3-Day Metalworking Intensive Workshop
3-Day Metalworking Intensive Workshop
Similar in structure and content to our 4-Day Metalworking Intensive, our 3-Day Intensive covers patterns and layout, shrinking and stretching, making parts (primarily with hand tools although these will be compared and contrasted with some forming machines), planishing and metal shaping. Your instructor, Kent White, tailors the workshop to the unique needs of each group of participants, based on their background, experience, and interests. For this reason, the pace of this class and the content of the information presented can vary depending upon the specific interests of the attendees. Bring a project!
Day 1 – Stretching Tools & Methods
So the student can become familiar with and anticipate the response of metal to certain forces, we begin day one with a short session on the fundamental concepts of metallurgy and metal behavior. We then cover making paper patterns and blanking the metal, annealing and work hardening in the context of making and repairing parts. Next we will look at various approaches to stretching problems, enabling you to easily create your own solutions to achieve many shapes and forms. You’ll understand how to avoid excessive thinning while achieving the fastest stretch possible. We will also cover bowls, hollows, reverses, fairings, saddles, and curved flanges, and compare techniques for hand-stretching with tools for rapid-shaping — including the Air Power Hammer.
Day 2 – Shrinking Tools & Methods
Using the Stretching class as a springboard, the Shrinking class stresses the underlying relationship of the duality of metal — how heat and cold, soft and hard, and thick and thin affect the ability of the metal to take new shapes. Kent has defined 14 separate shrinking methods — most 4-Day Intensives cover nine or more of these used in forming hollow shapes, curved flanges, and making repairs and adjustments to your parts for better fit. The topic of “oil cans” will be included. If you are fabricating, restoring or repairing metal components you will appreciate the value of this class.
Day 3 – Aluminum Gas Welding, Brazing, and Soldering
Applications for non-structural parts and alloys are given in context. Using proven traditional teaching methods, each student will be expected to make welded, brazed and soldered joints (exactly as the aircraft factories trained their welders years ago). We’ll cover torch and tip selection, pressure regulator settings, fluxes, and fillers in detail. Joint design, geometry, distortion, and applications are demonstrated in detail. Students are given a basic joint to master, and when done they’re encouraged to move on to more difficult joints. The day includes 8 hours of instruction, critiques, and demonstration, and hands-on practice. For more advanced students there will be challenges in distortion remedies, weld flattening, and planishing for good fits.
Cost: $1,200. (Includes materials and supplies). Meals are on your own, except for lunch, when we normally all pitch in a few bucks and have some excellent local cooking delivered to the shop.
Pre-req: Sincere interest in metalworking and ability to work in a production shop environment and handle tools and machines safely. If you are unsure if your skill level matches the course, please contact us and we’ll be happy to assist you.
San Antonio Metalworking Workshop photos
Metalworking Workshop Courses Offered
Metalworking Workshop Schedule
