Old school planish hammer wanted
- Thread starter Jakescc
- Start date
Chris_Hamilton
Trying to be the best me, I can be
Good Luck. I have been trying to find one for years and not pay 2k or more. I missed out years ago getting a CP that had never been used along with four or five extra hoops and extra dies etc. This was like 15 years ago and the guy wanted $600 bucks for all of it. I thought it was too much. I'm still kicking myself over that one. They come up occasionally on ebay but they bring a lot of money. 2k-3k depending on condition.
Maybe Robert (MP&C) might know of one for sale. Best bet keep checking ebay and be prepared to spend some money.
Chris_Hamilton
Trying to be the best me, I can be
I will add that they are really not neccesary unless you are working and planishing large areas, nearly everyday. They are most effective with working a damaged panel like they would have done back in the '40's, 50's and early 60's. They started becoming obsolete on new stuff by the late 60's early 70's. One reason why they are so hard to find, there were never a lot of them to start with. They are nice to have but unless you are working on damaged stuff everyday, or planishing lots of welds day in day out, you can do it by hand just as well.
Jakescc
Promoted Users
I appreciate all the info you have given me. I have few older 50s ford hoods I would like to fix instead of scrap. And trying to hammer n dolly parts smooth by myself in the middle of the hood is kinda hard my arms dont reach that far. Would love to own one for that kinda stuff. The prices are steep on them. Two companies make brand new replica milwaukee planish hammers just looking for an old one that won't break the bank.
MP&C
Member
Jake, where do you call home? I know guys all over the place that have them for sale on occasion, but may be better to steer you towards someone local that you could try something out before purchase, especially a vintage PH.
First, a cautionary tale, A friend of mine had some doors to repair as part of an overall paint job on a Model A. He had bought a reproduction of a Milwaukee planishing hammer, and after cutting the brace out of one of the doors, planished all of the dings and dents out to a more consistent finish. The other door was too far gone, and he brought both to the shop so we could make one door skin. When I looked at his planishing efforts, although straighter than it was before, the planishing also stretched the piss out of the entire door skin that it bulged outward, with a noticeable step starting exactly where the planishing stopped along the edges. So we ended up making two door skins so he would have less of a mud job:
Point of all this rambling is that he made a poor choice in die selection, one with too much crown and it added more stretch than needed, making the panel unusable. A tool like this is primarily used for planishing long runs of welds where repairs have been made, and to a lesser extent, to make things flat again. In much the same way as one selects a dolly for bumping dents, the one he should have used would be as close to the crown of the existing panel as you can get without the edges of the die touching (to prevent "coining") For straightening, I would also suggest using about the lowest pressure the tool will stand, again, to limit any stretching. (think of air pressure here the same as exertion of a hammer swing) So where a long weld such as filling a roof insert on a 34 Ford, the Planishing hammer works extremely well to stretch out what has shrunk from welding, bringing it back to the original crown. For something that is already damaged/dented, 99% of those will already be stretched, so care needs to be taken to prevent adding MORE stretch in the panel. Using a tool like this, things can get out of hand quickly.
For a BRAND NEW reproduction of the infamous Milwaukee planishing hammer, Jason Millard (JRM Metalworks, JRM Tool CO.) has quite a few pictures on Instagram of the ones they reproduce:
www.instagram.com
Fully outfitted with a good selection of dies and hoops you can be a few thousand or better into these tools.. So yeah, if looking at used, I would want to kick the tires before exchanging money..
So most of the louver jobs I have done have been in collaboration with Cody Walls of Traditional Metalcraft in Milton DE. He has a Clay Cook Pro-Line planishing hammer. Cody says he uses it on an almost daily basis, for the past 13 years or so. Hasn't skipped a beat, he's very happy with it:
www.trick-tools.com
If you are on facebook, there is a planishing hammer group, they have some come up for sale on occasion. It's a closed group, so let me know and I can put you in for membership.
