DIY sheet metal tools

AHall

AHall

Hobbyist
Anyone have suggestions on some recommended hobbyist sheetmetal tools? Things to make life easier? I've been looking at Eastwood and Harbor Freight metal brakes, shears, bead rollers, and shrinker/stretchers.

I need to build a floor, firewall, and dash portions.

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I have the smallish (3') HB brake. It did the job on everything up to 1/8" for me.

The truck is looking great, Adam. Thanks for the suggestions on the chassis books, too. :)
 
Harbor freight has a 3 in 1 model 5907 i think...lookong i couldn't find it on the website inless i put the model on specifically.5907 or 3907 maybe. It was pretty cheap too. Jet makes an identical one as well.
 
Spec is 22ga, so anything that is out there should do that. I'd love to just send the truck off and write a check, but that goes against the idea of "built in average man's garage" sorta thing.
 
have you tried craigslist yet? Old iron goes for dirt cheap on there. People like new china tools because they are shiny so the old stuff gets over looked.

If you plan to use a shrinker an english wheel isn't a bad addition to help smooth out the finished work.

I have an old bean bag with an assortment of mallets and an english wheel. Wish I had a break and shear but the harbor freight stuff didn't look promising in person for me.
 
If you can, find an older brake. We have an old 8 ft brake and a newer one, the old one is big and heavy but wayyyyy better built. Bead rollers and strecher shrinkers are always nice, I use mine all the time. A good set of punch flares are nice for make aesthetically, and a quality pair of righthand hand shears and electric shears are invaluable. And but all means get some good files, to me there is nothing worse than seeing tin work that you need a tetanus shot just to look at haha. One last thing is some good tin hammers, they are great for shaping after you get the experience.
 
x2 on the CL stuff... I run a sheet metal shop, and nothing beats quality sheet metal fabrication tools. I dont mind using some cheap china stuff where I can, but I wont touch it for sheet metal fab. You could find a cheap step shear and finger brake on CL, use it, and sell it for the same price you bought it for when your done...
 
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