now inspired me to want to make a pedal car for my new-born grandson. Hopefully Ill be able to achieve this goal in time. THANKS for the INSPIRATION.

This channel only keeps getting better!!! Learning so much. Always good to know how long things take. Thank you guys.

I never knew how this type of work is done... and the last hour spent watching you do it was amazing. Absolutely one of the best demonstration videos I've seen. You are skilled, super-competent and to the point... a great teacher. A rarity on RU-vid. Cheers!

Watching you made me miss the trade and the feeling of accomplishment when you finished a hand formed part. At the last shop, where I worked with Pete Conti he was in charge of the metal working section. Our section made parts that couldn't be found or had to be custom made I would help him when the pieces were big ( We made a pair of quarter panels for a 64 Corvair with the wheel openings moved up 4 1/2 inches that left the shop with a front mounted blown small block) and he would help me when I had a big job like making the chassis for that same car. One day Pete tells me he is leaving the shop. I panicked and he gave me the greatest compliment I have ever received. " When you took my metal shaping course and we were working on hand shrinking, I was going around showing the other students how to trap the tucks. When I got to you, you were already doing it! You have a natural instinct for knowing what the metal has to do and how to move it where it has to be. You can run this shop blindfolded". I still had to build chassis, front and rear suspentions, narrow rears and such, but I really enjoyed restoring stainless and aluminum trim. That was almost 100% shop made tools. I will never forget the look I got when I went to a flea market and bought all the cheap tool guy's tack hammers, most of his butter knives, wooden salad forks, and plastic cutting boards. I ground and polished the tack hammers to whatever shape was needed, cut the blades off of the butter knives and shaped the handles and the stub of the blades to fit the shape I needed. So whatever trim came my way I would have a base to make the tools I needed.

I shaped metal for 60 Plus years and I can tell you that 100% the tools you MAKE will last you your entire life. Is it nice to have expensive dollies and hammers and shrinkers/stretchers? Sure. But the tools you MAKE yourself will teach you more than any store-bought tool. And you won't be afraid to modify them or alter them to suit your needs. Great Video, Well presented and clear and concise. THANK YOU! Made my day seeing a young fellow keeping the craft alive.

This is what you and your videos are all about, the DIY person and how it was, and still is done today. You do the hobby a real service for those of us who need the little guidance that you can't get in books or from someone telling you how to do it. Watching you is such a great pleasure... All I can say is THANK YOU Karl..!! TX Mr fixit Chris :)

I absolutly love these type of videos. Some good news on my front is I am done being otr truck driver and have found a job that will be getting me home way more often! I have been working hard on getting my new shop going so I think really soon I will be getting back to my project. Thanks Carl!

Pannel beating has earned a high digree of respect after watching your video. Many thanks for making this instructable. Great personality and excellent audiovisual methodology. Greetings from Beirut

I saw another guy on RU-vid use that butyl rubber roof lining mat. It's like a replacement for bitumen roofing. In the shrinking stump and it was a game changer.

Excellent job of teaching skills and editing. Nice to have gentle music instead of hammering and instant clear voice for instruction. You give all that is needed without anything that isn't. From a tradesman, it's super easy to connect with what you're doing ... your videos are right up there in the top 1%. Awesome job.

That was impressive bro! The amount of patience u have is equally so. I also want to point out that humility is what draws us in and inspires ur subscrubers. Let's also give mad props to Christina for capturing all the subtleties to the power stance!

Wish that I had teachers like you when I started pounding tin ,We finished with lead , no bondo and a ton of pounding. Truly enjoyed your video. Stuart in Ontario..............

Sore arm reminds you this is real work. Old school talent . Nice to remind people it’s still possible

Always nice to see old school techniques being remembered and practiced, great job!

Love watching you work your magic! I'm learning so much, thanks for putting the time to make these videos!

Ive worked metal for over 40 years, this kid has skills I dream of having. He has hands blessed by the metal Gods, if you are not in total awe of his abilities, the way he thinks, the way he sees things, you are just ignorant to the trade and art. I just love watching a master craftsman work.

Having done a metal forming course at the local tech collage under a 5ft 2inch Yorkshire man who made a living from making Jaguar radiator shells etc with sublime finish I can appreciate this young man's skill; He is superb plus he can explain it with grammatically correct English. You have skills which must be preserved. Thank you

Thanks for taking the time to do it “old school” so to speak, it really puts into perspective what power tools are doing, I picked up more from this video on metal working than all the books I have read. Appreciate it! Nice job.

These "How-To's" are so inspiring! I really am looking forward to doing some sheet metal work on some project in the future! I already used some of what you've shown in a little project at work.

your Craftsmanship speaks for itself!!!

Excellent tutorial. Couldn't agree more with creating your own tools. Ask a blacksmith how many hand tools they actually bought. The more tools you make. the more tools you can make and before you know it you have more tools than you can house. Once again excellent tutorial on shaping sheet metal.

