I learned so much from this one! The triangle bending problem was a real revelation for me. I have had that exact problem, but the solution of bending a rectangle first never occurred to me. Wonderful stuff!
Thanks Ron, as always you break down tasks like this into several steps that seem obvious after seeing them, but seem like magic beforehand. Learned a lot again!
Going the extra mile and demonstrating the bend with poor leverage rather than saying 'don't do this' is excellent teaching technique. Looking forward to your next video!
Watching you reminds me of my sheetmetal teacher in high school. He also had great attention to detail and enjoyed working through a problem. Watching you work and resolve issues is a delight.
@@RonCovell it can also be a pita if you dont know the right techniques , and that was a total masterclass in basic bending and bench fitting , so so great of you to share your knowledge.
Ron, you're truly such an iconic craftsman and I'm so thankful for all of your videos. Thank you for creating and sharing your many wonderful techniques and methodologies.
Another fascinating and detailed video,. As ever, you make it all look so easy, but I know the next time i'm trying to make a repair panel fit neatly to my '78 VW bus, I'll be reminded how not easy it is :D
Man-o-man- This was exactly the video I needed and it just dropped into my feed without my doing any kind of search. I'm building a travel trailer and wanted to make a sort of retro looking taillight housing. I am just now finishing up the fenders and running boards and the next task is to start working on the exterior electrics-perfect timing. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us again Ron. The trick with bending the part as a square instead of an almost finished part I genius. Thinking outside the box. Very neat small project with interesting techniques! Greetings from the Netherlands, Mark
Hey Ron, there is a talented body man with a channel called: Carter Auto Restyling. Amazes me what he can do with metal and he uses a lot of classic techniques. Whiz with a hammer and dolly. I thought you might enjoy some of his content. He pretends to be an idiot with a lot of tongue in cheek humour, then pulls off some of the best metal work I've seen (but I'm no expert). He's referenced admiring some of your work from magazines as well. Looking forward to your next video!
Thank you for letting me know about the Carter Auto Restyling channel. I watched a couple of his videos, and he is a very talented man, with an unusual (but very good) style of communicating.
Thanks, Jere. I thought about making new tabs and slots at the rear, but in the end the standoff turned out to be a better solution. I had to run this idea by the owner of the pedal car, since I added a 'not-stock' hole. Thankfully, he was OK with that.
Your work s A1, bar none. I wish I had someone like you around in the 60's to expose me to the possibilities of sheet metal work. I loved working with it in HS, but sadly, that was ware it ended.
I favor the Wiss brand, but they are certainly not the only good ones. Many American metalworkers like the Midwest and Malco brands, and the Klenk and Gilbow brands have many fans in Europe. I'm just listing the ones I'm most familiar with, and there are many others. I made a video on using snips properly, which you might enjoy: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-x8PDRAsMDXc.html
Great video! Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and process. One question I have: Would the original lens cover have been a slip fit like you did? I would think the vibration of riding the pedal car would put it at risk of coming loose.
Honestly, I don't know how the original bezel was held in place. I'm sure they devised a system that was more secure than mine, since the kids who drove those little cars could be pretty rough on them. The car I worked on is primarily for display, so I think the slip fit will be sufficient - and a dab of glue can make it more secure if necessary.
I picked up several tips here, best one was rolling the rectangle then cutting. I would have been hammering on a dolly to form. Hey, I'm making a garden kaleidoscope and that lens&bezel might work well for it. Where did you buy it? Thanks putting this together. Technique, camera work, lighting, audio, script and editing, all exceptional.
I will check with the person I did the job for - who supplied the lens and bezel. If you send me an email at: covell@cruzio.com I will let you know what I find out. I did find a source for brass bezels in different sizes here: parawire.com/craft-store/round-rolled-edge-brass-bezel/
Ron, what would be the best method for cutting a tight radius with aviation snips? For example when you made the lower piece that goes underneath the headlight, you cut a half radius. Every time I need to do that it seems like I end up with what looks like multiple slices.
For the part in the video I used a bandsaw to make the cut, to keep from distorting the metal. You can make pretty tight curves with snips, but when doing so you can lose the flatness of the metal, and you may need to hammer it to get it straight. I cover the use of snips extensively in this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-x8PDRAsMDXc.html
Question: Is the centerline of this part supposed tom be parallel with the floor as the fender is mounted on the vehicle? And if so, how did you assure this?
When the headlight mount is on the car, the bezel is the highest point, and the housing goes downhill toward the rear. The diameter of the headlight bezel determines this angle.
Great video. What was the gauge of the sheet metal? 20? Also the size of the silica bronze? These techniques would work great on any thin metal repair. Thanks for the techtorial
Did the new assembly match the existing one or did you have to make two new ones? If you did, then is that really a restoration? A fine job nonetheless, my friend! 👍
The original parts were missing, so all I had was the poorly-fitted part someone else made, and the photo of a restored car I found online. To my eye, the ones I made are a pretty good match to the original.
@RonCovell I thought the photograph was of the original and that you were repairing/restoring the one headlight assembly back to OEM spec. I am mistaken and apologize. Again, sir, a fine job and I apologize for the boldness of my questions. Well done, Mr Covell. Your workmanship throughout your career speaks highly of your skill and dedication to quality that is second to none. May Christ grant you many more years of your exceptional service.
Hi Ron Covell, I'm Lanh. I'm in Vietnam. I want to buy the TM Air Hammer #6 (from TM Technologies). Do you sell it? If not, you know where to buy it, please let me know. Thanks
Kent White, the owner of TM Technologies passed away recently, and I don't believe his equipment is available anymore. His website is down. You can make your own hammer. Here is a link that may be helpful: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ebJxjrXQ1d8.html One of the features of the TM Technologies hammer is that it could be fitted with powerful Aircraft Rivet Guns, but you could select any power source you desire.
That's a good question. I was not provided with those parts, so the owner will have to work that out. As you probably know, most pedal cars of this era are used primarily for display, and the majority do not have functioning lights.
@@RonCovell I was thiking of these: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-SDnGo14X46M.html ~1/2 scale, running, driving, replicas of 1950's sedans, "Dwarf Cars" on My Classic Cars
Those dwarf cars are REALLY cool! For something like that, I would use an existing light and reflector, which you can find in many different sizes. Motorcycles often use lights smaller than automobiles, and you can find fog light and cowl lamps in sizes even smaller: bobdrake.com/collections/cowl-light?srsltid=AfmBOoplZMQFSJEc2QUMsX01-O2bcI1THgRJ6Lw4M71t7FdnYP297PnQ
Hello Ron. I watch you in Poland as always and as soon as I receive a notification about your film. I have to write you an e-mail. I want to ask something Regards Raphael
