It is an honor to be partnering up with Mittler Bros to teach metal shaping classes there at their top-notch facility. Today their post for my classes went live…check it out!
October 19th and 20th, 2019
Using the English Wheel and Metal Shaping Machinery
Left and Right-Side Gas Tank Panels Fitted to a Wooden Buck
Mittler Bros. Machine and Tool is teaming up with Kevin Masson, who’s been specializing in traditional metal shaping techniques for over 30 years, to bring you a brand new Metal Shaping Class!
Join us for 2 full course days, where students will fabricate a fully shaped steel panel(s) for a motorcycle gas tank fitted to a wooden buck. The class will focus on the use of the English wheel and other machinery used to shape panels using the roadmap to success. With detailed demonstrations and complete hands on training, students will have the confidence and ability to take a flat piece of metal and produce the desired shape and curvature needed to complete their project. The machinery and tools to be used in this class will consist of bench size English wheels, shrinker-stretchers, bead rollers, beater bag stations with shot bags and mallets.
Enter as any level of metal shaper, and leave with a broader knowledge of how metal moves and is shaped, using the information given on the machinery and the hands-on lessons to build your metal shaping skills. The goal is to accomplish a complete side panel (for beginners) or 2 panels, left and right side (for advanced) fitted to the wooden motorcycle gas tank buck. For the more advanced metal shaper, the focus will be more on perfecting the shaped panels from 80% to 100% with instruction on getting a perfect fit to the buck.
REGISTER NOW!
To request your registration form, please email:
registration@mittlerbros.com
DON’T WAIT!
EMAIL US TODAY!
Course Schedule
DAY 1
SESSION 1
Overview of Machinery
ENGLISH WHEEL
- • English Wheel Set-Up- Test true tracking
- • Anvil Types and Purposes
- • Pressure Required for Shaping and Smoothing
- • Full Radius and Flat Top Wheels – Linear Stretching
- • The Use of a Top Wheel Rubber band
- • Techniques in Using the English Wheel
- • Shape Blending
- • When to Cross Wheel/When not to Cross Wheel
- • Types of Metal
- • Student exercise with test pieces of aluminum .050 aluminum sheet 10×12 (checking the set-up for lower anvil)
SHRINKER/STRETCHER
- • Set up/ Use / Difference Between Jaws
- • Foot Operated versus Hand Operated
- • Deep Throat versus Shallow Throat
- • Student Exercise- Shrink the edge of test piece panel ready to wheel and blend shape across panel
BEAD ROLLER
- • Standard Motor versus Heavy Duty Motor
- • Adjustable Shaft versus Non-Adjustable
- • Variable Speed Dial Coordinated with Foot Pedal
- • 24 in throat versus 36 in throat
- • Dies and Uses of Including Soft Rubber and Nylon Dies
- • Student Exercise – Sharpie with ¾ in tape -Flange Tipping using opposite side of test piece
LEATHER SHOT BAG AND MALLET
- • Hollowing the metal by hand
- • Hammering and rotating
LUNCH BREAK- QUESTION AND ANSWER TIME
CLASS PROJECT
MAKING PANELS FOR A MOTORCYCLE GAS TANK USING A WOODEN BUCK
METAL SHAPING TECHNIQUES
- • Pass out project panels
- • Plan of Shaping using the Road Map to Success
- • Paper Pattern
- • Radius Gauge Application with Lower Wheel Anvils
- • Buck Making and the Materials Used
- • Lead Shot Bags and Mallets to Pre-Shape Panels
- • Panel Shaping (Students Begin to Make Their Projects)
- • Class Exercise – Students Practice Techniques Discussed
- • Shaping /Blending/Smoothing Panels
DAY 2
SESSION 2
- • Overview of Session 1 – Questions and Answer Time
- • Students Continue to Make Panel(s)
LUNCH BREAK- QUESTION AND ANSWER TIME
- • Completion of Panel Projects- 80% to 100% Fit and Finish
- • Critiquing Metal Shaping Techniques
REGISTER NOW!
To request your registration form, please email:
registration@mittlerbros.com
Kevin Masson, owner of Kingdom Metal Works started his career in metal shaping in 1975 at CP Auto Kraft later changed to AC Cars in England under Brian Angliss. His goal was to learn the art of shaping metal working with the masters from Rolls Royce, AC Cars and Panther Cars, however his first job upon acceptance was to sweep the floors and fetch hot tea for the elder masters as they demonstrated their time-tested craft. It was under their training that Kevin mastered the ancient art of wheeling on the French Ranalah and F.J. Edwards English wheels, learning the skills of aluminum body panel shaping using the original wooden bucks of AC Cars, including fabricating, shaping and gas welding aluminum panels to make AC Cobra bodies.
On completing his apprenticeship at AC Cars in 1983, he decided to move to the United States and work for Mike McClusky at McClusky Limited in Torrance Ca. From this workshop he continued mastering car restoration skills on the AC Cobra. During his time at McClusky’s, Kevin worked with Carrol Shelby on his original Cobra’s and then onto some of the early Cobra continuation cars. Over the next 30 years Kevin contracted work at several prestigious shops in California using the skills he mastered.
In 1992, Craig Breedlove commissioned him to work on shaping panels for the parachute system on the new Land Speed Car. His next project was for Boyd Coddington who took him on to complete the aluminum panels for the Alumacoup Car which included panel making, hood, door and trunk hinge mechanisms. After that project, Kevin worked at Vector Motors Corp. in Wilmington California, fabricating complex projects and production parts for the Vector 8. In the tight knit world of car fabrication and restoration, word gets around and Kevin was hired by Ed Whittle, a dragster builder, commissioned to build aluminum panels for his mid-sized drag car. On completion of the panels, Kevin began a 15-year partnership working for Garret Hanes owner of Sports Car Classics in Torrance Calif, restoring original Cobras and a one-off Ferrari 500 America. His work and knowledge of using the English wheel to restore classic cars led him to Steve Hogue’s shop in Torrance Calif, there Kevin worked on complete rebuilds of 356 Porsches, a 911 race car and was commissioned by the owner to rebuild a 1955 Jaguar drop head. Some of his most enjoyable work was restoring 2 original AC Cobras, a show winner Lancia and an Iso Grifo. While there, Kevin had the opportunity to learn new techniques as metal shaping progressed over the years using power hammers and Pullmax machines.
In 2016, Kevin and his wife moved to Hampton KY from southern California and opened Kingdom Metal Works. His business specializes in one on one private metal shaping training classes in his shop-classroom. Kevin offers time tested techniques using the English wheel and other metal shaping machinery in his well-equipped shop.
He has expended his business by offering consultation services and metal shaping classes, traveling to prestigious fabrication/restoration workshops all over the United States and abroad. He enjoys working with the owners offering customized training sessions using the machinery and the projects in the workshops that hire him to train their crew, moving their shop projects forward at the same time.