First go at Special building.

[DavidL]

A friend took I think 7 goes to get a bonnet how he wanted it. At the end of the day its practice...

That's a much deeper shrinker than I've seen. Pleased with it? I recognise the "Raptor" which I don't think they sell anymore... Was very impressed by it at a show a while back. Original Workmate Joddler on the floor so not got a bead roller yet?

Was the change in material deliberate or as that's what you had to hand?

How did you make the tucks / pleats ? Got a favourite youtube channel or DVD for techniques or been taught it or from books ?

[cardiffrob]

The Raptor thingy is a decent wheeling machine and I do have that deep throat shrinker/stretcher in the garage along with an ancient bead roller.

The Raptor is just a little too flexible and the rollers too small for decent sized panelwork but ideal for power bulges etc.  For edge shrinking I prefer to use the tuck shrink method using a rounded mallet and a tree stump.  there are plenty of Youtube videos of this.  For stretching I like to use a flat pein hammer.  The shrinker marks the surface a lot so it is used if the piece isn't going to be visible. The first wing pic is a wing made with the shrinker but the second shows the pleats made with the hammer.

[John Bonnett]

Some great work Rob; well done. It gets quite addictive doesn't it?