I actually watched the video where you made the stump and hammer, great job by the way and fabricating those, and great job on shaping this piece by hand! I always like watching you work on stuff, because you show the mistakes as well, and that is a big part of learning for everyone! Thanks for sharing the process, Karl. Look forward to the next video my man!

Thank you for doing a video on basic hand tools, it is really appreciated, I know you cannot do this too often as it is physically demanding, love the content of this channel.

Excellent video, no bad language to sound hip, just talent and patient

I love how on his videos things don't always go exactly right and shows you how to fix or attack from other angles ... Dudes an artist.

You have given us a glimpse of techniques that have come about from hundreds of years of experience and made it simple and understandable. Undoubtedly this was one of the clearest, most well-presented educational videos that I have ever seen. Thanks for sharing. My dad was a sheet metal worker for Avro in Toronto back in the fifties. One of his jobs was to make the wing tanks for fighter jets.

Morning Karl, I make a honest effort to watch each video you put out..this one was exceptional, alot of information, with anything we do with these vintage cars, experience is the key, you learn from your mistakes & how to correct them, you explain steps & procedures well...Great video!! Be safe!!! God Bless!!

I used to be a sheet metal journeyman I installed commercial hvac not too much architectural work,watching him work his skills and knowledge make me want to be learning what he's doing.thanks you have awoken something in me.

This is the first video I've ever watched where I didn't get annoyed by the dozen ads. You deserve whatever money you get from all the ads. This video helped me out a lot because I've been doing this kind of shaping by making relief cuts and welding it back together. Thanks bro.

excellent video thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge and skills. you explained each step really well and increased my understanding of how the metal reacts ie shrinking / stretching and the simple tools needed to create complex curves and flanges and tipping cheers thanks :)

Great video. Nice to see real hands on skills complemented with detailed advice and instruction. I'm just about to make a seat base for my hardtail chop. I have a tool box, a work bench and vice and a hammer. Now I've watched your video I feel ready to go and have some fun. Cheers

Someone who loves their craft...To teach and show and give one for the pain team....Much kudos to you and your team....

I am from Pakistan, where we do not even have special tools to shape metals. your video really made me excited to do the things myself. Thank you!

Thank you once again! You are awesome and so easy and fun to learn with! Keep up the great work! (Great camera work too..you know who you are 😊)

Great video, I love your passion for the trade. I work as a millwright and sometimes have to shape metal. To break edges I use an adjustable wrench to ply the flange. They can do all thickness of metal and up to the depth of the jaws. Look forward to learning more, keep them coming.

I always enjoy watching a true craftsman. You acknowledged your mistakes and put them right. I've go some work to do on my campervan which this video has encouraged me to do myself. Thanks from the UK.

I am a sheet metal mechanic for 37 years and I am impressed. well done.

Thanks for the lesson bro, major talent now go rest that arm and keep up the great content, really look forward to your videos so interesting, you explain what you're doing thank you.

My first project trying to shape metal has been my 1994 f150, I'm a straight out of college welder, no job yet, but it has absolutely been a learning curve trying to fabricate the inner cab corners, that the actual cab corner welds to, as well as the floor pans, as they have a funky angle where the rock and the pillar meet edit: love the osb tables. Very easy to make, easy to dispose of, burn it in a barrel and collect the nails

This has been the best video I've seen that actually explained how to manipulate the actual tuck by closing the end.

Any time my gut tells me not to cut off a tiny piece and I do it anyway, I am always certain to throw the cutoff to the far side of the shop into the darkest corner. If you just leave the little bastard on the bench somewhere, it will mock you constantly. Great video!

This work blows my mind. The hole time I was watching I barely dear to bread and almost got sick to me stomachs. Wish I had the skills.

Speaking as a old coachbuilder you are a breath of fresh air. Folk will learn more from one or two of your videos than all the classic car restoration shows here in the UK! even if they sat and watched all off them back to back they'd still fall short and that's just watching a couple of your videos on metal working. Well done very impressed. Take care folks.

I have a good friend that I’ve known for 40 years probably. Ever since School. He picked up metal shaping very quickly. Like yourself. He tried and tried to teach me how to shape metal and understand how easy it was to shrink the metal. Never learned it. Until you used the tool you made to shrink the metal by hand, That’s when I finally picked it up, and how to use technique in how to turn the metal onto itself heating it up to burn the molecules, shrinking the metal. It was like the brain moved so I could finally understand it, lol. Excellent job moving the metal around and sharing your techniques and which actions to do first, second, third so on and so forth. Much appreciated sir. William Collier said it best lol

You have the patience of Jobe and a never quit attitude and I learned much from your instruction on how to shape these panels. You also have a "Dream Shop"~!! Kudos to the camera girl also~!

