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Ron Covell Vids

Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 7:00 pm
by railroad bob
I bought the full set of Ron Covell videos a few years ago, in VCR format.
I've watched several, and today had some time to watch the 2nd of the series.
This is "Basic Techniques for Working With Steel" copyright by Ron Covell 1994.

The video covers several areas of working steel. Topics are filling holes, smoothing lumpy metal, making/fitting patch panels.
Ron also recommends and demonstrates standard safety practices.

The project is a 1932 Morgan 3 wheeler, and he has the body set up on a rolling support for mobility.
He is very clear that there are other methods to achieve the same results, but his goal is to show the best practices.
Use of tools is demonstrated, including some home made tools.
Recommendations for sheet materials, electrodes, welding process, types of tools to use for different phases

Subjects demonstrated include:
stripping and cleaning metal of rust and previous filler material
Using step drill to open all holes to same dimension, making several patch plugs to equal dimension, inserting and welding patch plugs.
hammer and dolly techniques, including on-dolly and off-dolly.
use of a hand powered shrinker
heat shrinking a small area with a small torch. NOTE; in the video, Ron uses a wet rag to cool a heated area. The video includes a few text notes added explaining he learned after recording this is not a recommended technique as it causes hardening of the metal.
mallet and sand bag
blast cabinet
making body replacement patch panels, including chipboard paper and plywood templates, scribing, making a wire edge and rolling body panel over it.

This video has a lot of information in it, especially for a beginner.
Recommended highly.
Ron makes an obvious effort to leave room for good camera shots of the work in progress, and takes short breaks to explain the process clearly.

All in all, an excellent learning aid provided by a master of the craft
I rate this at 4 1/2 stars of 5, only because sometimes the camera does not have a good clear view of the material.
Later videos are better at showing the surface condition of the metal during stages of progress.

Re: Ron Covell Vids

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 3:07 am
by BlueCollarMoto
Good Stuff! I picked up a bunch of them back in 06 or 07. Worth the coin for anyone starting out with out a doubt!

Re: Ron Covell Vids

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 2:12 pm
by yona
I took all his classes, when they were a $130 a day each..... I would love to find a used set of his sruff to review....

Re: Ron Covell Vids

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 3:26 pm
by BlueCollarMoto
yona wrote:I took all his classes, when they were a $130 a day each..... I would love to find a used set of his sruff to review....
I lost the link to his site a few computers ago but here are his videos.
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywor ... uclsy4qx_e

Re: Ron Covell Vids

Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 1:57 am
by railroad bob
yona wrote:I took all his classes, when they were a $130 a day each..... I would love to find a used set of his sruff to review....
Envious of ya, wish I could do something like that. Maybe someday.

Re: Ron Covell Vids

Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 4:42 pm
by yona
have his link and personal email, but don't have the loot .....; )))

Re: Ron Covell Vids

Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 8:36 pm
by railroad bob
TAM.....

Time And Money, I have one or the other, but never both at once.