You may not realize it, but many of our Eastwood tools are dreamt up and prototyped the same way you build things at home. We have a problem or see a need for a tool to help do a job right and we build something ourselves. I recently needed to shrink the edge of a panel that was on a vehicle and I couldn’t get a shrinker stretcher on it to shrink. An alternative method is to “Tuck-Shrink” the area and use a hammer and dolly to shrink the metal into itself. I decided to make my own homemade tuck shrink tool from some old tools for free I had laying around and show you the process.
I started by gathering two similar sized unloved punches and a longer chisel from the bottom of a drawer in the toolbox. I then used a sander and rounded all of the edges smoothed everything out, leaving the gradual taper in the punches.
Next I clamped the two punches together and ran a weld puddle with the TIG 200 in the valley between the two punches on both sides leaving the tapered area open. There should still be a slight valley in that seam after welding the punches together and a small gap between the tapered portions of the punches.
Then I laid the round end of the old chisel across the center weld overlapping about 3/4 of the punches. I welded on either side of the punch securing it to the chisels. You will a bunch of extra length on the chisel/bar you use, but leave it there until the next step.
Once everything had cooled I clamped the part in the vice with the extra length of the chisel sticking out. I wanted to make a handle that would allow you to use the tool like a ratchet or or breaker bar. I accomplished this by firing up the Oxy-Acetylene torch and heating the long chisel portion just past where it laps over the punches. Once I had a 2″ section red hot I lightly pulled on the end of the metal and bent a 90 into the chisel.
This left me with a super long handle that was overkill so I cut the handle off at about the width of my hand. This way you can have a good grip on the handle. I finished off the handle by rounding the bottom edge so it didn’t cut my palms during use.
Even though it may be overkill, I then laid a top weave pass with the TIG 200 over the sides of the handle to finish everything off.
The result is a nice handheld tool that puts tuck-shrinks in metal and didn’t break the bank to buy or make. It could be used as-is, but I threw it in the blast cabinet to give it a nice even finish. A coat of textured black powder coat over the blasted finish could almost pass as a forged or cast part (minus the obvious welds). Powder coating will also keep it from rusting when not in use. Hopefully this little project gives you some ideas for making your own tuck shrinking tool.
-Matt/EW
Hi John, you can make this with a MIG welder if you bevel the joints and make sure you get good penetration. We’re looking into the feasibility to make these.
Don’t have a TIG or know how to TIG weld, but having one of these tools would be great. Do you plan on selling one of these tools in the near future?
You’d think none of these commenters had ever heard of Google. Try it, it’s the future. Just type in ‘tuck shrinking’ and what do you know?! Hundreds of demos how to use a tuck shrinker. Crazy, right…
Ditto to what everyone is saying. Please show us how this tool can be used. Love to learn.
Ok, thanks for clarifying your intent. Obviously, most people had that WTF feeling. I will definitely out check your next Tech Tuesday. Thanks for sharing.
This was just a way to show how to make a free metal shaping tool from scratch, not a big marketing scheme, Tech Tuesdays are quite the opposite of that actually. I made the incorrect assumption more people knew what tuck-shrinking was. A quick search on google gives the answer and videos done by others. In light of this I’ll be doing another Tech Tuesday showing the process with this tool and using other methods. Thanks for your concern. -Matt/EW
This was obviously a way for Eastwood to get your attention now they will probably try to sell you a metal fabricating course or give you a free video and offer you a discount to buy metal working tools. This tool is useless with out the knowledge of how to use it. I suggest based on my mistakes taking a course in metal fabricating first before you investing thousands in metal fabricating machines that you can not utilize and will have to resell at pennies on the dollar.
Remember this metal working is a trade and profession and it will not come with out effort and talent, not every person has the mental and physical abilities to perform.
Don’t show them did autobody 40 years
Price is right, but how do you use it?
Could we see it in action , I’m not quite invisining it usage,
Thanks
Robert H
Now show is how to use the tuck shrink tool!!
Neat idea. I would like to see this tool in operation.
Thanks.
Would mind showing us the use of the tool . I personally would like to see you shrink the metal.
Matt,
This is great article! I love to learn how to make my own tools! Could you please give a brief demo on how to use it correctly?
Thanks,
Robert
I am in my 70’s and have worked metal since I was a kid and never heard of this tool and I have no idea as to how one might use this tool after I made it?
Now everyone would like to know how to use it. Nice tool did body work for years but never heard of tuck shrinking or a tucking tool.
great looking little tool and tech wright up ,,,,,, next show us all how it works ??? would love to see it in action ,
Neat tool, but not having any idea how to use a tuck-shrink tool makes this blog not to helpful for me. A how-to video could solve my lack of knowledge.
looks great but I have never heard of tuck shrinking . can you help me I’m sure I will use it. thank you jerry
it would have been helpful if you showed the tool in action and how it is used to shrink
How abought showing us how to use the tool ?
Looks as if this may be a great tool, but for us armatures, is it possible to demonstrate the use of this tool?? I’m not a body man but I am interested in all ways to fabricate metal
thanks for the fabricated tool.Im occasionally doing things like that Great idea.
How do you work with this tool?
Very cool. I’d really like to see some video of it in use, including before and after shots.
Without at least some simple instructions as to how to use it, your tuck shrinking tool is of little use.
why don’t you show how to use it
great job, with lots of inguenity.
Good tip. Thanks.
Dave.
I made a very similar tool last year. Now I hope you will produce a tutorial on shrink-tucking and how to use this tool. Thank you for the great articles you write. Very informative.