About Us

Shape The Metal was launched to help those who have a passion for creating the impossible out of a plain sheet of metal. 

As an avid restorer of classic cars, I found myself moving more and more towards making rather than buying. With a background in metal working but more focused on machining (lathers, mills etc) and welding, things started off pretty simple - roll cages, suspension components, mounts, tanks and more. But after a while, interest in creating at first patch panels, and then complete panels grew, which led down the rabbit hole of English Wheels, planishing hammers, power hammers, bead rollers and more, coupled with hours of research on not only how those tools worked, but how to achieve the desired outcome with them.

As a metal worker, I have nothing but a full-blown appreciation for the crafts-men and women who can create a unique design auto-body from scratch, shape a custom fuel tank for a cafe-racer or re-create an almost exact replica of a door or hood from a plain old flat piece of sheet metal for a vehicle that is 50 (or a hundred!) years old and you can no longer purchase replacement panels for. 

Shape The Metal is my attempt to try and roll up a collection of all of the tools I have researched over time, to make it easier for both the budding enthusiast or the seasoned veteran to go to one place and not only find the tools they need to create their works of art but also share and provide as much information as possible to help grow and support this fascinating part of the auto industry. 

 

Ben - Founder, Shape The Metal