Ron Covell - Basic Metalworking.
One of the most respected names in Metalworking is Ron Covell.
His work is well known in the custom car industry and most of us can only
hope to achieve the level of skill and sense of the art that Ron posseses.
Fortunately, Mr. Covell is as good at teaching the art of metalworking as
he is at performing it, and he teaches seminars in the subject at various
sites around the country each year. In March, 2003, Hot Rods & Custom
Stuff hosted its first Ron Covell seminar. Even our experienced metal formers
were wowed by Ron's skill and the knowledge he passed along.
The two day seminar on the basics of metalworking was held
in our fabrication shop and attended by people from across the country,
in addition to our own technicians. In addition to providing the workspace
for the seminar, we provided lunch on both days.
The basic course covers all the fundamentals of hammering,
cutting and welding metal, and getting it to do what you want it to. It
also covers the different types of metals and their characteristics under
different conditions. According to Ron, knowing the metal you are working
with is as important as knowing how to use your tools.
Tools and their proper use is also hammered into students
(pardon the pun). For example, student are taught on- and off-dolly hammering
techniques and when to use them in order to achieve the best results.
One Mr. Covell's demostrations included making a piece of
window garnish by using a small form to hammer the halves it into shape.
Once shaped, the halves of the garnish are welded together.
An otherwise difficult job made easy once Ron showed everyone how it's done.
Mr. Covell's most impressive demonstration starred a curved
piece of sheetmetal he brought with him to the seminar. During the course
of the weekend, that same piece of metal would be dented, bent, cut, punctured
and repaired a dozen times. And each time Ron repaired it back to its original
state by hammering, stretching, shrinking, welding and patching it, again
and again. It's an impressive demonstration not to be missed.
Hot Rods & Custom Stuff will be hosting more Covell seminars,
so check our seminar schedule for dates.
Ron Covell. Covell
Creative Metalworking or 800-747-4631.
Hot Rods & Custom Stuff, 2324 Auto Park Way, Escondido, CA.,
1-800-HOT-ROD-5.
Hot Rods & Custom Stuff - builds, restores, paints, services
and sells parts for classic autos, cars, trucks and street rods.