Shrinking Disk... Any experience???

[JamesWilson]

I've got a couple of flat (should be flat, rather...) panels that I need to shrink. I've seen these Shrinking Disks for sale and they sound like a useful method- has anyone any experience with these??

Thanks

 

[GregW]

Hi James,
Those look interesting, I’ve never tried them. Nor have I had luck heat shrinking with a torch. The method I use is a wooden mallet and a metal dolly. Making something flat is the hardest in my limited experience.

 

[JamesWilson]

[ QUOTE ]
Making something flat is the hardest in my limited experience.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I've tried a torch too, but either I'm not getting it hot enough or cooling it enough, quickly enough. And the hammer and wood approach may leve the surface battered so I was looking for something else.

They do a DVD showing it in action so I may spring for that... not that it'd be unbiased.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nonod.gif

 

[kennypinkerton]

Looks like a lapping disk, used to cut facets in gemstones.

 

[Banjo]

I'm sure the discs work, but you need the english wheel to use them in.
Another option is to get a Shrinking hammer . When used properly the tiny teeth cause a shrinking action. they work well along with a torch.

 

[kennypinkerton]

They show it in use on a drill, Banjo, like a sanding disk.

 

[Banjo]

DOH! See what I get for not reading the whole thing!
Now I'm intrwgued. It looks kinda neat. But like any form of shrinking It sounds like it takes practice.

 

[piman]

Hello James,

I have difficulty understanding how they work? He states that metal when cooled shrinks, which is true of course, but the initial heating expands the metal first. I can't see that it cools back to a smaller dimension? Otherwise you could just heat the metal with a torch, which is not how torch shrinking is done.
The torch is used in conjuction with a hammer and dolly to collect the excess metal into a pimple then knock that flat so gathering in the panel. But much easier said than done.

Alec

 

[JamesWilson]

I think this disks works using friction to heat the metal up and then using water to rapid cool it and its the rapid cooling that causes the metal to then shrink. I've googled it a little since and found a number of pretty positive responses, and even someone that made a home-built one from an old Suacepan Lid.

I've also found a site with a DVD showing the process, so I might just see what that says- its not the cost, its whether the tool's any good and won't make a bigger problem than I've already got....