Best Source for a metal shrinking disc?

E

earlysecond

Guys,

I want to make sure that I am on the right track here. I have seen lots of demos on youtube regarding the use of a shrinking disc. Recently I have begun to use a solid tip on my stud welder to shrink and it works, maybe, a little too well!

I have heard that you can use worn out abrasive discs.

I am willing to pay for one. Eastwood and other sell them but I am looking for the best value, not the cheapest.

I am worrried about balance and safety or I would get some stainless and make some.

A. Anybody rely on this tool
B. Is it fairly easy to learn
C. Do you have a good source

Thanks in Advance,
Brent
 
Wray Schelin at wesparts@charter.net for a high quality shrinking disc made by the professional metalshaper who first suggested using a flat disc.

This is the one I have, 304 stainless and this one is the best of the best by the original designer.
 
A. Yes, I use them.
B. I say they are easy to learn. We will help when you get there.
C. +1 on Wray Schelin
 
I would definately go with Wray's disc. He also has a tutorial CD available that will help.

I work in a collisionb shop by day and do some restoration and amature metalshaping at home. I use my disc regularly at home and also at work. It is relativcely easy to learn, and well worth the investment.

Aaron
 
I have one also.. But Aaron has never spent enough time teaching me how to use it properly.. It sure dont fit behind the panels like a dolly does, but I guess that is the learning curve :p

Its better to hammer off with one of those :confused:

Im just kidding.. The disc are nice, very nice and easy to use for someone even as metal challenged as myself
 
For you that don't know what we are talking about here is a picture of one of mine a Wrey special, how you use is on a electric grinder/buffer or I use it on an air grinder i have that has the torque I need.

I'm no pro like Aaron or Metal man but how I do it is hold the disc flat heat metal and I then hit with a wet painter prep wipe or a spray bottle of water.

It will blow your mind what something this simple can do.
 
The nice thing about the disc is that it concentrates the heat on the high spots, where you want the shrink the most. Cooling can be done with water, as Barry said, with compressed air, or a combination. I have found that cooling quickly, normally will make the shrinking more controllable, as it prevents the heat from travelling too far from the high spots. I have seen all kinds of grinders and buffers used for the discs. I have even used a 4 1/2" electric grinder from Harbor Freight. The disc is a little too large for that grinder as far as I am concerned. It is really close to the hands when spinning at 12000 RPM. The thought of that thing spinning at that speed also makes me a little nervous.

Aaron
 
I use the one from sunchasertools.com He was the originator of the disc and the outside edges have a waffle pattern that puts heat in a little faster than the straight ones. I use a bucket with a wet rag and it seems more affective than other methods I've tried. I recommend his grinders also as the slow start up grinders are controllable. I have the makita one as it was a little cheaper than the milwaukee but works good. I feel your always better to buy a package from the same place as they know what works. His videos are very informative also and they aren't cheap but they are worth the money if your a green metal bumper. I wouldn't use a harbor freight grinder to clean my toes.
 
I just re read Barry's post about Wes being the originator? He might be? Sunchaser told me years ago that he designed it 20+ years ago but maybe he meant the waffle pattern version? Either way, I'm sure they both work. I've only ever used the waffle version. Just buy a good one as I've heard some of the cheap ones can crack and come apart which makes sense as stainless can become work hardened.
 
Brad, I just copied that from the site, if I understand it right he was first for the idea of a flat disc.

But I don't have a clue, Wrey is one of the nicest guys you will ever talk to, he offered years a go for me to come to his class for free, I think he is in MA or NY, somewhere way up there.
Wish I would have taken him up on it but time is my big problem.

I think the Sunchaser is owned by John Kelley?? not sure but another real metal pro as I understand it.
 
I have the one from Wray simply because it was the one recommended by Randy Ferguson, when I ask him several years ago. For a tool like that, you only want the best. It is extremely dangerous, and if it is not made properly, it can have defects in the metal from the start. You will find out when it is too late.

I do not recommend or not recommend Harbor Freight tools. They have a place. Some people will always put them down, but simply, they allow a lot of people to own tools that they could not own if they had to buy large name brands. They may or may not last as long, or be as high quality, but they usually will do the job for a fraction of the price.

