BESPOKE METAL SHAPING COURSES

The English wheel’s primary function is to shape compound (double curvature) curves in flat steel and aluminium, smoothly and easily, by pushing metal back and forth using only the strength of one or two workers.

These silent machines don’t require any electric or hydraulic power, and together with the right knowledge, can help you create beautiful curves for your metalworking project.

The English wheels that you will be learning on are traditional cast iron machines built by Justin Baker.

A bead roller machine is a tool used to form and reinforce sheet metal. It works by pressing a set of shaped dies or rollers into the sheet metal to form raised ridges (beads) or indents. 

By introducing these shaped ridges or depressions, the metal's resistance to bending and flexing is enhanced — by actually bending and flexing the metal into the shape you want! 

The bead roller is especially useful for things like vehicle panels, where rigidity and shape retention are essential without increasing the weight too much.

These machines can also be used to create unique, artistic designs and patterns on your metal or turn your flat sheet into any shape for your project.

When used together with the English wheel and the bead rolling machines, the shrinker/stretcher can help you create shapes carefully and evenly with an amazing level of control.

“Having seen the excellent English Wheel produced by Justin Baker at the 2015 LAA Rally I was intrigued to learn more about the skills needed to work sheet metal into complex shapes to make various fairings on my aeroplane build.

Last week I completed a one-day training course with John Ricketts of Quiet Bear Metal Shaping. Not only did John bring along an English Wheel, but also within his van he had two shrinker/ stretcher machines, much bigger than any I had seen previously, and an electrically driven Jenny Roller. It was a full day course with John turning up at my house around 8:30 and working through to 17:30 with only a short break for lunch. John is very hands on and got me wheeling sheet steel whilst he set up the other machines. I learnt a tremendous amount during the day, and John was very willing to offer constructive advice on how to correct my (many) errors. It was an excellent course and I cannot recommend John enough.”

“Having just invested in an English wheel as an addition to the workshop - we booked
in John for a two day on-site bespoke training course. This, pound for pound,
was a fantastic value course and came as a refreshing breath of fresh air.

Johns experience, patience and affability meant that after two days, with the creation
of a number of fabrications - a solid foundation had been laid in the capabilities of the
English wheel. The quality of this bespoke course was a reflection on John's
professionalism - fully prepared with a van full of kit, flexible and knowledgeable.

Thoroughly recommend this course to anyone - a far cry from the dry, non-descript
courses run by profit driven organizations.”

“Hi John,

Hope you had a good journey home and I'd just like to say that I enjoyed the Metal shaping course really a lot. It just went so fast. I'm really inspired.  I had a quick look at you tube and it all makes sense now.

Thank you for your patience, you're a born teacher, you've got a lovely manner and kindness about your goodself sir. I'm sure you will get very busy as the word spreads.

I'll be in touch.”

“I had the pleasure of booking a two-day metal shaping course with John, and it was a great experience. What stood out was John's commitment to the craft and his students; his patience and vast knowledge meant I was quickly making compound curves on the wheel early on in the day. Beyond his expertise, John is genuinely a great guy to be around. I had an incredible day of learning, and if you're keen on understanding metal shaping and wheeling, I can't recommend John enough.”

“H.Horsfield & Son wanted to thank you for running the course at our premises in Halifax. The Event was a great experience and all gained a far better understanding of the metal shaping craft. Not only were existing skills enhanced but you introduced us to methods that can potentially produce an even better end product. I was personally most impressed with the organisation of your course, from set up of the metal shaping machinery to the cleverly thought out practice pieces which challenge the thought process. I would have no hesitation to recommend you to anyone who is interested to learn this valuable skill.”

“Thank you for the time you spend with us at (6//6/22-8/6/22). The feedback we have received from Martin and Darren who attended the metal shaping course has been very positive. They were  impressed with the content both practically and the knowledge and information you delivered which they found to be exactly what they required to enhance their skill base and which will enable them to pass on what they learned to other colleagues.”