The best way is to learn how to shrink is without a backup dolly. The cold metal surrounding your heated dome is actually your dolly. The only time I use a backup dolly is shrinking an edge of a panel. I avoid using the wet rag till the panel cools considerably otherwise it will harden the metal. I heat larger areas than most people, it gives me a higher dome but it’s key to keep that torch moving quickly, otherwise you will have a dreaded hole. the best thing is I can shrink anywhere, not just places I can reach with a backup dolly. Fifty years in the business and still doing it, but at a slower pace. ~ John Buchtenkirch

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for this. It’s really making sense to me

@TheAnonymous1one

6 ай бұрын

Would love if you made a video of your technique too! Nice to learn different ways

@laurensmith1828

5 ай бұрын

Nice video especially how you explained how it works. A guy showed me years ago with the waffle hammer technique and heating and cooling. This makes way more sense . Thanks Karl for sharing

@nevilleash7389

3 ай бұрын

I am 64 and just started learning but take it all onboard , one day I will need the techniques. I studied metalurgy so I can understand how and why these techniques work.

@pettingellhammer

3 ай бұрын

It’s really more of a mechanical process, you dome the metal up by heating, then hammer the dome flat but more importantly thicker and then you have radially shrunk that area. I never use a back-up dolly when I torch shrink, only when I’m leveling out the panel after it has cooled.

Exactly, I've watched many people demonstrate it but I've never grasped it until now. Great job!!!

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

So awesome! I’m stoked that this was what you needed to understand! I had a eureka moment when Brian explained it this way to me

@staguk1

2 жыл бұрын

The best explanation I have heard in all my years since starting my apprenticeship of five years in 1967...EXCELLENT!!!

@LonersGuide

2 жыл бұрын

Best explanation and demonstration I've come across as well.

@kevintaylor113

2 жыл бұрын

Say Karl, Got it now, what a great video! I would really appreciate it if you and Kristine could/would make that video on the lost art of acetylene-gas welding? I think so many people have a gas setup in the shop/garage for heating, cutting metal like crusted bolts or studs on their hot rods but very few still pick up the torch for welding? What can a guy/gal do when their TIG/MIG shielding gas is out? I got my first welding experience on gas welding and loved it, just as much as I do TIG today. It’s just a different heat source really, isn’t it? Thanks again for all you guys do to help make this world Kustom Cheers Kevin

15 years in the metal working industry and ive always wondered how you work with sheet steel. found your vids yesterday and have binged them all since then. you have answered so many questions ive had for so long, not only answered them but educated to why and how. Thank you so much for sharing your skills and knowledge. i really appreciate it. THANK YOU!!!!

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Well man thanks so much for reaching out with the Feedback! I’m always stoked to hear when someone really appreciates it. I search long and hard for the answers of all these questions and to be able to share them with everyone is my goal

This brings back memories. I'm a 72 yr old retired bodyman, started in the body business at 15. This hot shrinking method you show here worked great on the thick sheet metal of old but as metal became thinner shrinking methods had to evolve. I was fortunate to work with an old metal man that taught me all methods of shrinking, many he developed himself, as well as how to torch weld aluminum sheet metal used by RR and other foreighn cars. By 20 he had taught me how to hammer weld fender extensions on racing Porsches. It wasn't until I was about 25 we even considered using bondo and that was usually for cheap repairs for a used car lot. We either metal finished or soldered everything. Those old shrinking hammers were all but useless unless you knew you were going to solder the panel to finish it. Never use them if you plan to metal finish it. Oh and when I say soldered I don't mean the hack method of drilling 1/8" holes all over the area and them soldering them closed after you've filed the area straight. Only would-be bodymen used that method. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!!!!

I'm an old guy that's just getting into this stuff, I've always been a gear head but I avoided bodywork like the plague. That was an awesome demonstration, thank you! I just subscribed.

Hi Karl. I am about 150 miles south of you. Greatly enjoy your videos. I love gas welding, especially sheet metal. In 1973, I cut the body of a Triumph TR4 into, thru the middle of the doors. Necessitated by being rear-ended by a big Chevy. I welded another back half on using coat hangers as welding rods. Hey, I was poor back then, AND, back then coat hangers were high quality steel. The welded joint never broke or cracked, even after 100,000 miles of wear and tear. Just more proof you don't have to have fancy stuff to get the job done. It is far better to have good quality used tools instead of fancy, new pieces of crap. Keep the videos coming, please!

I love it when craftsmen like yourself encourage guys to give it a go, and you show some good methods.

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks man I appreciate that!

@11:55 a gas welding video would be cool to see! (This video was really good as well, thanks for sharing it.) 👍🍻

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Yes definitely I haven’t done it since high school but I would love to get back into it! I’ll definitely do a video on it

@heyartbailey

2 жыл бұрын

Exactly what I was thinking when that torch came out. Getting 240v out to the shop is not happening for a few years, I'm stuck with OA for awhile, and I'm actually kind of psyched for the challenge of learning the skill. Thanks for these awesome videos!

