Making fenders.

Sorry if this is the wrong forum, but I couldn't think of a more fitting one.

I have some aluminum scrap I'm hoping to make compound-curved fenders out of, complete with rolled edge, but I don't have a roller, english wheel, power hammer, or anything like that, let alone knowledge of how such things are actually done. Instead I have pieces of hardwood I've shaped with hopes I could hammer the aluminum into fenders around, but I'm completely failing as I suspected I would. Does anybody have experience making metal fenders, or even an understanding of some processes used by manufacturers?

I've seen old fender rollers for sale before, maybe VAR made them?

Fender Rolling 101

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Originally Posted by fat cat

Sorry if this is the wrong forum, but I couldn't think of a more fitting one.

I have some aluminum scrap I'm hoping to make compound-curved fenders out of, complete with rolled edge, but I don't have a roller, english wheel, power hammer, or anything like that, let alone knowledge of how such things are actually done. Instead I have pieces of hardwood I've shaped with hopes I could hammer the aluminum into fenders around, but I'm completely failing as I suspected I would. Does anybody have experience making metal fenders, or even an understanding of some processes used by manufacturers?

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A

Anneal the material

Look at how they used to make coatings or panels the old handmade way


Truly soft aluminium will form over wood beautifully

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHKNkcVZvN8

Not a fender, but apply what he does to the aluminium.

Probably a dumb question, but what type of rod and flux is he using to gas weld aluminum? I doubt I'd trust that on a bike but that is cool.

Form & pound it with a soft hammer over and old car wheel.
- Garro.

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Originally Posted by seankanary

Probably a dumb question, but what type of rod and flux is he using to gas weld aluminum? I doubt I'd trust that on a bike but that is cool.

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This guy carries a lot of the necessary supplies for gas welding aluminum. He uses it to mostly build airplanes and automobiles,

https://www.tinmantech.com/html/alum...g_supplies.php

Alistair.

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Originally Posted by Alistair

This guy carries a lot of the necessary supplies for gas welding aluminum. He uses it to mostly build airplanes and automobiles,

https://www.tinmantech.com/html/alum...g_supplies.php

Alistair.

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I was also going to suggest Tinman for ideas and info on forming the alu fenders. Check out his youtube videos for forming ideas.

this was the video i was looking for

Fabricating Fenders for a 1934 Lagonda Part II - YouTube

scale it down some and voila....torchwork = annealing

No fender exists that will fit my 20x2.4 tire, so I had to figure out how make them myself. Here is the blog post I wrote about it recently:
https://drewdevereux.wordpress.com/2...cycle-fenders/
They are hybrid aluminum/wood fenders. The post may be interesting to a DIY type who has access to a table saw and can do (or learn) some hard-soldering.

I've experimented with 3D printing fenders....YMMV.