Aaron
 
I saw the ones that John Kelly origianlly made his site states that he no longer sells them and I thought that the link there sent you to the charter.net address. Either way I will check into both. My thinking on this as I re-restore my '70 Camaro, the right way, is that my quarters are pretty damaged. .. not from rust although there is some, mostly from wrecks!! I would like to save and use as much of my original quarters as possible and limit my patches to small cut pices of patch panels just the back of the wheel arches as those are the only rusty spots. I will need to spend some time convincing the metal that it should, once again be fairly straight. Thanks for the help guys, top notch as usual and I am loving the new site! Thanks to Barry for funding it and those who work so hard to keep it running an moderate it! Supreme effort guys!

Brent
 
Ken Sakamoto? Not sure the spelling is right on the last name. He was that I always talked to when I ordered and he said he designed it. Always seemed like a nice guy and I'm going to give him a call today asI checked the site out and didn't see anything about the dics anymore. I feel this isn't a technique that many will master in a jiffy. You have to understand how to rough the metal back into shape and it's fairly slow process compared to bumping and mudding. If you can dolly the metal back in a hurry and use the disc to pull some high spots or remove oil canning than it can be fairly fast. But to completey remove all remains of the dent like the videos show then the time frame goes way up at least that is my experience. Without a good video system you might be wasting your money. They kinda tie in together and are worth the money to help understand the ins and outs. You don't just unbox the tool and look like a pro in ten minutes. At least I didn't and I was taught bumping by an old guy that saved everything. Seemed like I would bump it no problem but took much longer to figure out the heat and quench. Good luck as it's a neat thing when you get the hang of it.
 
Thanks Brad,

That makes complete sense. Rarely do I just "pick something up" I have been watching the youtube vids, as far back as a year ago.

I have lots of "test panels" mostly for paint and paint finishing experimentation. I am not against making an intentional dent in a piece or two.

Bumping and finising to the point where no filler is needed is a learned art. But I taught myself the art of welding, painting and paint finishing so I may just tackle this. I am going to make a portable, inside panel planishing hammer out of a HF palm nailer and a modified truck exhaust enging valve with the lathe. I will share my results. I am experimenting at this point.

Thanks Again,
Brent
 
Brent..... If you get a disc and have any specific questions, just ask. I am not an expert, but have used mine quite a bit for about 4-5 years. They are not really magical, but will take some practice. The big thing to keep in mind is that they heat the high spots, where you want to shrink. That means, if you have a low spot, you really need to get behind it and tap it out, making it a high spot, then heat it to shrink it down. It can be time consuming, but you will be amazed what you can do with it. I have taken doors and fenders that had large amounts of bondo on them and repaired them with no filler at all, 3 coats of epoxy primer, block and paint.

An added source for information is the famous metalmeet forum at WWW.metalmeet.com

If you have the time and interest, there is a metal meet held in October in Oblong Illinois. It runs from Oct 12-19 this year. There will be a lot of very experienced metalshapers and also a lot of us lesser experienced people. Plenty of fun for all.

Aaron
 
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The first time I tried a shrinking disc was on a 1979 TransAm hood that somebody must have had a few big girls on. It was dented and stretched and floppy from one end to the other, no luck finding a replacement hood so I worked all the lows up starting from one end to the other shrinking, prying, spooning, hammering....and when I was done it was tight as can be. I've been sold on it for those weak areas that can't be shrunk with a torch or stud gun.
 
Wray is the way!
Here is what I bought. He also sells a disc for the 4 1/2" grinders.
dvd-back-disc.jpg
 
One thing about Wray is that he is a Master Metalshaper. He gives classes on the art of metalshaping as well as selling some tools. He doesn't sell tools as a business, it is more of an accessory. It is a lot easier to teach someone a craft if they can get the quality tools the first time to do the job right, rather than have to experiment to find the right ones.

That video is also good at explaining the technique. Nothing will beat experience, or even being shown first hand, but this is a good start.

Aaron
 
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