Pullmax chrome moldings & tools

[Terry Stolarski]

In one of the posts on ******** there was a question abut how to make moldings for cars, Here is some tooling I made for some 37 Chevrolet Hood sides that start out with 3/8" "can't Kink" fuel line. The bottom tool is a piece of 3/4" solid round stock wich I put in the lathe and bored a 7/16" hole in. Then milled it in half, welded on a stem. The top tool is the top of my doming tool. The ends are 3/8" rod turned on the lathe and cut in half then welded on. For different sizes, I think any size thin wall tubing will work, but I have never tried it. For Chroming, polish the tubing before you form it, it makes it easier and cheaper to chrome, the polishing is the expensive part of chroming. I used a stud welder to weld threaded studs on the back of the piece.

[jlrussell4]

Very clever Terry. Thanks for posting.

[Terry Stolarski]

After thinking about how hard it is to metal finish the ends of the chrome moldings I decided to try to form the ends too. A bullit shaped tool for the top and a flat for the bottom tool is in order. This set up worked ok but I think a hydraulic press might be a better way. I get lots of death rattle at the end with my little P-3 when I did this. I screwed up the bottom tool when it started pushing hard. I took the part out, ground off the flashing and ran it through again. worked ok. When you grind the sides, if you are not careful, it will split on the side. If it splits, I welded it up with silicon bronze, which chromes well. I then tried 1/2" EMT electric conduit, formed the "D" with a 7/8" half round bottom tool. When I did the first one, it had a twist, so what was needed was a flat tool on top, no, or very little dome. You can see the twisted one in one of the photos. Why stop with a "D" so I looked at my stack of tools, grabbed a simple top. Used a 7/8 slotted tool for one of my large beading tools, turned the "D" over ran it thru, now this opens up a whole new avenue, think garnish moldings, trim of numerous kinds, with various size tubing. I thik this is more rearranging the metal without much shrink or stretch, by changing the top tool shapes are unlimited

[oldgoaly]

Terry,
Neat stuff! also looks like a good way to make up grille pieces for a custom grille. Thanks for sharing! tt

[anders nørgaard]

Looks great Terry... S
What's the reason for using pipe/tubing instead of just a "channel?"

[Terry Stolarski]

I have made chrome moldings starting with flat stock, and it is very hard to make a long skinny piece go strait in the pullmax where tubing is firm enough to make the process go strait. And there is discussion where you can cut the back side out with a zip cutter and use regular molding clips.

[Carbuilder]

Terry thank you for posting here not every one goes to the other site, thank you for the very good information. I have 2 of your DVD's & soon as work picks up I plan on ordering the 3rd plus more that you might produce in the future. Please keep posting here your knowledge & skill is a great asset to the metal shaping community.

[Gene_Olson]

Thanks Terry,
years ago I made some stainless trim like that out of solid bar.

Course, I had a mill then, and no pullmax.:wink:

since I got the pullmax I have used it to make rectangular tube out of round stock when needed. Even made fluted columns.

[kit]

Originally Posted by Gene_Olson

since I got the pullmax I have used it to make rectangular tube out of round stock when needed. Even made fluted columns.

Show us all then!

[anders nørgaard]

Originally Posted by Terry Stolarski

I have made chrome moldings starting with flat stock, and it is very hard to make a long skinny piece go strait in the pullmax where tubing is firm enough to make the process go strait. And there is discussion where you can cut the back side out with a zip cutter and use regular molding clips.

Thanks for explaining Terry
Coming to think of it, an open channel also may be more prone to distorting when being bent into a curve.