Classic Alfa Forums

been looking at buying one for a while as thought one would be handy to make neater bends in angled sections, for making wheel arch lips etc
got one from frost now but being just the type that you bolt to a bench or fit in a vice it requires one hand to work the lever which is awkward being behind the tool.
you can buy a purpose made stand for it at about £100 which converts it to foot operation but being a tight sod I thought i'd use a few scraps I had lying around and make one
some bits of box section, length of rod, a sud clutch pedal and join the dots
works a treat now after a few adjustments to the pivot points. return spring brings it back up just right to release the jaws to make folding an edge really easy
you can do pretty tight curves with it, should be handy for making curved sections out of straight angle
i'll need to make some wheel arch sections for the integrale so will put it to the test soon enough
quite a simple tool, tapered jaws that either pull the metal together or pull it apart depending on which set you have in the body.
looking forward to trying it out for size

I need to buy one and liking the homemade stand

Top job as ever Kev.

If I tried that it would come out looking like a piece of mangled scrap.

i'm often seen spending hours to save a few quid but this stand has actually turned out quite well, as long as you don't look too closely, welds need a little tidying

as for the tool itself i'm really looking forward to using it in anger

Veesix75 wrote:Top job as ever Kev.

If I tried that it would come out looking like a piece of mangled scrap.

Ditto.
There is no end to this mans talent.

Kev - it's not about saving money it's the I CAN MAKE THIS WORK principal. More power to your elbow, it's a skill you can hand down-you can't buy that nowadays.

Sud 145 wrote:Kev - it's not about saving money it's the I CAN MAKE THIS WORK principal. More power to your elbow, it's a skill you can hand down-you can't buy that nowadays.

i'll be looking to seriously up my game in the new year mate, plans afoot and all that.

got myself booked into some classes too so I can learn properly

my lad is now taking a keen interest in things classic also, he has a decent tool collection now.
he's on the hunt for an imp, so we'll no doubt get another little project car soon enough
got himself a very nice tool box this week with a voucher that Halfords gave him from college where he's doing his classes. a £140 top box for about £60. decent one too.

maybe it's in the blood.....

I've got that Halfords toolkit, it was £100 full price when i bought it on offer for £90 about 15 years ago. Still have every original tool except one torque key that was welded to a long t piece for some difficult job ages ago.

It's a quality tool kit and seen a lot of action.