Anvil and Homemade English Wheels

[goleafsgo_12]

Hello everyone, I am new here and sorta new at metal shaping. I like to build things with motors (scooters, choppers, go karts etc) but I need to make some fenders and stuff for my motorcycle, so, I was going to make myself an english wheel. i think I know pretty well how to build the frame, but the top wheel i was thinking of using a solid steel castor (steel wheel) for the top wheel, and for the bottom wheel, I wasnt sure what to use. I have seen some sealed bearings that have a nice curve to them ( this site has some plans to build an e.wheel http://www.roddingroundtable.com/tech/articles/12ewheel.html ) but I dont know very much about curves of the anvil and about the shapes and sizes and how they effect the way it bends and shapes the metal. Can someone please tell me the effects of the curvature and length of the anvil on the metal being shaped? and will any top wheel do fine as long as its flat and like a decent size? Also, how do these things work, like how does it shape the metal, do you have to bend it at all while pushing through the wheels or does it just do it? Thanks, sorry for all the questions but I want to learn how to do this so I can make some cool stuff like you guys!

Thanks, Ryan

[Jared Walch]

Can someone please tell me the effects of the curvature and length of the anvil on the metal being shaped?

Your bottom anvils need to have a radius less than the panel being shaped. The closer your radius is to the panel being shaped, the better supported the panel will be and the easier it will be to smooth a panel that's lumpy from hammering. Thus the reason for a variety of radiused wheels. Extra width simply supports the panel better (especially with large panels).

and will any top wheel do fine as long as its flat and like a decent size?

Larger diameter top wheels are a bit more effective because there's more area compressing the panel but don't really provide much advantage. Most upper wheels are 8-10 inch dia. The width of the wheel is important to support the panel (especially large panels). A wider wheel is less likely to leave marks if there is alot of sheet metal hanging over either side of the wheel. There is some preference toward using hardened upper and lower wheels but this seems to be only if you are crushing welds with your wheel.

Also, how do these things work, like how does it shape the metal, do you have to bend it at all while pushing through the wheels or does it just do it?

The operator should not have to do any bending, just strategically push the panel back and forth through the wheels. The force applied to the wheels by the adjuster is used to compress the sheetmetal, thus stretching it. It is up the the operator to know where to stretch the metal. The stretched areas rise up to create a shaped panel.

Jared

[goleafsgo_12]

Wow thanks a lot that really helps. Howdo I know how much preassure to apply to the wheels from the tightener on the bottom? What does more and less preassure do and which was does the metal curve when you push it through, like does it bend upwards to the ceiling or down to the floor? And for the anvil wheel, the only reason that you would use a more or less curved wheel is to support the curvature of the metal already right? So if the metal has already been beaten on a bag and has a mild curve, you would use a wheel that has some what the same pitch as the curve of the metal, and if the metal is really curved, then a wheel with more of a round pitch is used right? And all of the anvils have a flat surface down the center of them? Thanks a lot, this is a big help.