[TheForge] 8" hemispheres

[PlumDon at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/28/2004 8:55:54 AM Eastern Standard Time,  
sunironworks at yahoo.com writes:

Don,

I've mentioned these guys before, but check out the  metalshapers group
at http://www.allshops.org/. A lot of these guys have  made cold-forming
sheet metal machines with an air chisel or riveter as an  engine, with a
mushroom tip as a top die and whatever you need as a  bottom...there are
plans on the site. I am out of room and haven't made one  myself, but
from the videos I've seen it looks as though you could make  your bowls
pretty quickly and without too much elbow grease on such a  beast. One
of the folks I talked to said he can make a tank extension for a  harley
(a deep and complex shape) in about 5 minutes on his,  planishing
included.
 
Hi Justin ;
 
Kindest thanks for the suggestions. I must have missed it before. I have  
perused the site and a lot of good stuff there. 
 
I have bought a few of the 11g hemispheres and have wrapped and welded one  
them with 1/4" x 1" stock.  I also welded on a tongue for the hardy hole of  
the anvil or whatever. I now have a pretty sturdy bottom die that I can drive  
the 16g stock into to make the 8" hemisphere. I dont have a press but I do have 
 a good friend who has one 20 minutes away. I just need a top die now. I'm  
wrestiling with how I can make about a 7-1/2" top die that will work. As most 
of  you probably know, if you dont get a right fit on a press like this you 
will end  up with the most gosh-awful wrinkles at the edges. 
 
I have also e-mailed the marketing staff of a couple of reasonably local  
metal spinners but so far no response. My initial order would only be about  
10-12 so perhaps they are not interested in small timers. Interesting business  
problem...trying to get this item in all the right dimensions and at the right  
price.