Customer Projects

Joyce & Cal,
Just a short note to let you know that the wheel arrived and is sitting on my workbench. The first experimental pieces that I did were amazing. Contrary to what I've been told by friends "that an English wheel is almost impossible to use" it is almost magic if you follow John Glover and Cal's instruction. The metal starts to form a shape just like magic and the amount of shape is very easy to control. Just like everything else it takes practice and patience. Yes there are 4 MG's in my garage/shop and the one in the middle is a '48 TC.
We hope to be able to make a trip soon to see your shop.
Take care and have a great day,
Bill Boyd
Tampa, FL

Dear Joyce and Cal,
Here's the pictures I promised of the '36 Ford Roadster.

I love your Power Hammer. Can't wait to set-up the other side.
Gary Sutherland
Click here to see pictures of Gary's commission.

Hey Guy's, Thanks again for your help, here are some pic's of the tank I built. I have about 2 full day's at this point , I used 1/8 alum. should have went with thinner steel , the thickness of the alum. made it real hard to work with. I will send more pic's as i complete it more along with all the other metal fab work. Painted finished bike pics will follow at a later date.

Gary Lamb
Click here for Gary Lamb picture page.
More pictures added as they come in.

Hey guys,
I just finally got around to getting my Power Hammer set-up and thought I would send you a pic.
Thanks again,
Jon
Lucky's Garage

Bought my English Wheel 2 years ago, thought I would send you a pic of my latest project. I used .040 aluminum, it took about a year to build the car in my spare time.
Thanks,
Jim Dewar
Durham, NC

To Metalcraft:
I am not a letter writer by nature, but in this case I was so strongly compelled by gratitude, it moved me to put digits to keyboard.
I came home from your April metal working class with a whole new outlook. I have been a custom car builder for a number of years, and it’s been a desire for some time to improve on my metal working skills, but we all know how hard it is to leave a business for a few days and to justify out of the ordinary expense especially in a very competitive business climate. In the case of this course, it was well worth it.
It became clear very quickly that there is a hard way or smart way to do things when it comes to metal shaping and Cal has his arms around the smart way. Cal did a wonderful job at imparting some of this wisdom with humor and patience.
The tools developed by Cal are extremely well engineered and very user friendly. If I can offer one word of advice to future students, it would be to leave your credit card home! Once you see what can be done with the tools developed by Cal, you will want every thing he has!
P.S. Some of Cal's quotes are great - like this one, which is going on my toolbox; "Meaner than a plowed up snake!"

Cheers,
Dale
Remuda Coaches, Inc.

www.remuda.ca

Here is a photo of my English Wheel. I used the plans that I bought from you, but I had to make several changes due to the steel I had on hand. This way I did not have to buy any more steel. I also added a plannishing hammer to the opposite end of the English Wheel. I saw this in another catalog and thought it would be easy to build. This was a very interesting school project. The upper wheel got welded on running parralell with the frame instead of crossways to it. I decided that it would just have to stay like that. It works great. Now I just have to learn to use it. I think with some practice that I can work with it. Thanks for the great plans.
Thanks again,
Bill Hardy

Cal,
I wanted to drop you a note. I was in your metal shaping class in March '03. I finished my project and entered it into the International Show Car Assoc. (ISCA) at the finals in Indianapolis May 22, 2004.and I came in second in the nation. Take a look at the work that you taught me. What I wanted you to know is that with the knowledge I gained in your course with the hands on training you allowed me to have, I feel I can attempt to do anything with sheet metal. This is my 1st project and I have ideas for many more. Your English Wheel and Power Hammer that I purchased from you are the tools that make it easy.
Thanks for all your help,
Ed Mills
Calgary, Alberta Canada

Forming B-29 engine nacelle door for
Bradley Air Museum

Cal,
We have been making /shaping aircraft parts with air plannishing hammers and a wheel for nine years, and boy have we been missing out! This power hammer is on a whole other level! I can't imagine how much time we would have saved in the past!
Sheet metal on our last three Oshkosh winning planes was a major project, if we had used the big hammer face and extra power we could have saved lots of time and had no irregularities.
Mark J. Grusauski
www.wingworksllc.com
Email: wingworks@snet.net
Canaan, CT

Cal,
Thanks again for all the help. I wouldn't have been able to accomplish this without your english wheel and power hammer, and especially your expertise. I hope to see you again soon. I still have alot to learn, and I know You are the man to show me the way.
With sincere thanks,
David Cline DC METALSHAPING

And then David wrote us again.....
Cal and Joyce, I felt it necessary to write to you to let you know that, after taking classes with other "MASTER METALSHAPERS" I've come to appreciate what I learned from just three days of your class. I value, and use everything I've learned in those classes.

Thank You again, and as always...
WORK WITH A PURPOSE
Dave Cline DC METALSHAPING

"I would like to thank Metalcraft Tools for being a reliable and economical alternative to the Aerospace tool suppliers. Your many instructional videos and specialized tool selection make one stop shopping a breeze. Here at Aerostructures of the Palm Beaches, Inc. we can take on difficult projects, thanks to the right tools and educational support providd by Metalcraft Tools."

Thanks, Robert Behrend
Airframe Specialist
www.aerostructuresinc.com

Is He Left Handed?
Upside Down?
Or Backwards?
...:-)

This clever fellow has a
whole new concept for the
bench wheel. He bought
the "Kit" and built the wheel
upside down!!
He calls it his 'American Wheel'
instead of an 'English Wheel'.

"We turned it up side down to allow us to wheel pre stamped Indian fuel tanks. The tanks have some waves and other surface anomalies which we had been hand dollying out. This wheel saves us about 1 hr. per set of tanks. We all know what any time savings can do for production." Matt Blake - The Iron Horse Corral

STEVE BANKS WRITES....."Hi, My wheel arrived Monday as you predicted. The outer box was a little tattered but the inner box and it's contents were perfect. I put the machine together and a half hour later I was rolling pieces. I enclosed a couple pics of my progress so far. It equals about a day and a half of work. This is my first whole tank project. Usually I just modify existing tanks. All of your tools work great! Thanks. Steve Banks"

Hello,
I just wanted to say thank you again
for all of your advice and speedy service.
Here is a pic of a piece I made for a customer.
It is a lower cowl for a 67 Austin-Healy.
Ryan D. Fielding
Paragon Customs
www.paragoncustoms.com

Mr. Davis, I wanted to drop you a note to say thanks for the great class. I found your approach to teaching effective and fast. In less than a week, i have made three parts (that i got paid for!!), and purchased a Pullmax machine. Thanks again for the class sincerely, Rob Ida www.IdaAutomotive.com

Click here for more!