Great explanation, this is how I was taught. It might also be helpful for others if you did a video on shrinking a flatter panel that has an oil can effect in it.

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Very good suggestion it’s on the list now for videos to come! Thank you

@JosephDR

2 жыл бұрын

@@MakeItKustom Yeah, I have an oil can effect happening on my '81 Chevy van door.

@tomcoryell

2 жыл бұрын

@@JosephDR me too….VW bus.

@colinstables

2 жыл бұрын

A shrinking disk is good but it can quickly overshrink too

@ianwille5780

2 жыл бұрын

I want to see an oil can demo as well on a modern day flat panel.

Props for an explanation that's detailed enough that I know why I'm gonna do what I'm gonna be doing, and shows me *how* the old guys (guys who were retired back in the 1970's) were doing it when I saw it as a kid. Got a '54 Dodge truck with some damage, a hotwrench, and now - the understanding of how I'm gonna go after a couple of those spots...

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Right on man go for it! You got this!

Awesome demo! Thanks for sharing.

A great way of explaining heat shrinking.

I will be waiting for your gas welding tutorial as I used to do quite a bit of it forty years ago when I worked as an agricultural fitter. I was the only one to just use the torch to weld not using rods. I called it 'self welding' because it was the only way I could discribe it, because it used the metal itself when I had more of it. I just found your channel a couple of weeks ago and have enjoyed watching very much, I live in the Northeast of England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿,near Durham City. I hope you never run out of topics to talk about. Keep up the great way of explaining your profession. The way you tell it is easy to follow. 👍👍👍👍👍

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Definitely on the list man! I would love to get back into some gas welding and talk about it on here. As long as you guys keep suggesting videos I will never run out! Thanks for your feedback!

I really love your teaching, you are a natural.

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot Dean! Glad you like it

@michaelchalk4262

2 жыл бұрын

@@MakeItKustom the way you explain things make me really want to try it and I feel I could do it with practice.

This is the best example and explanation!!

Thanks for the demo!

Love to see you do a "Pick and file" vid.. educating people on how to work the metal.

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

I’ll add it to the list man! I appreciate the suggestions!

Loved this. As a Blacksmith, this makes perfect since to me. Could you please show how this would work on a large " Oil canned" area. Would you still need to upset/push the metal? or would it be just a heating and cooling technique? Thanks again for such a great explanation of this.

@avid6186

2 жыл бұрын

Would like to see that to. Have a roof someone sat or stood on. Pop it out and it wants to pop back in :-(

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Yes this would work on a large oil can area but the areas that need shrinking would need to be identified first in many cases if there’s a large oil canned area the stretch is on the perimeter of that can. I will cover it in a future video as many people are asking for the same! Cheers!

@tombrown879

2 жыл бұрын

@@MakeItKustom thank you. I will look forward to seeing the video.

@avid6186

2 жыл бұрын

@@MakeItKustom thank you!

You are just full of knowledge and you share it so well. Thank you.

Best class I've had in 40 years.

When you shrink you decrease the surface area and increase the thickness of the metal in the area of the shrink. That is where the extra metal goes. The area of the shrink is now thicker. Sometimes it takes many shrinks to remove the stretched metal....... Also the stretched metal is thinner than the original sheetmetal..

@Gottenhimfella

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, and the real reason it shrinks more on cooling that it expanded on warming is that it's prevented from expanding by the surrounding, colder, hence (at that moment) stronger metal, which is in approximately the same plane. But the molecules have to go somewhere, they can't expand further in the plane of the sheet, so they expand perpendicular to the plane, so the metal is actually getting thicker as it comes up to red hot, NOT when it cools. Of course, it *stays* thicker when it has cooled, and that extra thickness explains why the same volume of metal now occupies a smaller surface area.

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing your knowledge as well! I am learning lots from the experts in the comments such as yourselves! The more people explain it the better it sinks in!

Brilliant demo and explanation

Excellent explanation. Thank you for doing this.

Thanks for the video. Great job of keeping it simple.

Thank you for taking the time to explain how you do it. Well done.

SUPER!!! Thank you for making a clear detailed explanation of how this technique works.

Great explanation and instructions. Thank you

Well enough explained... congrats!!

Well done, you explain things very well.

Now, finally, I understand! Thanks, JD

That is the best explanation of heat shrinking I have come access, makes a lot of sense.

More excellent stuff! What a great way to learn!

Easily the very best explanation and video that I have ever seen on the topic....this one is timeless and will be teaching folks for years. Nice job !!

Bloody brilliant, thanks, now i understand. Wishing you all, all the best. Greetings from Norway.

Your explanation of how these techniques work is excellent! Very informative.

Fantastic! I can't wait to try this on my Hot Rod.

Perfect ! Great job.