First, a cautionary tale, A friend of mine had some doors to repair as part of an overall paint job on a Model A. He had bought a reproduction of a Milwaukee planishing hammer, and after cutting the brace out of one of the doors, planished all of the dings and dents out to a more consistent finish. The other door was too far gone, and he brought both to the shop so we could make one door skin. When I looked at his planishing efforts, although straighter than it was before, the planishing also stretched the piss out of the entire door skin that it bulged outward, with a noticeable step starting exactly where the planishing stopped along the edges. So we ended up making two door skins so he would have less of a mud job:
Model A door skins
Scott from Kahiko Customs in Charles City VA showed up early yesterday with two doors for a Model A. 90 years or so of carnage has taken it's toll and we were collaborating with him to make some new door skins. Given that we opted to go ahead and make both door skins to have a more...
www.spiuserforum.com
Point of all this rambling is that he made a poor choice in die selection, one with too much crown and it added more stretch than needed, making the panel unusable. A tool like this is primarily used for planishing long runs of welds where repairs have been made, and to a lesser extent, to make things flat again. In much the same way as one selects a dolly for bumping dents, the one he should have used would be as close to the crown of the existing panel as you can get without the edges of the die touching (to prevent "coining") For straightening, I would also suggest using about the lowest pressure the tool will stand, again, to limit any stretching. (think of air pressure here the same as exertion of a hammer swing) So where a long weld such as filling a roof insert on a 34 Ford, the Planishing hammer works extremely well to stretch out what has shrunk from welding, bringing it back to the original crown. For something that is already damaged/dented, 99% of those will already be stretched, so care needs to be taken to prevent adding MORE stretch in the panel. Using a tool like this, things can get out of hand quickly.
For a BRAND NEW reproduction of the infamous Milwaukee planishing hammer, Jason Millard (JRM Metalworks, JRM Tool CO.) has quite a few pictures on Instagram of the ones they reproduce:
Login • Instagram
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www.instagram.com
Fully outfitted with a good selection of dies and hoops you can be a few thousand or better into these tools.. So yeah, if looking at used, I would want to kick the tires before exchanging money..
So most of the louver jobs I have done have been in collaboration with Cody Walls of Traditional Metalcraft in Milton DE. He has a Clay Cook Pro-Line planishing hammer. Cody says he uses it on an almost daily basis, for the past 13 years or so. Hasn't skipped a beat, he's very happy with it:
ProLine 050097 Portable Pneumatic Planishing Hammer, Metal Shaping
The ProLine Portable Pneumatic Planishing Hammer is designed for forming or planishing compound curves in sheet metal. These hammers are completely fabricated in the USA.
www.trick-tools.com
If you are on facebook, there is a planishing hammer group, they have some come up for sale on occasion. It's a closed group, so let me know and I can put you in for membership.
Last edited:
Jakescc
Promoted Users
Wow thats alot of good info there thank you. I live in Illinois I would like to buy one to learn more of the metal work side of things and add to the Arsenal of tools. Would love to try one out before a purchase. That's why I was looking towards used then study up on the the radius gauges and getting the right tooling to go with it.
Chris_Hamilton
Trying to be the best me, I can be
I've posted this before but FYI, if you are wanting to learn metalshaping these DVD's are the best way to start.
David Gardiner's DVD is an excellent place to start. Covers all the basics. Very informative and a lot of info packed into this DVD.
DVD
metalshapingzone.com
Peter Tommasini is probably one of the best in the World. His understanding and his ability to convey that understanding, whether on DVD or in person is pretty rare. The 10 DVD set is worth the money. In the first videos he covers the basic concepts, then in the later (7,8,9) Dvd's he makes a quarter panel for a Monaro (Australian Chevelle) in one piece using nothing more than hand tools and the English Wheel. I cannot recomend Peter's DVD set enough. You will learn so much from it. The 10 DVD set is under $300 shipped and is worth every penny for the true correct info you will get in it.
Kent White has a bunch of videos on his site. Lots of good info there from a very thoughtful and unique guy. Plus he sells lots of metalshaping and gas welding tools on his site. Well worth a visit.
TM Technologies: Tools, Sheet Metal Shaping Machines, & Gas Welding Supplies for Better Metalworking
TM Technologies: Tools, Sheet Metal Shaping Machines, Gas Welding Supplies, Articles & lWorkshops for Better Metalworking
www.tinmantech.com
If you are wanting to learn beware of a prominent YouTube guy. He has lots of videos and promotes his expensive classes at his Shop in MA (not Fay Butler BTW) People who have taken his classes and bought his gadgets have spent a lot of money and have been taught bs concepts. Stay Away. I'm not going to name his name here but if you are curious you can PM me.
If you are interested check out Peters home forum. He is on there regularly and is willing to help.