Jake's project for the class was a replacement for our practice fan shroud from last month.. The rear edge was unfinished, so we aimed to fix that, and also make it out of aluminum to better match the radiator.





To finish off the rear edge, we chose to add a bead to the edge and a hemmed flange to close it off, keeping the hem flat so as not to interfere with the fan.





The beads were added, flanges tipped to attach to the baffle panel, and the linear stretch dies in the Lennox used to stretch the correct outer radius.








We attempted various welding methods to attach the shroud to the baffle plates. The spot welder lacked the balls to make the welds, and TIG spot welds or weld passes seemed to add more distortion to our practice pieces than the precise circle we had rolled would tolerate. So we used some stainless hardware and nylock nuts to hold the parts together..





Here are some videos of the installed shroud..


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSQf_V4Jyi8


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


Some of the tips and tricks shared at the class, here is a table "extension" for a band saw to permit cutting of crowned panels SAFELY..


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNjxTbD4VrQ


Charlie has been to our class three years in a row, and he is a pretty sharp cookie. Like some of us and getting older, he has the unfortunate issue of arthritis in his hands, and finds difficulty in using hand snips. In much the same fashion as the Beverly shears, Charlie modified a pair of right angle Midwest shears to use a handle for easier operation..








Action video:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLr76hsdIxM


Material capacity stays the same, operation just becomes a bit easier, especially for those with arthritis conditions..