Great teaching!

Spot on explanation great vid

Great explanation!

Awesome explanation. Cheers.

Great demo

This is Amazing these are the best video’s out there!

I have been doing this stuff for over 40 years and this is by far the best explanation of heat shrinking that I have come across!! Thanks.

Well done. Thanks for that

Awesome! Thank you for the great explanation and example. Never had any luck fixing dents with heat but I now feel like a expert lol

Well done!

Too cool! Thanks for teaching.

Gotta love guys like this...paying it forward for the rest of us. Thanks for the lesson!

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

You’re so welcome man! Thanks for watching cheers

Very nice and clear explanation and demonstration, subscribed.

Really appreciate your work brother 👍

You're a good instructor.

Best description and demonstration of heat shrinking I've watched. Thanks

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Right on Bret so stoked that it was clear for you! Cheers!

I appreciate your efforts to explain and demonstrate these, new to me, methods. So much so, I don't skip the advertisements. I hope that benefits you. Thank you.

Nice Explanation! Thanks for the tip.

Amazing tutorial and explanation of a process that has always been a mystery to me!

NOW I understand the process! Thanks for sharing, seriously! Enjoy your weekend! Be safe!

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Awesome Harry ! I’m glad that you were picking up what I’m putting down lol thank you very much!

I love it brother thank you for your time

Very good explanation

You did a very good job on explaining how to do that? I've been waiting for someone to go into detail like you have. Thank you!

I’ve learned so much already from you! You do a great job explaining the whys and how’s of what you are doing. Great job and thanks for the videos!!

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

You’re so welcome and I’m glad to hear that you’re learning some stuff! Thanks for supporting the channel

I’m just getting into this stuff and this demonstration really helped

You have a natural talent for teaching. I just discovered you also. Wish I had seen this when I was restoring my 51 Chevy pickup a few years ago. Keep up the good work.

I have to say you just taught this old dog an old trick, and saved me a fortune. Thank You

Splendid explenetation , Thanks . I will start practising and try to learn the technic.

I really appreciate your knowledge and the demonstrations you provide, I'm doing some body work on an old 65 pickup truck and your You Tube videos have been so helpful. Thank you.

I have been trying to understand shrinking for a while. You explained it better than any I’ve seen thus far. Now, to try it out. Thanks

Your explanation was spot on. Great channel you're putting out!

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Thanks for that information on heat shrinking

You explain everything so well bro another solid video full of juicy info!

Your teaching technique is great! You make everything easy to understand!! Thank you

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

You’re so welcome man! Thank you very much!

The best explanation I have ever seen.

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Awesome thank you! Glad to hear it cheers!

So easy to understand. Thanks from down under.

Awesome video bro, great explanation

Thanks for this information! I'm a DIY'er and learning through these videos!

Thanks for taking the time to thoroughly explain this.

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

You’re very welcome man!

Great job. Just found Make it Kustom. I've been binging them all! Great teaching. I hope you're in the new shop!

You have the heart of a teacher, thank you

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

You’re welcome man thank for watching cheers!

Well explained Karl, the way you explain things makes easy to understand how it works. love your skills!!!!!

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot Roger I appreciate your comments and your feedback always!

Great explanation man. Thank you

Great tutorial, you're the man!!! 👍 👍 👍

Loving the videos Carl. Awesome way of explaining this. I’m getting stuck back into one of my projects so I’m appreciating all the tips and tricks

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Right on Andrew I’m glad you’re liking the con tent! Cheers

Dude you explained it perfectly. After many years of struggling to understand shrinking metal, I get it! 👍🏼🤘🏼 I’m getting my Oxy-Acetylene rig out again. I had to quit when I broke my spine but now I can give it another go

Solid tutorial, dude!

Another good demonstration and explanation.

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much!

I have watched many videos on this subject trying to understand, ,,,,,,your explanation of this is hands down the best I've seen,,,,,,, I could see I understand exactly what you're doing now!

You’re right, it’s a very effective technique-Nicely demonstrated ✅👍

This is a really good demo. Thanks for making it. Am giving it a try along with the shrinking disc on my old Blazer

Hi master I hope you are healthy you’re teaching is the best

Holy shit! i actually understand it - fantastic demo. Ive watched lots of videos about it an i got the process and the vibe, but this is next level.

Very good stuff!

Great demo...thanks!

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

You’re welcome Alan!

Your true skill that is hardest to learn. Its teaching something as well as you do. thx.

Thank you, this is the best job of explaining shrinking I've seen!

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

You’re very welcome I’m so glad it came through clear

Great video. Excellent simple explanation

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you I’m glad that the explanation came across clear! It was a real eye-opener when it finally sunk in with me

The best I have ever seen this process explained...another awsome video

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much!

Another great video

hands down the best metal show on the air keep up the good work

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Perfectly explained thank you :)

So cool. You explained it so well too.

@MakeItKustom

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!