I'm blown away at how much I just learned, watching this video. I've gotten good at many skills, but metalwork/fab has been on my "wishlist" for some years. I'm old now, and probably won't ever have those nice big power tools, but you took the time to to make a video without them and showed us that we don't have to wait, don't have to spend any large sums ......... I'm just beyond thankful that you took the time to make this video. That panel really is a complex shape, and you walked us thru it, with great camera work, you speak clearly, there isn't noise going on thruout, you showed that there is nothing overwhelming here (that's important) .... I could go on and on. Thank you.

this is one of his best videos yet. Really taking it back to old school hand skills.

High quility with simple hand tools GREAT VIDEO

Try this and first lesson is how the "average" person may struggle alot more, No unbelievably more at this!! What you think you're about too do will not be as easy as it looks and what this man says just anyone can do, even with Experienced hands you may fall a little short!!...This man is amazing, and don't get discouraged, this may take awhile too achieve, So don't give in, if you feel discouraged, find patience, and never ever give up without giving it hell first!!!

Im a 2nd generation 68 year old tin knocker. I learned a little something, and enjoyed your work , nice job.

Amazingly well done film and instructions. I’m just a disabled old man but this is very entertaining.

The paradoxical fact of force and subtlety. Very high level of skill to do this it seems. The art of seeing the result of your actions before you do them. Greatly generous. Thankyou

Well done bud your Dad would be so proud of you .God Bless you both

Enthusiasts really appreciate you demonstrating these methods, as well as showing us the tools that are used to perform the work!

Hello from Russia! Your videos are motivating! I bought a welding and will repair my car myself👍.

I used to be an orthotic tech and shaped sheet metal uprights for custom cushions designed to support the less than fortunate in wheelchairs. My efforts were crude compared to this gentleman who is in truth like an. Armourer of the ancient world. My hat off to yor sir, your work is pure sculpture.

3 hours? This man can build the Spirit of St Louis in a day. I am now a follower. Nice video.

Love your video !!!!! I used to have a shop for 24 years and then divorced killed it. I took an Engineering job for 15 years and then retired. I'm just now putting stuff together for another shop. I enjoy all your video's !!!!!

You must have the most patience of anybody I've ever seen Whoever taught you Taught you wellBut I'm guessing you figured most of it out on your own so most of the prosAnd the artist of being so meticulent to make something so beautiful nice job Thanks for the videos

Beautifully done sheet metal shrinking and stretching of that material 👍👍

The wrinkle tool is an absolute Beast

A metal forming shot bag would also come in handy.

Wow, so great. You are so good at teaching and showing what to do step by step. I never watch videos this long because to be fair they are never that good or interesting but your video was perfect. Learned a lot. Keep up the great work and please don’t stop with the videos.

And that kids is what we call a Craftsman!

Its great that your doing it this way so people can see how to do it without alot of $$$ machines. And its great you listen to what people would like to see.

"it's just sheet metal". I love this guy! Amazing talent for such a young dude.

As a Coach Maker at Rolls Royce 25 years ago I was always impressed by the panel beaters. Especially the guys on the phantoms. The entire body skin made from gazillion pieces of aluminium sheet.

that tucking fork is a very useful tool.I've been in the Fabrication/welding trade for almost 50 years and never come across that before.

I have said it before and i will say it again this lad is up there with the best of them,

i was only going to watch a little,ended watching all of it ,reminded me of sheet metal class.we had wooden mallets tinsnips and gas heated soldering irons.

Absolutely bitchin' video Karl - I learned a lot of this myself after highschool by just messing around with junk, and I'm now 78 and still enjoy the hammering and watching the metal move! Learned a lot from you, especially the clever homemade tools - love that shrinker - never seen that before! And your excellent metal moving descriptions - it's not rocket science - but your explanation of WHY it's moving and in which direction are very clear. I also had never heard of "locking in the shrink" by pinching the outer edge of a fold - very neat to trap the bubble so it can be forced down to thicken that area without spreading - I'd only used Eastwood shrinkers before - it's a pleasure see the metal move as you whack it!😀

i used a layer or 3 of masking tape to template a piece like that. as i get it to relax on a flat surface to transfer to sheet metal ill slice it wherever needs it. i actually made 2 rear fender patch pieces for my 51 chevy 3100 with this method . i dont own a shrinker , so i had to cut out small pie slices and weld . planish and continue. the pieces were not all too much different from the one you made here.

Thank you for helping to demystify this process. Learned a ton. Very inspiring.

Even though I have been doing metal for many years ,I still pick-up little tips and tricks every time I watch you work...thank you Karl ...I know I keep saying this but I can't wait for the Lincoln...soon maybe not real soon but soon...be safe ..enjoy life,love long

This man is a true craftsman

What I believe the rest of us were waiting for! 🙏 Thank you for making this. Please create a complete series on this No Special / Expensive tool Metal bending vids!

I Wish You Tube and talent in a craft were around (many you tubes aren't talent) when I was in my twenties. The cars of the fifties we're metal, my dad used the word "anealing" metal. I liked working metal. Bought a cheap basics set. But did not have a clue what I was doing. You taught me a lot in this video that would have been a game changer on my efforts at metal work. Great job. Very meticulous .