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Proshaper

@proshaper

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30 day classes offered. Work and learn on your scratch-built project. Call for details. Metalshaping Tools, Services, and Classes. 508 347 7749

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@360booth photo studio LIVE shoot at Audrain motor week cars and coffee.

Silver aluminum body with a retro open-wheel design.

Gold-colored wheels with center lock nuts.

Exposed side exhaust pipes and a red single-seat cockpit.

Frank Kurtis and historic Indy roadsters

The process of scratch-building aluminum car bodies
#proshaper
#kurtisindyroadster
#audrainmotorweek #audraincarsandcoffee
#audrainconcoursdelegance

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Progress isn’t glamorous.

It’s about showing up anyway, making mistakes, and trying again.

Those are the days that literally shape you. 🤘🏽

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Shaving the quarter panel marker/reflectors on this build for a smooth body. Using a @proshaper shrinking disc to get it nice and flat after welding. Die grinder aluminum bell backer pad by @codyblacktopcustoms We’ll also start fabricating a rear roll pan to replace the factory piece and integrate with a custom diffuser… 🤔 #automotivefabricator #promotivesm #metalshaping #customcarbuilders

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Mirror Mirror ⚡️
-Using a flexible shape pattern to mirror the left side fairing panel. I’ve found that flexible patterns are widely misunderstood so I wanted to spend a few minutes explaining what they are, what they are not, and how they can replace a buck. As for construction, they consist of a layer of low-stick tape that acts a release, and one or two layers of filament re-enforced tape. I learned about these from @proshaper , and Wray has a ton of content if you want to learn to make your own. When making a panel we need three fundamental pieces of information; Volume (shape), outline, and form. So let’s compare the information provided by this type of pattern versus a traditional paper pattern and buck:
-Flexible Pattern: Volume (shape), outline, contour gauge placement.
-Traditional Paper Pattern: outline, a map of shrink/stretch areas, contour gauge placement.
-Traditional Buck: Volume (Shape) and form.
You can see how the traditional paper pattern combines with the buck to provide the volume, form, and outline. The flexible shape pattern gives volume and outline, but relies on contour gauges for the form. However even when using a buck, you often have to rely on contour gauges to get your form spot on due to limited visibility or abnormalities in the buck. Now the difficult part to explain in this format is how the flexible shape pattern shows where to shrink/stretch. You begin by adjusting form to get the pattern to fit as well as possible. If you pause the video at this step, you can see the edges of the pattern bunching against the panel. This would be equivalent to where you would have tucks in your traditional paper pattern, indicating a shrink area. As I shrink you can see the edges of the pattern fitting over the panel and becoming slightly loose. At this point it’s a matter of finding where there is space between the pattern and panel, indicating areas needing stretch. I prefer to do the bulk of stretch with the blocking hammer, smooth and fine tune to 95% on the power hammer, and finish on the planishing hammer. Once the pattern is fitting as tight as on the original panel, form is adjusted using contour gauges. **Continue in Comments

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Laser welding sample from a few weeks back

Over 43 blows to get the 3003 aluminum to split, and even then, it split beside the laser weld

.063" 3003 aluminum

With a good fitup, the laser process is very fast and has very minimal cleanup/ distortion

The TIG still has a place in coach building, as does traditional gas welding

Laser is just another tool in the shop to be as efficient as possible, in an industry that's built on attention to detail and craftsmanship

#sheetmetalshaping

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We’re hiring a metal shaper at Mo’ Muscle Cars.

From full floor replacements and hand-fabbed panels to custom trunks, quarters, and show-quality bodywork—we do it all. No shortcuts. No filler. Just real craftsmanship.

If you know your way around an English wheel, planishing hammer, and shrinker/stretcher—and you’re strong in TIG/MIG welding with a sharp eye for detail—we want you on our team.

Must have your own tools. Not an entry-level position. Monday–Friday. Competitive pay and more. Call or stop by the office to apply so we can learn more about you.
Let’s build it right. ⚡️

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On Episode 44 of the "Sheet Metal Shaping Podcast" Wray Schelin from Proshaper workshop in Charlton, Massachusetts

Link in Bio

In this episode we chat what's new with Ai in the automotive industry

We also discuss:
Ai engineering
Resto vs new builds
Changing demographics in automotive hobby

MidJourney AI Software
Everything in Ai is derivative from something else
Growing up with cars from the 30’s
Wrays Favourite Car
Creating incredible designs by the thousands

Nano Banana
The better the information, the easier the build
Hum3D plans vs in-person scans
Re-designing a historic car
Replica cars vs 1 off cars

Redesigning bodies over existing platforms
Behind the scenes of Tesla
When were some of the best designs ever built?
The style of italian design
Small scale production vs architecture work vs one-off jobs

Demographics of hot rods, muscle cars, customs, are changing
Electric vs internal combustion, who will win out?
The Alfa Romeo Build - What happened to it?
Common traits from past students
Where was your “Big” English wheel from?

Mentions:

Follow Wray @proshaper on IG, facebook and youtube @proshaper

Follow us @sheetmetalshaping on instagram and Like/ Follow/ Share/ Subscribe to our channel for more great guests.

#englishwheel #sheetmetalshaping #powerhammer #coachbuilt #builtnotbought #handmade #pullmax #podcast #hotrod #powerhammer
#baileigh #baileigharmy #baileigh_industrial #yoder #metalshaping #pettingell #welding #coffee #carsandcoffee #proshaper #wrayschelin

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Happiest of birthdays to Wray @proshaper for teaching me and sharing knowledge with the world about metal shaping. I’ve learned so much and continually push myself to be better everyday! Hope to see you soon and have a great bday!

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We’re looking for an experienced metal shaping fabricator to join the team at Mo’ Muscle Cars.

Restoration. Repair. Real Craftsmanship.

If you can shape panels, understand structure, and care about doing it right — we want to talk.

📍 Conroe, TX

Call (832) 585-0000 ☎️, stop by the shop to fill out an application or submit your resume today- link in bio.

Built on craftsmanship.
Powered by community.

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People see the finished car… not the hours behind it. Restoration is patience, precision, and showing up again tomorrow. #MoMuscleCars

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From dented to flawless — using the @baileigh_industrial planishing hammer to help us bring this door skin back to life 🙌 & smooth out old some repairs like metal shaping magic. ⚡️

#MoMuscleCars #MetalWork #ClassicRestoration #BodyShop

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